If you're looking for a little inspiration on how to put your own stamp on store-bought furniture and lighting, check out my story in the Easy Decorating issue from Woman's Day this month.
For starters, take the Billy bookcase from IKEA.
He's a great basic but a little plain Jane if you ask me. To dress him up, find a fabric you love—I used this modern geometric from Calico Corners—and adhere it to foam-core cut to fit the inside backs of the bookcase.
Use foam tape on the backs of the boards to adhere them, and you're set!
That's a good boy Billy.
And when you're bored, simply swap out the fabric for a new one, and Billy gets a whole, new look. For detailed directions, pick up the Easy Decorating issue of Woman's Day on newsstands now!
Love this tip! I like pattern in unexpected places. I posted about wallpaper in a closet a year or two ago… in fact, I had a photo of a Farrow and Ball wallpaper that was in the same colorway but wasn’t geometric. Great idea for a cheap little piece that looks totally custom.
Cute idea, pretty colors. Foam-core and fabric swap-out…why didn’t we think of that before?
xoxo
Evy
Okay, Eddie, this is too funny! I did this with this same bookcase (it’s IKEA, right?) Love your take on dressing up a “plain Jane!”
Okay, this is genius! I love that it’s not a permanent part of the bookcase, so you can change it out whenever you tire of the color or fabric. I will look for a copy of the magazine, I can’t wait to see what other great ideas you have for us.
Kat 🙂
I love this idea and your choice of fabric! Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day! 🙂
Jessie
http://www.mixandchic.com
This is truly one classic piece of furniture. I did this to two of my Billy’s as projects in a decorating book I wrote back in 94. I still have the bookcases, but have switched the fabric a few times. I cut cardboard from large appliances boxes as FomCor was not so easy to find back then and was expensive. Now you can get it at the dollar store. Enjoyed the post,but now I can’t get that song out of my head.
My best- Diane
Great inspiration – love the fabric you chose. OK but now I’ve got that song in my head! Oh yes, when I was about 9 my friends and I put on a neighborhood play and that was one of the songs we acted out!
That looks fantastic! I love the idea of putting it on foam core – you *always* have the best ideas!
Um, awesome! I love the way this chic fabric makes this otherwise cheap bookshelf look totally sophisticated. LUV. Beyond that, you have the perfect touch when it comes to accessorizing. Do you follow a formula? Or were you taught a method in school? Or does this just come naturally to the uber talented? Seriously, I’d love a post dedicated to details and finishing touches! Pretty please! 🙂
That’s the sort of project you wish you’d done sooner. It adds so much character and is so simply done. Thanks for sharing and inspiring, as always!
I love this idea…Billy has so many tricks up his sleeve…no?
I do wish I could curb my appetite for filling every square inch with books long enough to enjoy something as gorgeous as this…
But alas, it is an addiction…
Love this idea for a quick change in a bookcase! Wondering if you saw my Wine Cork Wall on April 2 post – similar to this idea of yours!
Looks amazing…of course.
I LOVE, love this idea. I am so doing this to a bookshelf I have in my upstairs hallway. Once again, you rock Eddie!
I love this idea! So non-committal 🙂
I love old things, but the billy really is so affordable and versatile check out my billy butler’s pantry – http://monkeygrasshill.blogspot.com/2010/11/drum-roll-please-for-butlers-pantry.html
Have a great weekend!
I used that fabric for the black-out roman shades in my newborn twins’ nursery! I love it! And this is a great idea for what to do with the fabric I have left over! Thanks, Eddie!
Great idea! Off to check out the article, have a great one! Janell
I love this idea! I saw something recently in a magazine that was similar in idea, but they used modge podge to adhear patterned paper inside the cubes of a bookcase, but that is permanent, and I love that this can be changed out. So much better!
I can’t wait to try this idea! Love the post and the title:) thanks for sharing!
so much easier to adhere the fabric to a foam core..I would have tried just gluing it to the back and end up with all sorts of wrinkles and ripples….love the look…
maureen
amazing transformation plain jane becomes good billy with a little dressing
as a whole the piece, accessories , ALL make for a killer composition
xoxo
debra
isn’t it almost WOW time again?
Great idea, but you are wayyy too young to remember “Billy, Don’t be a Hero.” 🙂
love it!
I never would have thought to use the foam core; you are Genius, Eddie!!
Love it!! Billy never looked so good. I have two Billy bookcases in the playroom and I keep looking at them thinking I would like the backs to be blue, this is pushing more in that direction, great job as always Eddie, xo Kathysue
Loved this one … easy with extraordinary results. I hope all is well with both of you!
Love the look and the seafoam blue/green with the white! You always do the transformation right!
Ooooh, I have that bookcase and I am excited to dress Billy up! What I love about your “stylin” is how neat and symetrical you do everything! It gives a feeling of peace and calm even if it’s exciting and unexpected!
What I can never figure out is how to place furniture in a room-you do have a gift!I love finding you in my fav mags, too!
~Nancy
How funny – I just made my first trek to the Ikea with a group of girlfriends in search of some things for a party. The brilliance of this, besides your spot-on styling, is that it’s not a permanent fix. Bored of the fabric, just swap it out. LOVE THAT!!!!
xoxo Elizabeth
Brilliant!
LOOOVE this idea, Eddie! Pretty and clever! Can I ask you a question? My blog is with Blogger. They ahve been having “issues” and now I ahve lost ALL my followers!!!!!!!!!! Has this ever happened before, do you know? Thanks! Pinky
How can a Swedish girl resist a post that gives an IKEA classic such a fabulous make-over!?! 🙂
Eddie, you are always full of such great ideas. If you lived closer I’d be hanging around you & J ALL the time for inspiration!!
Biggest hugs from a very cold Sydney
xx Charlotta
P.S. Moving to Sweden in only a matter of weeks and will be there for a full year before we relocate again – to London. I would LOVE it if you came antiquing and fleamarket shopping in Euorpe. Please tell me if you plan to head across the pond..!
Am hoping to catch Debra on one of her wonderful UK excursion. Can’t wait. x C
“…don’t be a fool with your life…” Isn’t that how it goes? GREAT idea and an easy way to update kids’ spaces.
xo
serena
Very nice, thanks.
Eddie now this is something I could do!!
The fabric is perfect!
love to you and Jaithan!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Love it! And you paired turquoise and red, my two favorite summer colors!
I have been meaning to do something similar with our shelves but I was planning on simply covering the whole back panel with a nice wallpaper before installing the shelves. Would that work?
Your ideas never let me down! Have a nice weekend!
I’ve been pining for that very fabric from Calico Corners! So funny! I love the geometric print. Great ideas!
How cool is that!!
BRILLIANT!! As usual.
xsxs
Just when I think I have it all figured out you show me a better, faster, prettier way. I was going to do this is my own bedroom (that I’ve been pondering for 2 years!) in a whole other, more complicated way. Love your fabric choice and styling, too.
You guys never
cease to amaze me.
What a terrific idea
and one that even
those of us who are
less crafty can tackle!
Love it.
xx Suzanne
E+J- Beautiful! That fabric is divine. I could so use some new storage and this is inspirational!
No Ikea near me. Isn’t that sad? A friend is planning an Ikea road trip this month and I may join her.
Loretta
Now that really is a ‘small change, big impact’!!
Have a fun-filled holiday weekend E&J!
xo Cathy
Love this post. Easy, simple, affordable, and doable. Thanks.
I just love it! Thanks for inspiration.
I’ve been wanting to update the back of my cheap-o tv cabinet/bookcase and thanks to you I now know what to do! I’m going to pick up that magazine soon for some inspiration.
Hope you and Jaithan are doing well. We’re off to the lake tomorrow for a few days of fun in the sun…wish ya’ll were here!
XOXO!
Judy
What a perfect alternative to paint! I’ve just caught up on some past post reading. You deserve every success and bit of attention that comes your way. Not only do I enjoy everything you put together, but you have a style that is so welcoming that it makes me want to have you as a friend. A quality which obviously makes you so popular! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Such a cool way to “smarten up” very ordinary shelves. I am redoing my bathroom and think this just might be an answer for my shelving problems. Thanks.
Cynthia
http://coffeeonthepatio.com
http://www.cynthiasblog.com
Eddie, You never fail to inspire me…Thank you for that!!!
Beautiful, Eddie. That geometric print is beautiful in the bookcase! Made it so very much more than it was! Hope your weekend was a delight!
What a smart idea! I love the idea of swappable fabric-wrapped foam boards! I’m doing this project this weekend. I have so many fabric swatches to play with.
That’s one great looking bookcase NOW!
very cool! i love fabric might have to try this one!! xo susan
running off to the store … ooops it’s late
maybe tomorrow … can’t wait
I just finished a little makeover you might enjoy
let’s chat
Fab, Eddie! And I had forgotten how much I used to like that song, “Billy don’t be a hero, don’t be a fool with your life…” 🙂
Kris
Such an amazing transformation!
Oh my goodness! I have a few of these and just last night was moving them around wondering what I could do to make them more stylish! Thank you for this idea!So simple and easy! Your great Eddie!
This looks so great!! I love the color and pattern of that fabric:)
Came from centsational girl. Thanks for the foam tip!
LOVE this solution – even better than wallpaper because of the texture!
can’t believe i haven’t been here before . . . off to check out some more!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea! So inspiring!