I have always had at least 3 to 5 projects going at one time. I have short term and long term efforts. I also read several books at one time – I want to see and do and try so many things! The project that was bothering me the most and that seemed so simple was the lack of color and the lack of books on my bookshelf… So simple, yet it has taken me ages to style this bookcase. After a trip to Target with my best friend last week, I was so inspired, I couldn’t wait to start. I love this collection called Devine Color. If you think you want to add paper or color to a bookcase, visit Target.
How can someone who always reads have empty book shelves? Because I read ugly books. Good books, but ugly. I buy used books, paperbacks – and donate them when I am done. The stories are wonderful, but the “color story” is not. So for pretty books, one must make a separate, special visit to the Goodwill. While I often see books that have lovely color ways, I had trouble deciding what colors to buy. For me, the secret was making one special trip and just picking what I liked all at once. None of this “here and there” collecting. I wanted an instant collection.
I enjoyed this type of shopping more than I can tell you. When I looked at aisle after aisle of books and no longer cared what they were about and only saw color, then the options and sizes and quantity of books that needed to go home with me were unlimited. I just scanned for color that I loved, put books in my cart and stacked them together in groups that made me happy. This was about a $40 investment… much less than retail for one or two new books or any other less effective, single accessory I might have purchased.
Though I was inspired by the pretty papers I saw, they did not have in stock the choice I would have preferred. I didn’t know until writing this post how many other options there were online in the collection. I decided to start inexpensive and use what I had – which was white embossed wallpaper that I had a partial roll of. Once I saw the white, I thought it would be crisp and clean. Because it is wallpaper that is meant to be painted over, I can always change color later. I didn’t actually wallpaper the inside, I just cut strips and taped them together and against the back of the case. I used duct tape, which is probably too harsh and not something I can recommend, but it was certainly less horrible than painting it. The paper thickness required a heavy tape. I am respecting the wood and not painting even though I REALLY want to. I am confident that Goof Off will take off any residue that remains when I am done with the paper.
I love how rearranging my things gives them new life and makes me fall in love with them again. This little project took me about 2 and a half hours to complete once I had my books and paper decisions made. I am baby-stepping my way to pretty, colorful bookshelves.
Life is just so everyday, so make time for those little things that make you feel special, inspired and that get you one step closer to the life you dream about. I am just a little closer to having one of those amazing wall to wall bookcases styled to the nines that I see on Pinterest and my favorite magazines…
Stephanie Macera 