I have a strong suspicion that most of you out there have a crappy bookcase somewhere in your home. There is just something about shelving that people tend to hang on to, no matter how ugly or cheap it is, because everyone needs storage. So, whether your shelves are holding on strong inside your home, or they have been moved out into the garage to house your gardening supplies…. a makeover is probably in order. Don’t allow those cheap little shelves to look so sad….. transform them into a DIY Gothic Skull Bookcase.
OK… so here’s how I ended up with my sad little bookcase….. Not only do I currently run a business on Etsy in which I sell tea cup candles, among other things, but I am also going to be a vendor at a few events this Fall in which I’ll have my candles on display for sale. With business expanding, my workspace needed some serious revamping. One of my biggest challenges is storage, and for something like my candles, which are small, but not stackable, and incredibly fragile… storage can prove to be tough.
I happened upon this bookcase at a charity shop. It’s shallow depth was a perfect size for storing the candles. I did add a few extra shelves (not shown in the photos), so that I could fit as many candles as possible…. Adding shelves was as simple as going down to my local hardware store and picking up a piece of lumber that was already the correct width and height. The only thing left to do was cut the correct length. Your hardware store can do this for you if you don’t have a saw.
As much as the shelves suited a small sliver of my storage needs, they certainly weren’t the most attractive. I don’t care if its going in my front entry or hiding in my utility closet, I still want to like my furniture. Now, the truth is… if I were actually going to put this in full view, I’d probably be busting out my clay molds (if you’ve read some of my more ornate projects like the Skull Candle Sconce, or the Baroque Vase, you can imagine what I could do with these shelves!) But – I was intentionally looking to keep these shelves simple but with a gothic twist. Here’s how I did it…
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Let’s get started! What you’ll need:
- Bookcase
- Black Paint
- Wallpaper
- Wallpaper Adhesive
- Smoothing Tool
Side note before we begin…… I was shocked how many cool wallpapers are available on Amazon. Here are just a few that I found. Any of them would work for a project like this….
Remove the shelves and shelf pins. Oh yeah – I should mention this project is WAY easier if the shelves are removable. If you have permanent shelves, you’ll just be making a lot more cuts.
If the back of the bookcase is removable, remove it. I was lucky enough that mine was, but it is not necessary.
Clean and Sand the bookcase and shelves.
Paint the bookcase and the individual shelves black
Measure the inside back wall of your bookcase.
Cut out a piece of wallpaper ALONG THE GRAIN and CENTERED that will fit on the back wall. You’ll notice I cut my paper so that skulls are centered along the back wall. If you have permanent shelves, you will not only need to cut multiple pieces, but be sure to account for the shelf height, and how it will visually affect the pattern.
Depending on the type of wallpaper you buy, it may have different applications. Instructions will be included. The paper I purchased (listed above) was meant to be installed by wetting the backing and applying. Not only is that super easy, but this paper is removable too, so double bonus if you were to ever change your mind.
Unfortunately, this did not turn out as easy as I had thought. As I mentioned before, mine was a crappy piece of furniture. The back of the bookcase was made of thick cardboard, not wood. The cardboard had that faux wood finish applied to it, and I guess the wallpaper backing was not a fan of my cardboard because it did not stick at all.
If the back of your bookcase is wood, you may want to try the wet application. Just fill a large bucket with water (I used a plastic bin). Roll the wallpaper up with back side out. Submerge the roll completely in water, and then apply it to the back of the bookcase while wet. Use a smoothing tool to smooth the paper, remove any bubbles, and push extra water out.
Luckily, I had purchased a small application bottle of wallpaper adhesive. These bottles are technically made for hanging wallpaper borders, but since I wasn’t planning on covering a large area, this worked well for me. I simply coated the back of the wallpaper, and then applied it to the back board of my bookcase.
Use the smoothing tool to remove any air bubbles and excess glue. The glue can be wiped away with a wet cloth if it gets onto your bookcase.
As an added step of precaution, I placed a few heavy boxes onto the board, and allowed it to sit overnight. I’m not sure that was necessary, but after being so disappointed by the wet application, I didn’t want to risk another failure. If the back of your bookcase is not removable, and you want to try putting something heavy on the wallpaper while it dries, just lay the bookcase on it’s back.
The adhesive worked this time! The only frustration was that the back board of my shelves had vertical fold lines which remained visible in the wallpaper. The only silver lining there, is that once items are placed on the shelves, any fold line will become much less noticeable, especially in such a busy print.
Once the wallpaper was dry, I attached the back board onto the bookcase.
Insert the shelf pins (if your shelf came with them), and add your newly painted black shelves in place.
Stupid simple project, I know! But now your cheap little bookcase is super cool. Load it up and enjoy!!
Even better…. I have a roll of leftover wallpaper to play with now. A bathroom wall perhaps?! 🙂 Maybe more shelves! Did you know this is not the first time I’ve used wallpaper in a project? I created this Vintage Bat TV Tray Table using wallpaper sample books. If you have extra wallpaper on hand…. it’s worth a look!
Interested in owning one of my candles for yourself or a friend? Check out the Me and Annabel Lee Shop on Etsy!
I absolutely love it! I def plan on making one for my Dia De los muertos nick nacks that I have collected! Love it
Hi Myrna! That would be perfect for those!! I’ve even seen some Dia De Los Muertos inspired wallpapers that could be cool too! Send a picture if you end up doing the project! would love to see!
I was a professional interior designer for 35 years and I always wanted to design in this dark enchanting style.
If I weren’t gay, I’d ask you to marry me but for now, consider yourself idolized.
Joseph – Best compliment ever. You have made my day… week.. month!!
This is really fabulous. I just love this DIY Gothic Skull Bookcase. Much appreciated for sharing this wonderful post.
Thanks so much!! I’m so glad you liked this project!!