Hand Painted Bookcase Ideas

Dark Grey Paint With Color Splash

Dark grey paint gives that rustic bookcase or dresser a modern and post-modern aesthetic that makes it look like it belongs in a magazine. However, you may give the piece a little more visual appeal by adding a dash of paint to the knobs or handles. Simple elegance is provided by the blend of dark and somewhat bright colors.

Update a Bookcase With Paint

When Christy from Confessions of a Serial DIYer came across this bookcase in the thrift store, it was gloomy and out of date. She brought it home and painted it in a coastal-inspired style. Her own recipe was utilized to transform a beachy blue enamel into chalk-finish paint after she had begun with that color.

Invert the Go-To

The cool inside-out DIY by Gillian Lawlee is at the other extreme of the spectrum. If you have a standalone bookshelf that needs some TLC—the Billy series from IKEA comes to mind—paint the outside while leaving the insides unfinished. Extra points if the tint matches the adjoining door trim.

Bright Blue And Red For Fun

Consider utilizing vibrant hues like blue and dark red for your bookcase or dresser, whether you want to go for a surf or beach aesthetic or you just want to have some fun. This is not only a lot of fun to look at, but it can also brighten the entire space in which it is located.

Paint the Shelves a Contrasting Color

There is no law stating that a painted bookshelf can only have one color. Alecia of Chicken Scratch NY chose a crimson bookshelf with yellow shelves. The end effect is colorful and upbeat, and the burlap back gives it a rustic feel.

Take a Love of Monochrome Even Farther

toilet room Hallway? Study? By covering every surface in the same color—in Joshua Greene and Katrina Hernandez’s home, that color is an electric blue—you can make a statement in any smaller space. Take the same tone used on a shelving unit and apply it to the walls, cabinets, and even counters if you have a little extra time to spend on your project.

Stick With Nature With Dark Green

Why not make the bookcase’s or dresser’s natural wood source the aesthetic’s main focus rather than trying to disguise it as something else? To accentuate the sensation of earthiness and nature, use a dark green paint. By fusing nature with modernity, you can create something beautiful.

Paint the Back With a Pattern

When painting the rear walls of a bookcase, you are not restricted to a solid color. Kate from Centsational Girl, who sponge painted a pattern onto hers, can attest to that. She created the pattern in a clean blue on white, despite the fact that it resembles cheetah spots.

Try Some Basic Color-Blocking

Piera Gelardi contrasts cerulean walls and mustard yellow ledges in her nursery. It’s a simple improvement—you only need to remove each board, paint it, and let it dry completely before replacing it—but if you’re considering remodeling a similarly little nook, it will make a significant impact.

Light Blue Paint And Natural Tones

Use a light blue paint on the front of the bookshelf or dresser while letting the original wood keep its rich color on the interior of the shelves. This is an unusual paint color idea that you may not have thought of. The piece is quite interesting to look at thanks to this unique combination of colors and natural tones.

Paint It A Pretty Color

Before Amy from Atta Girl Says gave it a makeover, this bookcase was unquestionably in the “ugly” category.

I love color, and blue is my favorite, so you can imagine how much I adore the stunning indigo color she chose.

Create a Rainbow Room

This storage wall, designed by Front Studio Architects, is unquestionably the highlight of this Manhattan penthouse because practically every cubby has a different color. If you want to prevent any unintentional smudging, start at the top and work your way down.

Bright Blue Can Attract Attention Immediately

Use a vivid hue, like blue, to make your bookcase stand out from others like it. In contrast to other bright hues, blue may be used in any room in the house, and it not only evokes beachy motifs. Making the inside of the bookcase yellow paint makes the object cheerful and lively.

Paint the Inside A Different Color

I like to paint my shelves’ inside a different color from their exteriors.

Whatever you have on the shelves stands out a little more because of the contrast.

To make the blue on the interior of the bookshelf really stand out, I painted the outside of the shelf a grey color that matches the wall color in this instance.

Make the Backing the Star

A Kelly green base in this Beata Heuman-designed home creates the backdrop for a variety of furnishings, including a bar and shelves of hardcover books (which, coincidentally, is another way to make a bookshelf interesting). Select your favorite intense color, then use a detail brush to precisely cover all of the edges.

Draw On Eyeliner

This is a simple method to give your bookcase a graphic pop, similar to Luke and Joanne Duong Bartels’ wall tracing. After giving the unit’s backs a fresh coat of paint (choose a deep emerald or rich navy for maximum impact), follow Camille Hermand’s example and paint the fronts of the unit white to provide a standout border.

Simple Grey For A Simple Elegance

Never undervalue the strength of simplicity. The adage “less is more” is evoked by this paint color inspiration. The grey paint’s subtlety makes it possible to highlight the items on the shelves. Additionally, because of its hue, it may be used in any space, regardless of its aesthetic.

Add Some Stripes

This $15 yard sale bookcase was upgraded by Christy from confessionsofaserialdiyer.com with a light blue paint hue and some stripes in the back.

The stripes not only give the bookshelf more visual interest, but they also make it appear taller.

White And Bright Blue Beach Paint

White and vivid blue are the colors you require if one of the themes or aesthetics of a room—or even a corner of a room—is related to the beach. When it comes to the appealing beach style, these are the essentials. It can brighten up an entire room and is colorful and lively.

Use A Paint Treatment

Try a layered painting approach, like the one Kandice from Just The Woods used on her shelving, to give the outsides of your shelves a more fascinating appearance.

Finding the proper color combination takes some time, but the finished product has a depth that conventional paint cannot provide.