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You are here: Home / DIY / Bookshelf Makeover with Before and After Pictures | Facebook Marketplace Furniture Flip

Bookshelf Makeover with Before and After Pictures | Facebook Marketplace Furniture Flip

September 23, 2020 • DIY

556 shares
before and after photo of bookshelf makeover with text overlay for Pinterest
before and after photo of Facebook marketplace furniture flip with text overlay for Pinterest
collage showing shelf lighting hack for bookshelf makeover

Check out the before and after results of my Facebook Marketplace bookshelf makeover project. A little bit of chalk paint goes a long way!

before and after bookshelf makeover

The only rooms we have mostly finished in our new home is the kitchen, laundry room, and master bathroom. The last room on our list is the living room, which we livened up with this beautiful bookshelf makeover.

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It’s amazing what a coat of paint did to these 3 old bookshelves we snagged for a steal from a seller on Facebook Marketplace.

Here is what this modular unit looked like before we got our hands on them.

three antique bookshelves placed side by side

 I actually had the hardest time finding a shelving piece for this empty wall spot in our living room.

I really wanted something with curves since this room tends to feel a little too boxy.

I knew it wasn’t the ideal super cool antique piece I hoped to find, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how much better it looked when I painted it.

I actually love it, and if anything, it will allow me as much time as I need to keep searching for something that really speaks to my soul and will be worth the investment.

How do you revamp an old bookshelf?

This piece was old, but not that old. It was made with cheap 70’s laminate fake wood, so I knew there was no way I could make it a pretty natural wood piece. The best option was to paint it.

At this point, I reached out to one of my favorite paint companies—Pure & Original.

pure & original classico paint project

If you’ve been with me awhile, I used Pure & Original’s Marrakech Paint on our walls to create a subtle textured concrete look with the color Milk White.

I also used their Classico Chalk Paint on this really cool vintage hutch with the inside the color Earth Stone and the outside the color Evening Shadow. Lastly, I’ve used their Licetto Paint for our trim in the color Ashes.

HOW TO CREATE A BOOKSHELF MAKEOVER WITH PAINT

For this piece, I wanted to compliment the grays in the room, but not add to it, so I picked this perfectly balanced greige color called “Pebble Stone”.

booklet showing various paint colors

It came out better than I anticipated. If you are looking for a medium-toned brown/gray, I think you’ll love this one!

It might look a little too muddy in a room without a lot of natural light, but I think it is a gorgeous color in our light-filled room.

I wanted to make this bookeshelf makeover as easy as possible, so spraying it was ideal and sanding it down wasn’t really an option due to the laminate covering.

man spray painting old bookshelf with gray paint

Pure & Original recommended I use their Classico chalk paint again, since it adheres so well and has a nice smooth matte finish with no sealer or top coat needed.

I didn’t actually get a ton of images of the process, but it was so simple and straightforward.

We gave it a good scrub down, removed doors and hardware, and sprayed 2 coats. That’s it!

THE RESULTS OF OF OUR FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE BOOKSHELF MAKEOVER

gray couch with decorate pillows and throw blanket with bookshelf in background

And here she is, painted and styled. After removing the doors, I decided I liked all 3 without the doors.

three bookshelves painted with gray paint and decorated with pottery

The lower cabinets are perfect for storing our sewing supplies and other random things we don’t want to look at.

While I love the interest in perfectly styled open shelving with all sorts of goodies, I felt simplicity really calling to me for this piece.

before and after bookshelf makeover

I went to an antique store for a few pieces, and a thrift store for a few more. 

old pottery on bookshelf

Some of them are not my favorite pottery pieces ever, but together they look pretty neat. 

old pottery on bookshelf

It might be something I also take my time to swap out with vessels that I will treasure for a lifetime and use for many centerpieces and floral arrangements.

unique pottery placed on bookshelf

SHELF LIGHTING

Revisiting my museum inspiration, I thought it would be really neat to add some under cabinet mood lighting on each shelf. I discovered these magnetic and rechargeable bar lights that turn on with a remote. They are the coolest things.

part for under cabinet mood lighting being placed underneath bookshelf
hand holding remote for under cabinet lighting

If the light runs dim, I just plug them in like a phone. I turn them on or off with the push of a button and I can also set them on a timer if I want them to turn off or on at certain times. At night, it creates the neatest mood lighting.

cabinet lighting in a dark room
BOOKSHELF MAKEOVER STORY

I hope you enjoyed seeing the before and after of our recent Facebook marketplace find. I’m looking for one more cool piece for our living room to hide shoes and bags right by our side door, but I am being super picky.

I’d love to hear something you’ve found secondhand lately, and perhaps fixed up.

Looking for more DIY makeover projects? Here are other projects where I’ve breathed new life into old things!

  • DIY Painted Antique Cabinet Makeover
  • DIY Painted Dish Hutch
  • DIY Plaster Vase Makeover

Don’t forget to snag my free “complete guide to painting a room”!

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556 shares

Tags: furniture, Living Room, makeover, Paint
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MaleSensePro says

    September 28, 2020

    This looks good, I don’t have many books that can fit… but yeah having a bookshelf really helps, thanks for sharing..

    Reply
  2. Becky says

    September 25, 2020

    What a difference paint makes! That is beautiful!!!

    Reply
  3. Miss Daisy says

    September 25, 2020

    WOW ! I cannot believe the difference , will be saving this post as I love the paint. You are so gifted.

    Reply
  4. Nancy says

    September 24, 2020

    Great makeover!

    Reply
  5. Vicki Hinton says

    September 24, 2020

    It turned out beautiful!

    Reply
  6. Jaelyn says

    September 24, 2020

    One of my very favorite things after I’ve finished a house project is to see it in different lighting. And then, styling it to fit the rest of the room! Love!

    Reply
  7. Toni says

    September 24, 2020

    Great makeover! Love the look, and the lighting is something I’m saving! Your home is coming together beautifully!

    Reply
  8. Maria says

    September 24, 2020

    Wow! It looks amazing! Just stunning!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you Maria!

      Reply
  9. Dina Stacy says

    September 24, 2020

    Hi Cami , love love ❤️ the way it came out looks like a brand new piece you totally made a master piece your work is so nice and I love looking at your blog ,gives me lots of ideas ,although I am not handy or a DIY cant do that kind of stuff but that’s ok get lots of ideas . Been watching your blog for a bit and enjoy it so . God Bless stay well for you and your family . Thanks. Dina

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Hi Dina,
      Your comment was so thoughtful and encouraging! I really enjoying sharing ideas to spark inspiration in others. It fuels me to keep going! Thank you so much for watching and visiting my blog. It means the world to me.

      Reply
  10. Cecilia from Georgia says

    September 24, 2020

    Fantastic job! Looks like custom built book cases and the lighting is incredible! I’m hopping over to Amazon via your link to get some for a place that needs light. I really like the rechargeable and remote features. So glad the color turned out perfect for you!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you Cecilia! And thanks for using my links! It really helps fund all the blog work! The lights are so fun I’m starting to wish I could sprinkle them everywhere 😉

      Reply
  11. Gale Johnson says

    September 24, 2020

    LOVE , LOVE, LOVE everything about it! You are so talented😊

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Oh thank you for saying so Gale!

      Reply
  12. Linda says

    September 24, 2020

    Love how that piece turned out! And the “mood” lighting is nice!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you! My kids have a lot of fun with the mood lighting too!

      Reply
  13. Cecilia says

    September 24, 2020

    Wow, Cami! That turned out great. I always say paint can turn ugly furniture into something just gorgeous. I love it without the doors too. I am looking for storage pieces to put along one wall in our garage conversion so it will be more interesting than plain closets. This really inspires me. Did you have to dilute the paint any for the sprayer? Goodness, I can’t get over the transformation!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Hi sweet Cecilia! I was so glad it had some behind door storage too. It’s like the best of both worlds! Your garage conversion sounds way fun! You should send me pics! Hugs!

      Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Oh – and yes, the chalk paint calls for some dilution. But I just follow what was on the back of the can.

      Reply
  14. Casey says

    September 24, 2020

    They look fantastic. I love the color and I love the lights they add just the perfect amount of light and love you can recharge them. Everything is coming together so nicely. Thank you for inspiring us

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you Casey! I”m so glad you found some inspiration! That’s why I share!

      Reply
  15. Laurie says

    September 24, 2020

    I’m sooo impressed by how fabulously this turned out! Perfect color, perfect finish and your styling of the shelves is spot on. Genius lighting, too.

    Well done, Cami! You’ve inspired me and I’m now searching for my own masterpiece to re-do!

    Reply
    • Sue says

      September 24, 2020

      Very nice. Your house is really coming together in a beautiful and inviting way.

      Reply
      • camitidbits says

        September 24, 2020

        Thank you Sue! Slowly, but surely!

        Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Yay! I hope you find a fun piece to makeover! I’m so glad you felt inspired! That is why I share!

      Reply
  16. SUSAN says

    September 24, 2020

    Love it!! It looks like a very expensive piece. It’s so perfect for that wall.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      I agree – it was a major upgrade! Thanks for visiting!

      Reply
  17. Christie says

    September 24, 2020

    Oh my, how talented are you. Looks so good.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you so much! How kind!

      Reply
  18. Linda says

    September 24, 2020

    Looks fabulous!! Really like the lights inside the shelves.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you Linda! I appreciate your visit!

      Reply
  19. Gina says

    September 24, 2020

    That looks GREAT!!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      September 24, 2020

      Thank you!

      Reply

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Welcome to my blog, TIDBITS! I am a sleep deprived Mom to 4 and a fanatical DIY'er. I absolutely love to create - but I love to inspire others to create even more!

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I love sharing my ideas and tutorials! I ask that you respect my work and follow these guidelines. 1. All images are property of Tidbits blog. 2. Feel free to use 1 or 2 images on your own webpages, provided a link back to my blog is clearly available. 3. Do not remove any watermark or crop/edit my images in any way, unless given written consent by myself. 4. All tutorials/ideas/designs are for personal use only and are not to be copied and distributed in any way. 5. Sharing and pinning through social media is always welcome!

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