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| Bookcase Decorating Ideas |
Here are some great ideas to make your plain furniture stand out.
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A plain timber bookcase may provide practical storage, but adds very little to the decor of a room. Here we take a look at three different methods to change the look of your bookcase.
Japanese Look
This is ideal for your home dining area.
1
Paint the basic outer frame of the bookcase in Carbon Black and all the inner shelves in Red Earth. Let the paint dry.
2
Attach a rice paper blind to the back of the bookcase. Trim it beforehand if necessary. Nail the top strip of the blind to the back of the top shelf and staple edges if needed.
3
Decorate the front panels of the bookcase with Japanese characters. See diagrams below. Note, for the characters to retain their meaning, lay out as specified. Transfer the characters onto the front panels using transfer paper (use pencil), and then complete in Rich Gold paint.
4
Dress the shelves with lacquered bowls, chopsticks, a wok and other oriental items. The main secret to Japanese design is to keep it simple.
Beach Look
This gives a great beach-house look and is suited for use as a linen cupboard.
1
Staple a piece of blue fabric to the back of the bookcase with the "colour" side showing.
2
Wrap the blue canvas around the bookcase. Start at one side, working across the back and finishing on the other side. Make sure the fabric is taut, and staple neatly in place as you go. Cut away any excess fabric. Glue some white braid around the top to hide the staples. Use the left-over braid to make some tie backs (one at each side to gather back the canvas like curtains, and one at top centre for decoration).
3
Hide the staples by gluing more braid along the exposed staple edges, including the front section of each shelf.
4
Dress with fluffy towels and linen.
Magazine Look
This is suitable for displaying books, magazines and games.
1
Screw pine strips vertically onto both sides and the back of the bookcase. Allow a small gap between each piece.
2
Stain the entire unit with a water-based stain and allow to dry.
3
Sew a channel along the bottom of a piece of heavy beige fabric. (The fabric needs to fit down the front of the bookcase when unrolled). Insert a dowel into the pre-sewn channel. Staple the fabric to the pine strip at the top of the bookcase. Next, staple two lengths of braid at the top of the timber strip so that part of the braid hangs down vertically behind the fabric and the other section hangs in front. This holds the rolled-up fabric in place.
4
Fold the fabric up and insert a dowel into the pre-sewn channel. Tie the braids around the folded fabric to secure neatly. The fabric can be rolled up as desired, depending on the number of books on display.
5
Dress with your books, games and magazines.
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Cost
Cost and Materials
Japanese Look:
Jo Sonjas Carbon Black acrylic paint, 75ml, $4.75
Red Earth acrylic paint, 75ml, $4.75
Rich Gold acrylic, 75ml, $6.90
Rice blind, $16.90
Transfer paper, $1
Total: $34.30
Beach Look:
Fabric, $25
Trim, $10
Total, $35
Magazine Look:
Pine, $20.30
Wood stain, $6.50
Fabric, $18
Braid, $5
Total, $49.80.
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More Info
All materials can be bought at all good craft and hardware stores.
This project also appears in the July 1999 issue of Our House magazine.
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Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
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