How to Give Your Space a Custom-Design Look With Shelving

A bookcase is one of those classic details that can make an average older space look like charming vintage. Engaging a carpenter to design custom shelves can be financially prohibitive, but it’s possible to use ready-made, quality bookshelves to create a custom design look. Take a look at what we mean here.

Shelves can also be used to divide a larger room into separate areas—another low-cost, creative way to subdivide one’s personal space or, dare we say it, man cave. Your friends will be amazed and you’ll have lots more space for books, games, and art. And, although anyone can tell you what to put in this inner sanctum to make it an authentic man cave, you’re likely to have plenty of treasures stored away without a place to properly display them.

A multi-storage bookcase, like this one from FADS, offers compartments of varying size and gorgeous contemporary design that adds an expensive look without the price tag.

Design

Start by identifying the portion of the man cave, personal room or area for a bookcase. Consider the room’s shape, size, wall space area, and location traffic. Think about sunlight and moisture, because too much of either can cause even high quality bookcases to warp.

Measurement

Next, carefully measure where the book shelves will be used. Measure the area’s height, width, and depth. Add in enough space in front of the bookcases to allow access to whatever items you plan to place on them. Include trim measurements as part of the area dimensions if you plan to complete the bookshelf area with toe kicks, crown molds, or other custom details.

Install

Install bookshelves into the wall with an electric screwdriver, wall anchor and/or L-bracket. For instance, use L-brackets and affix each in a specific wall stud. This places one end of the bracket in attachment to the bookcase and the other to the wall. Determine how many L-brackets you will need according to bookcase width. Place studs about every eighteen inches or so, or according to your stud finder. If affixing anchors, place a hole in the wall that’s a bit smaller than anchor diameter. Then, tap each anchor with a hammer into the hole whilst taking care not to curve the anchor. Then, affix L-brackets into the anchors with screws.

Create the custom-build look by attaching selected extensions to top or side(s) of the shelves. Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) may be used to fill small spaces between shelving and wall or trims. Again, measure the spaces with care, then saw the particle board to size. Finally, nail the piece into place.

Trim

You’re now ready to fit the crown mold or other trims of choice to either top, bottom, or both, of the bookshelves with the miter saw. According to author William Perkins Spence, (“Interior Trim: Making, Installing and Finishing”) miters are frequently cut at forty-five degree angles. Place the molding edge flat against the top and the bookcase, then cut corners with the miter saw to flatten them. When creating standard corners, make cuts of both the halves at the joint with the miter. For professional inside corners, cut each half of either inner corner with a straight edge and finish the other with a miter cut. Finally, trim completely to fit the space with your coping saw.

Use hammer and nails in order to install trim at approximate six-inch intervals. Make crown molds at top, and toe kicks or wraps at the base.

Fill and Sand

Apply wood putty sparingly to fill holes from your assembly work to give the custom-build appearance you’re after. Allow two hours of curing time for putty style filler before sanding. Then, very carefully sand the area with extra fine sandpaper. Don’t apply heavy pressure to avoid damaging the gloss surface. Use a bit of clear gloss if desired.