An old bookcase in your home can provide you with more than just space for your books. Adding some paint and other decorative elements allows you to dress up a bookcase, making it better fit in with the overall decorating scheme in the room. These solutions not only help to make over the bookcase, some open up new storage and organization possibilities as well.
Two-Toned
The way you paint your bookcase determines whether the bookcase provides some visual drama in the room. Employ a two-tone paint techniques to bring this area to life. Get started by painting the outside of the bookcase with a light colored paint such as yellow or robin's egg blue. Once you've done that, paint the inside of the shelves a darker version of the same color or a darker contrasting color. For example, paint the insides of the shelves red to set off the yellow you've painted on the outside of the shelf.
Decoupage
Decoupage is a craft that uses graphic materials such as a illustrations from a book and some craft glue mixed with water. To add this to your bookcase, gather enough visual materials to cover the whole shelf. Some possible items to choose are old maps, newspapers or the illustrations from an antique catalog. If you don't have enough material to cover the whole bookcase, have the graphic material photocopied. Cut the images out and glue them onto your bookcase using the craft glue/water mixture. Once this has dried, cover the illustrations or photographs with several coats of the diluted craft glue. If you feel that it might overwhelm the room to have the whole bookcase covered with illustrations, limit your efforts the shelf area.
Stencils
Stencils are a common decorative element in many decorating styles, including country and Moroccan. Scout around craft stores to find stencil patterns that match your decorating motif. Choose paint colors that will stand out on your bookcase. For example, blue and red stencils on white shelves complements an Americana folk style decorating style. Paint the whole bookcase. Allow it to dry according the instructions on the paint can. Once you've finished, add stencils to the sides of the bookcase and to the shelves and the moldings.
Displays
A built-in bookcase offers you a place to display some of your more prized items. A large bookcase makes a logical focal point in the room. Take advantage of its shelf space to display everything from a collection of decorative plates to pieces of African sculpture. To give this area some visual balance, mix pieces such as a sculpture collection in with the rows of books you've placed on the shelves. Hang a group of photos you took on your last vacation on the bookcase's moldings. To enhance the display qualities of the bookcase, put up form-fitted mirrors on the back of the shelves; they'll reflect the artwork you've placed there as well as bringing more light to the display since mirrors reflect the light in the room.
