Today I have a bookcase makeover tutorial for you with a fun DIY project to make a cost friendly wallpaper backing out of newspapers!
Hello Emma’s Diary,
I recently moved into a new apartment, and I really wanted to make the most out of it. This new space leaves a lot of room for growth and an opportunity to up my decor game. I felt it only fitting that I start my upgrades in my reading corner.
Although, I am not a furniture-flipping girly, I figured since this blog specializes in all the fun bookish content why not give you a bookcase makeover tutorial!
The Vision
I had a very specific vision for this bookcase makeover.
We started out with this wood toned bookcase that gives off a vintage-y vibe already, which was great.
My vision was to brighten up the shelf and add a wallpaper look to the inside to make it more of a statement piece.
The budget, however, didn’t allow for your traditional wallpaper. So instead I was able to find a few DIY options.
The first option I kept seeing was to use wrapping paper. This made me a little nervous since I wasn’t sure how well it would hold up and I didn’t want it to look too tacky. However, after completing this project I do think wrapping paper would work just fine!
The second option, which ended up being the one I went with, was to use newspaper. I loved the idea of this especially since I had been collecting the Fearless Flyer from Trader Joes for a while and didn’t have a use for it yet.
If you aren’t like me and didn’t have random magazines lying around, then I’d suggest thrifting some old books and magazines and use the pages from those.
Since this was for a bookcase I tried to include as many fantasy elements as I could.
Materials:
Now, let’s get into what materials you’ll need for this DIY bookcase makeover.
-Paint of your choosing (or stain if your bookcase allows it)
-Newspapers or wrapping paper (If your budget allows it, wallpaper is also an option)
-Mod Podge
-Foam brushes
-Paint brush
-Scissors
-Sandpaper
-Primer (optional)
Bookcase Makeover Tutorial
Step 1: Disassemble shelf where necessary.
The first step I took was to remove any shelving or hardware that might get in the way of the painting and wallpaper steps.
Step 2: Lightly sand surfaces.
Next, I lightly sanded the surfaces to allow the paint to stick better.
Bonus: Depending on the color you choose for your project, you might want to add a layer or two of primer before applying your paint.
Step 3: Wipe surface clean.
After sanding, I made sure to wipe the surface clean to make sure no debris got in the paint.
Step 4: Paint the first coat!
Now for the fun part, getting to paint our first coat!
My very generous father took this step upon himself, which I am very grateful for.
Who doesn’t enjoy a small painting project? That is, if DIY projects aren’t already part of your everyday life.
Step 5: Add additional coats as needed.
I ended up doing 2-3 coats for this project since we were using such a light color and didn’t apply primer beforehand.
Step 6: Prep “wallpaper” material.
For this project, like I mentioned previously, I had approx. 6 of the Trader Joes Fearless Flyer’s on hand.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with these booklets but every time I saw one at checkout I would snatch it up. I mean come on, they had so much potential.
Clearly, I was onto something.
If you didn’t have a weird obsession with these newspapers, that’s okay. There are still many great options, whether that be a cute wrapping paper, thrifted books, or a wallpaper you’re okay with investing some money into.
I then started prepping the material by going through each booklet and pulling apart each individual page so I could see which spreads I enjoyed the most, which pages had elements I liked, and which pages I wasn’t the biggest fan of.
I decided to base my collage around the full spreads.
However, I did not start cutting elements out until the next step, incase I would need full pages elsewhere, which did end up occurring.
Step 7: Figure out layout
Figuring out the layout was probably the most frustrating step, only because I have a hard time committing to an idea.
With the pieces I had separated out prior, I started laying the spreads that I wanted at eye level and found other pages that had elements in it that I wanted to be in the main section of the book case.
Then, I started filtering out pages to other sections of the bookcase like the bottom section and the side walls, decided on a pattern, and began cutting out sections to fill in the gaps.
Be sure to play around with it before you commit.
If you’re going with a simple wallpaper or wrapping paper, then this step will be much easier for you.
Tip: Keep in mind where your eyelevel is at and what your shelf placement might look like so you can make sure your favorite elements remain the focal point.
Step 8: Commit to the layout.
Yikes. If you’re like me then this step is definitely the scariest.
It’s time to start gluing and commit to our layout.
If you’re doing a collage look like me, the best process is as follows:
1) Take a picture of the layout in the section you’re working on so you can refer back to it.
2) Remove top layer so you can work from the bottom up.
3) Glue underneath the newspaper before going over the top of it, this helped keep them flat and prevented any edges from sticking up.
4) When going over the top of the newspaper, be sure to work your way out across the edge. If you go against the grain the newspaper could wrinkle or fold over itself.
5) Do this until everything is thoroughly glued in place.
Step 9: Mod Podge second coat to seal everything.
I ended up applying a second coat of Mod Podge to act as a sealer and to make sure any rough edges were smoothed out. This step also increases its structural integrity.
Step 10: Add any extra flare you’d like!
We’re just about done!
If there’s any extra flare you’d like to add like an accent color or improved hardware or even some fun trim pieces then go right on ahead!
Here’s how my final product turned out:
I’m obsessed.
Final Thoughts
This is the first furniture flip I’ve done (partially) myself, and I’m really happy with how it turned out! Of course, it’s not perfect but I love it nonetheless!
I owe a huge thank you to my dad for his help in this process. Shout out to dads everywhere.
Now, I can go ahead and buy myself another bookcase and continue to add to my collection.
If you haven’t already, check out my socials! Especially Instagram since that’s where I’ll be posting most of my content and giving frequent updates on my bookish life!
Thank you so much for your support!
Sincerely,
