If you’ve ever read my blog before, we have discussed how my hubby thinks I’m a hoarder.
I, on the other hand, think I am a “collector of items I might someday need“.
Case in point: the bookshelves I just made over.
About a year ago I saw these vintage bookcases on Craigslist that had tons of potential but needed a lot of work.
After convincing Topher that we “needed” them (since he was not in any hurry to get to work on some floor to ceiling built ins), he caved.
We drove to the house to pick them up … and let’s just say it was a fixer upper home — Topher called it was a meth house. You say tomAtoes / I say tomatos.
After the couple answered the door (luckily not sporting any weapons … or teeth), we entered, and Topher didn’t seem at all happy that there was not one bookshelf but THREE bookshelves.
surprise, honey….
My bad.
So after Topher and his new friend played a little furniture Tetris with two of the million-pound cases, our SUV simply wasn’t big enough for the third shelf.
This made Topher super happy.
He may have said something like … “forget it, we got out alive, we are leaving that third one behind”.
Had he never met me? Of course we weren’t leaving it behind.
We got the two dropped off at home (which was no small feat). Back to the hood we went, but this time it was now dark.
I have to admit, even I was a little weary of the situation now.
Luckily we got in and out and no one was shot. #nofurnitureleftbehind
First thing I did was clean the filth and grime (and whatever else) off of these bad boys. Then I filled in some holes with some wood putty and reattached some trim.
I then used my well-loved Homeright Finish Max Pro and sprayed on two coats of Plaster Paint’s Sweet Cream.
I removed the back panel of all three cabinets and painted on two coats of a 50/50 mixture of Plaster Paint’s Ocean Breeze and Seaside.
I reattached the backs to the shelves, and then gave the entire piece a coat of Paste Wax.
I also spray painted the original handles in Design Master’s Antique Gold.
Be sure to visit these fabulous ladies below and see what they did for our Clay Pot Challenge!!
Our Southern Home • Fox Hollow Cottage • Confessions of a Serial Do-It-Yourselfer •
Artsy Chicks Rule • Refresh Restyle • Duke Manor Farm
Are you ready to participate with us? You can!!!
We want to give you a chance to share your amazing decorating tips and projects and to ask questions and advice, so we have created a forum specifically to do that on Facebook.
Visit the Decorating Enthusiasts FB page HERE to begin chiming in and sharing what you have done.
We also are having a Instagram hashtag tour today! Show us your bookshelves using the #DecorEnthusiast hashtag and play along! We will choose one winner that will be featured on all of our feeds!
I hope you will join us for our October Challenge to be announced soon!
Parties I link to:
DesignDiningandDiapers, SugarBeeCrafts, TaterTotsandJello, HomeStoriesA-Z, TheHappyHousie, FunkyJunkInteriors, CupcakesandCrinoline,CedarHillFarmhouse, TheHeatheredNest, DIYShowoff, MyUncommonSliceofSuburbia, TheChelseaProject, SkiptoMyLou, SavvySouthernStyle, LilacsandLonghorns,TheStripedHouse,MadeInaDay, AddisonMeadowsLane, 11MagnoliaLane, MySoulfulHome, FrenchCountryCottage, AGlimpseInside, MyRepurposedLife
No bookcase left behind!! Love the story but I love the bookcases even more! They turned out great!
Debbie
Oh my gosh you are so funny! My bad. Glad you lived to tell the tale of the meth house bookcase makeover of 2015. These turned out stunning! Nothing like a dead line to get things done, right? Your styling is perfection. 🙂
I think we all have the BEST, most understanding husbands who support our crazy antics!!
Love the color combo!!
You did a beautiful job restoring this piece! Kudos to the hubs for lugging it home. 🙂 I can’t tell you how many times we have tied items to the top of the car and driven home 25 mph. I keep a quilt (so the top of the car isn’t scratched) and plenty of rope in the trunk all the time — just in case. LOL. And, my husband always keeps a baseball cap in the car so he can hide his face when I decide to pick something up off the side of the road (that is no joke)!
It’s beautiful and you’d never know it was the same piece! So funny how you came about it! lol
Our poor husbands!!!
Oh and I do believe I am the same kind of collector as you! 😉
xo
Nancy
Talk about from drab to fab Shanna! Sadly, so many of these bookcases end up at the landfill but if only the owner’s knew how gorgeous they come out with a fresh coat of paint. I love the hit of turquoise on the backs and you styled each shelf beautifully. Yes please on the rocking horse!
Shanna,
Topher thinks the same was as my hubby! Your treasure is fabulous. You transformed it into quite a show stopper! Just beautiful!! Styling is great as well my friend!
The bookshelf turned out amazing!! Great job!!
Thank you so much!
I hope your hubby trusts your ideas from now on. These turned out fabulous! I love the story and the outcome.
🙂 gwingal
I seriously laughed at the hoarder and furniture tetris parts. I feel ya, girl! They look Uh-Maz-Ing! I want to get my hands on one of those sprayers!
love the outcome so cool. Can you use the wax paste on chalk paint plmk have a project trying to get started soon
What a beautiful transformation! I love the idea of painting the back with a pop of color!
What a fun fresh update on a tired bookcase Shanna! I would love it if you shared it on Friday’s furniture Fix http://www.patinaparadise.com/2016/05/fff39.html. Have a great weekend!
I would like to see a full view of the 3 book cases that you did. I see sections but not a full view. I have several book cases that I would love paint.!
Thank ypu