A Bookshelf Makeover

We got this bookshelf about a year after we got married, so it is now 9 years old. It is still in good shape, but my family room is mostly black and doesn't really match. I have been seeing cute painted, decorative bookshelves and wanted to try and make one.

Here is the before picture.

I took the backing off of the shelf and wrapped fabric around it.

I then took packing tape to keep the sides of the fabric tight. Then I set the back aside.

I then took the bookshelf and sanded it enough to scuff up the laminate, I then used an exterior black paint to paint the shelf. I used a paint roller and touched up the corners with a paint brush. I wish I could have figured out a way so it wouldn't scratch off easily, but where it is a decorative shelf I figure it should work for it's purpose. I would just warn people, it can scratch the paint off if you are not careful and wouldn't try it if you were using it for a highly used bookshelf.

After the paint dried I then re-nailed the back onto the shelf.

Here is the final shelf with some sentimental things I have gotten over the years.

Here is a close up of the fabric I used.

These Hummels were my grandma's that she collected when she was alive. She actually bought the little blond girl the day I was born, I was so excited to get these.

I am really happy with how the shelf turned out.