Who would think you could jump-start your built-ins using inexpensive Ikea bookcases and and some decorative trim and get this?
A beautiful home library!
About 7 years ago in a previous home, I commissioned a contractor to build floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcases along the hallway to house my library. It cost me about $5k in materials and labor. Here's what that looked like:
I opted to paint them myself to save money – and the task was a beast! All those shelves and trim pieces.
This time around, encouraged by the work of AM Dolce Vita and Centsational Girl, I hacked Ikea bookcases for about $800. Here's the schematic that I drew up for my contractor.
