4 Ways to Paint A Bookshelf

Taking the time to find the perfect bookshelf for your home can end up a futile endeavor. You can easily make the perfect bookshelf for your home. While there are multiple ways to paint a bookshelf making it fit your decor, there are a few methods that stand out.

1. Paint Solid Colors

Solid colors can always be a simple and efficient way to paint a bookshelf. The solid colors offer a myriad of options for the homeowner, making the bookshelf match any color the in room. The bookshelf can blend in with the walls, match the ceiling or the floor. Generally, the best way to paint with a solid color is to make the bookshelf an accent color; choosing a color that stands out in the room will bring more attention to the book collection.

2. Stain the Bookshelf

Staining the bookshelf is another way to paint the bookshelf. The stain will allow you to match the wood of the bookshelf to the wood of any piece of furniture in the room. Stain can give a more rustic or elegant feel to the bookshelf and is a great way to emphasize more earthy room designs.

In order to stain a bookshelf, it must be stripped to bare wood. If you have a bookcase made of particleboard or veneers, you will not be able to stain it and will need to use a different kind of a finish.

3. Paint with Texture

Painting and staining with texture is a great way to paint a bookshelf. Sponge painting is a simple way to get a fun texture onto the shelf. You can use thick brush stokes to give off different levels of paint and stain. This can give off multiple shades of color while also playing with the texture of the bookshelf.

4. Spray Paint the Bookshelf

Spray painting is a great way to get a solid, even coat of paint onto the bookshelf. However, it may limit the colors that you choose for the bookshelf. Spray painting often gives off the most professional look of all the different types of painting, although it does limit your options.

5. Stencilling

Stencilling is one of a number of beautiful decorative painting styles that you can use on your bookshelf after you have painted a solid color.
If you have a particular pattern that you’d like to continue from the rest of the room, such as a wallpaper pattern or a figure used in the curtains or furniture covers, using a stencil can be a great way to continue or accent that pattern.

Look at a craft or home improvement store for a pre-made pattern that works for your room, or create your own by using a thick sheet of plastic. You can also use cardboard, but it doesn’t clean as easily.

Use  an element from the wallpaper or fabric as a pattern, and cut the pattern out of the cardboard or plastic. Then, use a stencilling crayon or paint and paint around the edge of the pattern, then, with a stencilling brush, spread the paint into the center. Apply a topcoat to finish.