True to my decorating nature, I got an idea for the apartment in my head on Sunday and spent the whole rest of the day trying to figure out if it would work and how much it would cost. The good news is, it would be under $500. The bad news is that I’m not totally convinced that it’s not a crazy idea.
We’ve been lamenting the lack of storage in our little one-bedroom since the day we moved in. On Sunday I was wondering aloud if there was a way to squeeze some more bookshelves into the living room somewhere. And then it hit me – line the wall with shelves and put the sofa in front of it. Yep, kinda like the picture above (originally from Domino Magazine). I had to pull up some examples for Ryan to show that the sofa wouldn’t look weird. (If you need a refresher on what the living room looks like, this video probably captures that wall the best).
I’m still ruminating on this idea, and we won’t really be able to act on it until after the holidays, but it’s a serious possibility.
PROS
More storage (this is huge)
We love the look of lots of books on display
More of my decorative items could come out of the basement (they are cold and lonely!)
All displaced items (console, existing bookshelf) could be repurposed elsewhere in the apartment
It’s not too expensive, and about the same cost as some of the currently planned purchases for the existing setup
We have the 15 inch depth needed
CONS
It will make the room feel smaller (but it’s not like we’re fooling anyone into thinking it’s big NOW)
We lose a bit of open floor space between TV and coffee table, though it would still be plenty wide for traffic flow
This is likely a one-apartment fix – we could reuse some but probably not all of the shelving when we eventually move
Our lighting plan would need adjustments (factored some of that cost into the $500ish price)
Assembling the shelves & painting the backs will be a big pain
I’m leaning toward white shelves, but that would make almost all of our living room furniture white (suggestions?)
Help me out, folks. What do you think? I’m leaning toward going for it (hey, it’s only for a couple years, and the place is small anyway!).
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I am on the PRO side of this one! I did the same exact thing in my teeny, tiny NYC studio apartment and loved it. I also love that it looks cozy and full. My sofa spanned the length of the shelves which was extra great, because I could use the bottom shelves (hidden by the sofa) to store some important but not very stylish things, like my little vacuum. And when I moved out of the studio and into a larger apartment we still used the bookshelves.
I say go for it! And, I think you should stick with the white shelves – are you thinking Ikea? – and paint the back a bold color
“A house without books is like a room without windows.”
― Horace Mann
You read my mind! Yes, the Billy (with extensions) and the back a deep inky blue/black probably.
Maggie- Wall to wall bookcases are ALWAYS a good idea in my book! Who cares if you lose 15 inches of space? The character they will bring to your living room will be well worth it.
I hope you stick with this because I can’t wait to see all of the little accessories and books you fill it with!
Xx, Margaret @ thegildedpeach.blogspot.com
YES. Do it! I think that it creates a “jewel box” effect in the room. I wouldn’t stress about the 15 inches of space.
Also, if you do Billy with height extensions, I’ve moved those to three separate apartments and always found use for the set of four I have. Just treat them gently and they can be repurposed. I used to have a whole wall in one apartment and now I have them flanking either side of our big window. They almost look like built-ins! Go for it.
I like this for your place! I think it would create a good “destination” to that side of the apt. with the kitchen and hallway going in the other direction.
I love this idea! Love how on the image from Domino they mounted art & a mirror on the bookshelves too. I think you could definitely pull it off!
I say Pro. It’s a courageous design idea!
I also think you should do it. If you paint the back of the bookcases it will make your books and accessories pop. I know you want to go the inexpensive route. I bought the “Billy” bookcases from Ikea five years ago and I’ve gotten my moneys worth out of them. The quality lousy but surprisingly they survived a 300 move with only few Knicks and dings but those go unnoticed.