DIYs 7 DIY Bookshelf Projects You Can Make

Looking for some simple DIY bookshelf projects? Here are 7 creative projects with DIY instructions ranked from easiest to most challenging.

Please tell me you’ve seen these type of bookshelves everywhere.

Big box stores.

Yard sales.

Thrift stores.

The attic.

These type of bookcases are perfect for storing cubbies with cubes in each of the squares and putting craft supplies in and extra linens and pillows and books and season decor. I even have one under the stairs in my house where I keep all my extra cleaning supplies.

But when I found this bookshelf? I knew it wanted to be more than just a cleaning-supply-extra-pillow storer. It had hopes and dreams and goals of living it’s best life with a little bookshelf makeover.

I know.

I understand.

I speak bookcase.

Because now? This sweet bookcase looks like this.

Wait.

Please press pause and scroll back up and look at the before.

Would you ever?

Could you ever?

Is it possible to even imagine it’s the same bookcase?

I created it years ago for Zack’s room and it’s one of my favorite bookshelf makeovers EVER—and I am FLUENT in bookcase. I counted the other day and guess how many bookshelves I had in this house?

Can we still be bookshelf friends if I told you I had 21 bookshelves in this house?

Yikes.

That is a LOT of bookshelves.

One for almost every major holiday in the calendar year.

It’s also a lot of bookshelf decorating and bookshelf projects. That’s why I’m all about a really good bookshelf DIY. Here are 7 different DIY bookshelf projects that I’ve made to my existing bookshelves (some only take about an hour).

Let’s get started with the projects before I decide to shelve this discussion.

(ps I’m so sorry. Me, myself and I never met a corny joke we didn’t like.)

7 DIY Bookshelf Projects You Can Make

1. Make a locker out of a bookshelf

Let’s start with the bookcase that started this entire discussion.

It was the hardest, but don’t tell the others–it’s my favorite.

It started life as a that cubby with the square sections. The cubbies are still there. You can see them when you open the locker doors.

But now?

That cubby transformed itself into a locker ready for school supplies and library books.

See how the cubby bookcase was transformed into a locker here.

2. Add faux wood paper to the back of the bookcase

This was one of my easiest DIY bookshelf projects.

This simple DIY will take you MINUTES.

All you need is this paper that I found at Hobby Lobby.

Here’s a hint—it’s not in the craft section.

See the DIY project and the paper that I used here.

3. Paint the back of the bookshelf

This took less than 30 minutes.

Why not add a bold color to the back of a bookcase?

The key is adding accessories that make the color pop. Here, the color is dark, so I added white milk glass. If I had painted it a lighter color, bright colors would make this bookshelf pop.

See the DIY project and my favorite navy blue here.