If you want to introduce some unconventional color in your home but don't want to commit to painting walls, here's one idea from Sköna Hem: paint the bookshelves all the same color. It may not be a rug, but to quote the Dude: It really ties the room together. Take a look at other photos of the apartment below the jump...








This place looks SO lovely and inviting. That turquoise is just heavenly.
view mirandabee's profile
Nice idea. I think this 'tieing together' works because there seems to be a lot of the same bookshelves around the apartment, yet there is enough space between them to not make it feel like the whole room is turquoise.
view wigglebutt's profile
I had turquoise bookshelves almost that exact color in my old office. They're the thing I miss the most! They were cheerful even on the most dismal days, but not overwhelming.
view parhelia's profile
Gorgeous! Our bookshelves, accumulated in different apartments over many years, are totally mismatched - this is a beautiful, sustainable, and inexpensive way to fix that problem.
view Emily the Cat's profile
Wonderful!
view mei-ling's profile
The first picture shows how the color is spread throughout the apartment really well--the wall, the map chest. Just enough to be interesting, but it doesn't take over.
view queenbee1230's profile
Bookshelves, schmookshelves, but I love you for quoting the Dude.
view Jenny in DC's profile
Sigh, I love turquoise. This is a perfect way to bring color into my no-painting-allowed-rental. But, much like Jenny, my fave thing about this post is the mix of gorgeous apartment and....the Dude. The dude abides.
view Hollers's profile
Love everything about this place, turquoise I will always love.
view LoriSF's profile
the color looks gorgeous against those browns and golds.
view quarterlifestyle's profile
Love it!!
I've had a thing for turquoise ever since I was little, when at age 6, I had my bookcase painted "True Blue".
view mschatelaine's profile
I like this idea and the fact that those are real bookcases filled with books instead of the stupid looking decor mag bookcases with like 3 books and a bunch of stupid looking knick knacks.
(next: where to get inexpensive unfinished wood bookcases?)
view heatherdazy's profile