(Welcome to Monika, who is trying out for a spot on the AT:SF editorial team. Enjoy her post!)
Since we love design, arts and crafts and collecting things from across the ages, we run into a problem of storage on a daily basis. We have looked for a good solution and have improved our situation with a custom built wall shelf in our loft that is 16 ft wide by 11 ft tall, but we have been looking for a system to organize its contents for awhile now.
Having gone to many different stores in the Bay Area, we decided that to be most efficient we would have to embark on a journey to create our own boxes. This turned out not only to be the most cost and space efficient solution, but also the most flexible since we could decide on the sizes of our boxes as well as the colors and the details.
The Bare Bones
It took some time to figure out what size would work the best for the bookshelf. As an example the magazine files that we ended up with are wider than store-bought. They are also taller and deeper so they can hold magazines that are custom sizes (such as vintage Life Magazine and Metropolis). We also wanted them to fit perfectly on the bookshelf. After the measurements were complete we set out on the box making journey. With this we had some help as a friend of ours designs cardboard boxes for living, but nothing that we ended up with couldn't be done at home. Some sturdy cardboard, as smooth as possible (the least amount of ripple like quality the better) and glue (PVA) is all you need. We glued our boxes and let them dry overnight with the help of some heavy objects from around the house (like wine bottles, heavy books etc.)
If this is a part that you would rather skip, there are ready made cardboard magazine files that you can buy and still make them custom by choosing your own paper/bookcloth to wrap them with. You can find reasonably priced cardboard magazine files at BagsUnlimited.com.
After that was done, we chose a palette of three solid colors. To simplify the look and feel of the bookshelf, we decided against busy patterns for the covers.
After much research, and few disappointments when it came to the price on some options out there (vintage wallpaper etc), we decided on book cloth.
We ordered book cloth samples from TalasOnline.com to see if the colors matched what we had in mind. Things look very different on screen than in person. After settling on a few choices, we decided to order in bulk to make it cheaper.
Pattern
The pattern making was next. We looked at magazine files at various stores (Container Store, West Elm, CB2) and how they were put together. We specifically paid attention to the way the corners and folds were done. Enough overlap seems to be the key, especially around the corners and when connecting two separate pieces.
Face and sides completed.
Bottom Piece
Gluing can be a little messy. We used PVA glue that we found at Arch in San Francisco (99 Missouri St. at 17th St.) A rubber brayer helps to make sure that the book-cloth goes on smoothly and the glue is spread evenly. The other thing that might be worth picking up is a bone folder used for bookbinding. Those are usually around $5–10 at any art supply store and will definitely make the job easier.
All the sides done.
The final touches - label holders.
As the final step, we attached label holders that we ordered from PaxtonHardware.com
Those turned out to be pretty inexpensive at $0.56 each.
The more you make, the easier this process will become and less expensive, as you can order larger quantities of wrapping paper or bookcloth. Good luck!
Useful Links:
Cardboard Magazine Files: Bags Unlimited
Bookcloth Resource: Dover Bookcloth from Talas
Label Holders: Paxton Hardware
-Monika
this is great! i have been so reluctant to spend $15-$20 each on these things. making them however is the answer and yours are the best yet i have seen. thank you!
view rosiewm's profile
Very cute! I have some hideous plastic magazine files, I wonder if anything would stick to them to cover them up?
view BambiJo's profile
I'm excited about those label holders! I've been looking everywhere for them!
view Pigletliver's profile
I love this! I already have plenty of these files, but this has inspired me to cover them in some bold colours to give them and my bookcases a new lease on life.
view littleinkpot's profile
Great how-to! I need some of these...
view lemonadefish's profile
Nice job, Monika. I would love to see more of these kinds of features on the sight. Good luck with the tryout.
view eddieb's profile
Wow - Well written, useful information - and great online resources!
view bepsf's profile
I enjoyed the content of this post but was distracted by the "we's" and "our's" - maybe it was the personal introduction of a single person, and the post seemingly written by and about a group of people who all think and act exactly the same....
... but maybe that's just me and it's past my bedtime.
view teeze's profile
I am with Teeze. that has always gotten to me about this site.... its not too late for a change, especially when its toward proper grammar!
view sarahjam's profile
Nice job, Monika! Good luck, and thanks for a great article.
view alisonK's profile
Great job, Monika. Thanks tons! 8^D
Teeze, that last sentence needs correcting: "...but maybe it's just us and it's past our bedtime." ;^)
view btoddster's profile
thanks monika - great article. easy to follow instructions and very useful. now what colors to pick.
view mdell's profile
This is a big resounding 'YES' from me to our brave try out, Monika ! Loved the article and the fact that all resources are carefully listed.
view JoJenks's profile
thank you!
view janesnewaddiction's profile
This is a great post! Goodluck!
view mvastudios's profile
That is a great idea! You can recycle some of your cardboard around the house and make some great boxes to store all of those magazines laying around! I love it! :)
view mepuffenbergerdesign's profile
I'd love to see a picture of the full set on your bookshelves - they are really beautiful.
view fisheggs's profile
This is a cool idea. I'm wondering whether textured spray paint work, too. That would potentially be cheaper and faster, if the cardboard doesn't warp from the weight of the spray.
view carter76's profile
The cardboard will warp and ripple (and actually begin to desolve the glue in the corrugation) from a waterbased spraypaint. If you are using less eco-friendly solvent based spraypaint you will not get as much warping and rippling, but the sheer quantity of paint that it takes to completely cover corrugated cardboard is amazing (twice as much if its waterbased and you will need to prime first). You will probably need a full can per magazine holder to get an even coat and once you are finished it will scratch off quite easily.
view andrew c's profile
Wow. That first sentence makes absolutely no sense at all. I guess its quite fitting given the discussion of grammar going on above...
The Cardboard will warp and ripple from a waterbased spraypaint (and the glue holding the corrugation together will begin to dissolve).
view andrew c's profile
Great post!
I would have loved to see a pattern for the cardboard. It looks like it's double wide up front? Wonder how the bottom looks.
Thanks for the resources.
view azure's profile
Who are you to say Monika cannot use the royal we? Anyway, the first-person plural* made me think that Monika did this project with a significant other or friends.
* That is a grammatically-correct tense, BTW.
view vagary's profile
Nice work Monika! You and Loren did such a great job on these. Can't wait to see the entire bookshelf in all its glory...!
view steenks's profile
Very nice job! I would also like to see the pattern for the cardboard.
view JLEbean's profile
Fantastic, thanks tons for the pattern! I'll be linking to this in The Daily DIY.
view oneprettything's profile
The directions are clear [silly grammar notwithstanding], and the results are amazing [and are well-photographed!], but this seems like a very involved process for the sake of saving a few dollars. Yes, buying these things is expensive, but isn't your time worth something?
view fabframes's profile
Hi azure & JLEbean,
you can find the pattern that I used for the cardboard magazine file on my flickr account. Please follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moniapics/sets/72157612241553567/
I am very happy that so many people enjoyed this post and would like to try making some for themselves.
mdell, picking the colors or the pattern is definitely the hard part. There are so many choices out there. We chose (my boyfriend and I) to go with solid colors to simplify the look of our bookshelf as it is huge! We ended up making 40 of the magazine files so simplicity was a deciding factor for us. If we made just few of them, we would have steered towards a more playful look and chosen some fun patterns.
fabframes, you are correct, these files take some time to make. As I mentioned above, we have made a lot of them and in the end it ended up being much more affordable and flexible to go this route. We are also making custom boxes in different sizes in the same colors and the goal is to make them all a matching set.
Thank you everyone for your comments and questions!
view monikatini's profile
Hi azure & JLEbean,
you can find the pattern that I used for the cardboard magazine file on my flickr account. Please follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moniapics/sets/72157612241553567/
I am very happy that so many people enjoyed this post and would like to try making some for themselves.
mdell, picking the colors or the pattern is definitely the hard part. There are so many choices out there. We chose (my boyfriend and I) to go with solid colors to simplify the look of our bookshelf as it is huge! We ended up making 40 of the magazine files so simplicity was a deciding factor for us. If we made just few of them, we would have steered towards a more playful look and chosen some fun patterns.
fabframes, you are correct, these files take some time to make. As I mentioned above, we have made a lot of them and in the end it ended up being much more affordable and flexible to go this route. We are also making custom boxes in different sizes in the same colors and the goal is to make them all a matching set.
Thank you everyone for your comments and questions!
view monikatini's profile
I think I am having some technical difficulties. Sorry for the double post, I am not sure what happened.
Also, my link could be fixed. Let's see if I can get it right this time.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moniapics/3177730336
view monikatini's profile
What a great idea! Suddenly everyone's making boxes (I saw a great post yesterday on how to make small lidded boxes from the two halves of a Christmas card--how cool is that?). Fabric-covered boxes sold by Pottery Barn, West Elm, etc., are so overpriced. Your book cloth solution is elegant. Thanks!
view Suzanne T's profile
This is fabulous! And while it may be easier to buy similar magazine boxes, this is a great way to use up cardboard boxes.
We got a new LCD tv a few months ago and have been hanging on to the box until we had the chance to break it down and recycle it. Now I can just make magazine boxes out of it instead!
Great job, Monika.
view ljkesler's profile
Would these cardboard magazine files from IKEA work?
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354
The price is fantastic, although they have the finger hole rather than the flat front.
I bought them thinking they would nice to draw on, but they have a slightly slick surface and drawing worked just *okay*. They would probably be better suited for this project.
view bujeeboo222's profile
Thanks for posting this!! These are the kind of articles I love to read. Bookmarked for the future...
view sagekitten85's profile
I loved this, bookmarked it and plan to make 'em... great post... and grammar police aside, I would LOVE to see more of this kind of DYI/ decorating on the cheap here.
great job and best of luck to you :)
view superchou's profile
as if anyone had the time
view hdtex's profile
ChickieLou--these are great. I wonder if one could just cover the front surface--quicker, still brings that handsome uniform look to the shelves.
view katetx's profile
I've made a few super cheap magazine files using old cereal boxes. When covered in gorgeous wrapping paper, they looked great on my shelf. I'd like to try this, though, because I like sturdiness of the heavy cardboard and I'll definitely add the label holder. Thanks for the how-to.
view chris66's profile