6 Unexpected Ways to Use a Bookcase

Short on space and lacking a bar cart, Julie Blanner painted the inside of the storage cabinets in her bookcase white and stocked them with bar supplies to transform it into a veritable home bar.

Rachel of A Beautiful Mess turned a simple Ikea bookcase into a stylish (and cheap) wardrobe by lining it with pretty contact paper and installing a rod for hanging clothes.

Instead of doing a major construction project to add more cabinets to your kitchen, simply place an attractive bookcase against an open wall and fill it up like Stacy of Not Just a Housewife did.

You don't need a fireplace to get the design effect of a mantel: just look to the top of your bookcase, like Janssen of Everyday Reading did. She used it to create a beautiful seasonal display.

Those shelves can do more than support books — they're also the perfect ledge upon which to hang a backdrop, like Jenny from Little Green Notebook did when setting up a stylish seasonal buffet spread.

Instead of lining up books on your shelves, slide storage baskets onto them. They're perfect for stashing unsightly papers or supplies. Extra points for using pretty woven versions like these from Pottery Barn.