Decorative Shelving

From "I feel comfortable using thumbtacks" to "Let me get my power tools," we've got a little something for everyone.

I am giddy over my new pretty, pretty pantry shelves. Just days ago, they were a hodgepodge of mismatched boards and faux-wood stickers. It’s amazing what a little paint and the old switcharoo will do! When we started working on our new house, I was pleased to find a set of shelves in the pantry. They were nothing to write home about, but they would hold things and they were free and they were fine.

For every item IKEA brings into this world, there’s at least 10 ways to improve upon it, or make it your own. Some hacks are laboriously complicated and too involved for most humans, other projects are easy for just about anyone to pull off. If you’re looking for some super simple ways to tweak, alter, improve, or upgrade your shelving, here are nine ways to hack those BILLYs, EKBYs, EVETs, and LACKs.

This is a quick and satisfying project.

Think outside the shelf.

Reuse old dresser drawers to create a bookshelf installation like Mike and Kate’s! The couple found free dressers on Craigslist and used the drawers to transform an empty wall in their Chicago home. dresser drawers (preferably dovetailed) paint wall mounting hardware measuring tape hammer drill From Kate: I turned to Craigslist and found free dressers, took the drawers, and trashed the dressers themselves (don’t worry—they were really ugly).