Project #2: Bookcase for Primary Bedroom

Following a "break.," I am back to my series on house projects. Actually, it was my old laptop that broke. I had been limping along with it for several years after I had dropped it and cracked the case, but it finally said ENOUGH. I can't blame it. 

So, on we go . . .

The second house project of last year was actually begun the previous year. It had been partly built, but was put on hold as we were immersed in care giving. Priorities change quickly when there is a crisis!

When we remodeled our primary bedroom back in 2020, we had a table from The Farmhouse that we used as a desk. After a while, however, we decided that the room would work better with a bookcase rather than a desk. First of all, the desk top was a catch-all spot, always cluttered and piled with stuff. Mail, papers, magazines, books to be read, cords for electronics. I'd clean it off only to have it pile up again. Secondly, a bookcase would take up a smaller footprint in the small bedroom. Vertical space seemed to be the answer to both of these problems. 

So we went from this . . . 

to this . . . 
 

Ron made a simple design and built it as wide and tall as would fit the space to allow for the most storage. He used some old wood, but it was too orange-y, so we decided to paint it. I primed it and painted it in Linen White (an Olde Century paint color). Then I lightly distressed it to imitate wear. Finally, I rubbed on a coat of Briwax in light brown to seal and "age" the finish. 

We still have a tray to drop our mail (I'm keeping my eye out for an antique basket that is the right size), and a basket to hold magazines and catalogs. The shelves also hold our devotional books, my Bible, my small collection of Christian fiction, some decorating books, and a few personal photo books.

Even though it took nearly a year to complete it, the bookcase was a relatively small project that made a big difference in our bedroom. We gained a little space and lost a clutter magnet, a win on both counts!