I just moved into a new apartment. My previous one had built-in bookshelves. I had a lot of books, and really loved that they were a significant part of my living room. In the new apartment, I need to combine my books and TV in the same wall. (There are only two others, one has the couch and a big piece painting behind it, the other has my balcony doors, and the third side opens into the dining area) I had been drooling over the IKEA Expedit 5x5 shelves in black-brown, as I loved the style, thought the color would pop against my pale blue walls, and my little TV is so tiny I planned to fit it right in to one of those squares. My plans were foiled — My TV is about 3 inches too wide for the Expedit Cubes, and much MUCH too small to use the Expedit entertainment center version. I also really want the books to be the main focus and not the television...
...Unless I use an expensive combination of IKEA or other shelves, I can't seem to figure anything out. The $200 for the Expedit was going to be a huge stretch for me anyway. Everything's just sitting around on the floor now, and I'd love to get this taken care of so I can feel like I'm living in a grownup apartment again (at least in that room!) Any ideas of something that will nearly cover this wall space, and incorporate my books and TV together? (Also, I prefer the very dark brown or black wood.) Thanks for your ideas!
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Oh what a bummer about the TV being too big! Dang.
Well, you could always build one yourself if you are handy!
Or do you ever come across wooden crates like these:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erinscissorhands/3438252910/
because they might work for something like that!
Also, don't forget to watch Craigslist. Sometimes you can find the perfect solution on there. :)
How about getting 2 small Expedits.They are about $80 and have 2 rows each. They are the same height as the 4 row Expedit. That way you could but those on either side and use a table in the middle for ur tv. Or even a Lack shelf in between the 2 Expedits for the tv? That way you'll use only the space u need to use.
In case you can't tell i'm obsessed with Expedits!
You can get steel utility shelves at Home Depot fairly inexpensively. They come in standard grey and particle board, but you can spray paint them to be any cool color you would want (even cover the shelves with fabric or contact paper, or replace them with actual wood.) They're easy to put together and configure, and can be dismantled for moving. If you are in NYC they might have them in the Chelsea store, if not you can get to the LIC one by train. But, you might need a dolly or something to move them because they can be heavy when all in one package.
If your TV can fit on that chair, it can probably fit on a Lack side table. That's what I put my 13" on. My friend's TV is bigger and she put it over 2 Lack tables. It comes in black brown and then you can put the Expedit you love next to the TV :]
you can remove one of the upright walls and fit you tv into two cube spaces. check out ikea hacker (google it). it should still be sturdy enough if you put the tv on a higher-up shelf
Target! I just finished putting (
I'm thinking a throwback to my childhood ... cinder block shelving. And before you say "nah" consider the possibilities.
I've seen "fancy" cinder blocks at home & garden stores. Imagine them spray painted with a high gloss color. The boards could be stained dark. You can add as you need. Take away as you have more money to invest in not-DIY furniture.
I think the key is painting the cinderblocks.
Here's an older AT post with someone's cinderblock desk.
While this is not cinder block, it's a similar idea.
Another AT post with cinder blocks.
Trying again...These from Target. Long story short: well made, sturdy, attractive, put together with two screwdrivers, on sale, happy.
If you are handy or have a friend who is, what about threaded rod shelving?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26478938@N08/3440696894/in/set-72157616736757354/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26478938@N08/3440696052/in/set-72157616736757354/
And as someone mentioned, there is always Craiglist which is the first place I go to shop.
I would like to make these Hungarian shelves for my own place some day. They look relatively simple to make and have tons of great feedback.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hungarian-Shelves/
Try a couple Billy bookcases side-by-side or perched on a sideways narrow Expedit.
i have been looking around for shelving for my living room for months now. investigating all the cool shelving products here at AT, perusing the web for the neat and modular. and while i have considered a few different modular systems, frankly, i don't think anything gives you as much flexibility and bang for the buck as track shelving.
you can paint the tracks the color of the wall and cut notches in the shelf backs - never see it with books on the shelves. they're adjustable. you can paint the shelves if you like. you can get slim disappearing brackets or neato ones and you can paint those too. you can run them up to the ceiling or not. perhaps not on the super cheap side, but i've decided to get Ikea's thick shelves that are supposed to look like the float (forget the name) cos i like how think they are, but use them with brackets cos i want them to be adjustable and stronger.
why not hack it? i'm sure someone will question it not being structurally sound or something, but i have the 4x4 expedit & wanted to try something different. try removing a vertical peice/divider on one of the upper shelves and just cap the holes on the horizontal shelves where the dowels would have gone. this should allow that extra few inches in width & your expedit will look a little less like everyone elses. i will try to post a pic of mine sometime.
actually, i like the first link from Renngrrl's post above too! looks like a good diy!
I suggest trying the Ikea "Lack" shelves. They come in two lengths 43" and 72", several colors/veneers, and can be hung on your wall in a number of configurations. I have about 150 linear feet of these birch veneered Lack shelves in my apartment and are very happy with their free hanging look. Their support brackets are concealed within the actual shelf so you never have to see metal brackets or other hardware.
Hey hold on. They have more than one Ikea Expedit shelving unit. This one below has an opening for a large tv. You dont have a large tv but you have room for any additional media- cable box, dvd etc. There is still alot of room for books.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10103093
I have the original kind and they look really nice when its put up and they do hold heavy assortments.
If you like them that much I second the idea of buying smaller Expedit shelf sections. This wouldn't save you much money really but you could purchase the pieces separately so you could go back for more when you could afford them. Maybe get the 1x5 and the 4x2. Lay the 4x2 long ways next to the tall 5x1 so you have formed an L shape. Put the TV on the part that is 2 shelves tall, I think the irregular shape would add a little playfulness and the separate pieces are more modular and could be moved around more easily. If you decide to move again, or purchase a bigger TV, or just want to rearrange your furniture it would be a lot easier.
I agree with some of the posters above and think your best bet is to hack the Expedit. I don't think it would be that hard; Take out one of the vertical supports. If you just take it out of one cube to make a rectangle you can place your TV in it.
Most of the other ikea suggestions posted make the TV the center of attention--ie on a lack table between to bookcases--which I think you are trying to avoid.
Your other option would be to build yourself a bookcase or some shelving which while doable can be pretty intimidating, or wait patiently for something to appear on Craigslist.
I would just go with your first instinct and just ikeahack the expedite. If its the with, just dont install on of the side units. If the above cubes need reinforcement, I would try to place a piece of wood to reinforce it.
I agree with removing the vertical support on the Expedit. I did this to accommodate a large TV and it worked great!
If you can handle a hack, then go for it. If not, then what about the 2x4 ($90) Expedit turned longside down with your tv on top (I have this set up & I'm pretty sure my tv is bigger).
I know you don't want your tv to be the focus, so buy some simple wall shelves as well (super cheap at Ikea) and hang them up the wall, maybe in sort of a zig zag almost so the eye goes to those and not the tv. Also, a large vase with tall funky plants--a la pinklovesbrown http://makingitlovely.com/photos/album/72157604288255662/photo/500953536/living-room-tv.html -- may detract from the tv.
If you really hate looking at the tv, try making a tv cozy- http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlebirds/100574890/
Craigslist, yard sales and thrift shops = cheap shelving.
If you're handy or you know someone who is, you can build a cheaper and sturdier version of the Expedit.
My husband just built a shelf (to fit the specs of our TV, stereo, VHS collection and DVD collections). The wood cost $46. He had the wood cut in-store, used my dad's router to join the shelf together, and Dad's nails and wood glue we already had to hold the shelf together. He stained it using stain we already had from previous shelf-making projects. We just need to put poly on it, but haven't been able to because of the rain we've had in PA.
I cant believe no one has posted using a bracket and making the floating books look that is on the cover of Ready Made this month. It costs about 10 bucks per stack of books and looks like the one pictured in the link below. It will definitely draw the attention right to the books in a unique way.
click for wall mounted books picture!
All of the ideas on here are great! I got really lucky and brought up a white Expedit that someone threw away! I ended up taking one of the shelves out later to make room for our printer that was slightly longer... I'd say stick to Lack or unfinished shelving that's usually made for the garage or whatever just so you would be able to customize to the space and what you need.
btw, I love Gilmore Girls too!
target (used to, at least), have a good knock-off of the expedit shelves that i reinforced with a plywood back to make it sturdy enough for a tv to put in.
(and i'm watching the gg right now, how funny!)
I have the Expedit (8 cubes) turned on it's side and it holds a ton and you could put the tv on top. :)
completely off topic but...is that GILMORE GIRLS?!! loooove them~ miss them~ nice to know theres someone else out there who still watches them!
Don't worry. Go ahead and get the 5x5 Expedit. (You know you want it.) When you assemble it, just leave out one of the vertical panels where you want the 1x2 space for the TV. It's so simple, I wouldn't even call it a hack. (I just tried it on one of our Expedits and it's quite stable with one panel removed.)
BTW, if you need to save cash and have some time, just wait for your Expedit to show up on Craigslist.
i was in the same boat a year ago, target carries something similar but smaller made by closetmaid. its compatible with the closetmaid fabric bins, and come in 1x3, 3x3, and stairstepped options. the boxes are about 12"x12"
here are some pics http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/closetmaid-8694-6-cube-organizer-white
i snagged a 3x3 cube bookcase for $50 and it fits perfectly in my small apt.
never came back to comment on this - I bought the 5x5 Expedit, did the hack (removing a vertical piece) and it worked perfectly!! Thank you guys for letting me know I could do that! I've got exactly what I want :)