28 Simple DIY Bookshelf Ideas to Show Off Your Collection
Give your bookshelf wealth the backdrop it deserves.
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Bookshelf wealth is about more than showing off a literary interest. It means putting your most meaningful items on display. The perfect place to do that, of course, is your very own cabinet of curiosities. A great bookshelf is beautiful and tailored to your home, and it has plenty of room for everything you treasure. Thankfully, as these DIY bookshelf ideas prove, you don't have to be wealthy to get one that looks custom. You can start with a new and inexpensive item of furniture—like the ubiquitous Ikea Billy bookcase, which stars more than a few of the ideas below—or a piece that you've thrifted, and customize it using simple woodworking ideas. You don't even have to be handy with power tools to do it.
As for bookshelf decor, the best displays are personal. "What creates the atmosphere of bookshelf wealth is a collection of things you love and are interested in, [all] displayed together," says Anna-Jaël Hotzel, founder and principal designer of Kollective Design in Portland, Oregon. "It looks especially interesting if the items are collected and found rather than bought as decor." Chicago-based designer Sanda Stojakovic agrees. "If you haven't started already, you need to begin collecting things that inspire you and fill your soul because that's really what makes bookshelves look authentic versus styled," she says.
Since the shelving is the foundation of any great collection, we've put together 28 DIY bookshelf ideas that are sure to inspire you. As you scroll through, you'll find projects that are beginner friendly and more complex ones for ambitious DIYers. (As always when installing furniture, please take care to ensure your bookshelves are safely anchored to the wall.) They're all waiting for you to bring them off the page—um, screen—and into reality.
Add a Reeded Texture
Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox Home fashioned this luxe-looking DIY bookshelf out of an Ikea Billy bookcase and Pole-Wrap wood veneer. "I love using Ikea pieces as a base for a lot of furniture DIYs because their designs are more minimal, which allows a lot more creativity to update the piece to your liking," he says.
Get the full tutorial on YouTube at Lone Fox Home.
Go Shallow
The Ikea Billy bookcase is a super-popular base for a DIY bookshelf, but it's not your only option. Home decor expert Alexandra Gater cleverly mounted a pair of Ikea Laiva bookcases on a desk—they're perfect for this because they're so skinny. This project required cutting the shelves to size and attaching them to the ceiling rather than the desk—a great trick for easy future removal.
Wallpaper the Back
When it comes to bookshelves, wallpaper is the ace up Elizabeth Hay's sleeve. "We love to wallpaper the back of a bookcase," says Hay, who used the tactic for these built-ins. "It's a great thing to do if you don't have lots of books because the wallpaper adds visual interest and fills the space."
Create Contrast
Rather than covering the entire shelf in Pole-Wrap wood veneer, Francesca Stone (@fallfordiy) applied it to the back of the shelves. It contrasts with the white frames for a neutral but eye-catching result that lets her decor and books stand out.
Upcyle Thrifted Pieces
New bookshelves aren't cheap, and the quality doesn't always match the price tag. Photographer Anna Wallendahr got the look—and the craftsmanship—she wanted by transforming discarded office shelving and an old desk into built-ins. She added molding for antique flair and finished it all off with a matching coat of paint to complement the neutral tones in her living room.
Work With Your Wall
This bookshelf took expert DIYer Steffy Degreff about a week, start to finish. She built the skeleton of the shelving and slowly filled out the wall as she attached the shelves to the studs. Then, she added some two-inch trim to the front to give the unit a thicker, more finished look. When it comes to styling, Degreff doesn't just reach for books. "I love to think of bookshelves as more of an opportunity to display my favorite items," she says. She recommends mixing in artwork—and don't forget some cute book ends.
Mind the Gap
The possibilities are truly endless with Ikea shelving. Design DIYer Kate Voegele took them in her own direction by building a shelf to unite two Billy bookcase units.
Get the YouTube tutorial at We the Dreamers.
Drench It in Color
Never underestimate the power of paint to transform a space, especially a reading nook. This colorful corner by designer and home editor Heather Kane Kohler features Benjamin Moore Herb, a forest green with a drop of yellow. "I love showing off my collections, and a painted bookshelf really makes all my blue-and-white pottery pop," Kohler says.
Opt for a Power-Tool Free Tutorial
If drills and electric saws intimidate you, never fear. When content creator Hattie Kolp dressed up this Ikea Billy bookcase, there was nary a power tool in sight. And because bookcases (even Ikea ones) are heavy, we appreciate that she's thoughtfully laid out versions of the project you can do solo or with a helper.
Get the tutorial at Hattie Kolp.
Keep It Simple
Ornate DIY bookshelves are beautiful in their own right, but a complicated design can frustrate even the most seasoned DIYer. Your books, travel souvenirs, and art can make their own statement on simple wood planks supported by brackets. These shelves styled by Carley Page Summers prove you don't need anything more.
Think Outside the Box(es)
To turn this home's library into a grand display, Alexandra Gater created custom boxes that double as an art installation and painted them in the same hue as the walls for a custom, built-in look.
Soften the Edges
The simple addition of a scalloped edge is enough to take an Ikea Bill bookcase from simple to sweet. The accent looks right at home in this little girl's room by design-loving mom @oliviawirensjo.
Hang It High
With three little ones at home, photographer Katie Currid mounted DIY bookshelves way up high to safeguard her favorite tchotchkes. But her practical decision had a pretty bonus effect: "We also have 10-foot ceilings," Currid says. "Since I put these shelves up, they act as such a great design element, pulling your eye up and making the room seem even bigger." She built them using 1x8 boards set on top of 1x3s, added shoe molding to the upper one to make it a picture ledge, and used corbels to hide the seams where the boards join.
Raise Some Cane
Blogger Olivia Anderson put together this mini library for her little reader using floating shelves and cane webbing. She changes up the picture books on display seasonally to give it a fresh look.
Go Monochrome
Designers Sharon and Robert Reed of Walnut+Ash Interiors made two easy improvements to this built-in that produced a big impact. First, they chose to paint it Sherwin-Williams Greenblack to camouflage the television. Second, they removed some of the shelves and displayed a small, curated mix of vintage books and decor on each remaining one. "We think of bookshelf wealth not as it pertains to the monetary value of the items, but in the personal and sentimental value they hold for our clients," Robert Reed says. "This could include family heirlooms, collectibles, favorite books, or artwork that holds special meaning or memories."
Use Simple Pine
There's no arguing that solid wood is the superior bookshelf material choice. Some types of wood can add up in cost, but pine boards are an option that's easy on the wallet and the eyes. We love how the team at Kollective Design made matching brackets to give this wall unit a cohesive look. "Making them ourselves allowed us to use the maximum space available and customize the height while keeping the costs low,"
Hotzel says.
Create a Focal Point
Before she installed this DIY bookshelf, designer Sanda Stojakovic described her formal living room as "uninspiring." To solve the issue, she turned to books and drew up the plans for this series of floor-to-ceiling built-ins. "I've always admired the elegance and tranquility of library rooms, envisioning them as sanctuaries away from the digital noise of modern life," she says. "This aspiration guided me in transforming the room into a haven where the allure of a good book reigns supreme." Her husband, Uros, brought her ideas to life, including painting them in Benjamin Moore Blueberry.
Get the tutorial at Stojakovic Design.
Hang a Ladder
When installing your DIY bookshelf, think beyond arm's reach. Elle Hervin, better known as @elle_the_home_bird on Instagram, built her very own library to put the unused space in her dining room to work. The brass rail and library ladder lean into the old-world look already present in the room.
Add Arches
DIY, thrifting, and upcycling expert Jaharn Quinn transformed a basic set of bookshelves into this custom-looking library for just under $2,300. It's an great project if you feel comfortable rolling up your sleeves and picking up a miter saw.
Get the tutorial at Smor Home.
Leave Room for Art
The best thing about DIY bookshelves is you can customize them to fit your decor. Not only can you build the shelves at just the right height to house your favorite knick-knacks, but you can also leave a spot in the center to display meaningful large-scale art or a flat-screen TV. This DIY bookshelf wall by design blogger Jessica Starr of The Old Barn has an inset that's just the right size for a landscape and sconces that enhance the room's symmetry even more.
Tessa Cooper is a freelance writer and photographer based in Springfield, Missouri specializing in interior design, housekeeping, and lifestyle content. With nearly a decade of experience writing lifestyle and commerce content, Tessa has developed quite a passion for old and restored homes. In addition to House Beautiful, Tessa has written for Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, and Apartment Therapy. Previously, she was a contributing editor for 417 Home, her region's premier interior design magazine. Tessa attended Missouri State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in design. She and her husband love traveling and have an affinity for France and Italy, but their restored Victorian home in the middle of America will always be one of their favorite places in the world.
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