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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

69

Built-In Bookcase - DIY Mirrored Doors

Our living room is shining a little brighter today!  And honestly, so am I!


We are still in the process of "warming" things up in the living room, after painting the walls in a cooler, neutral tone.  As much as I miss the green, having the freedom to play with colors and accessories leaves me excited and happy on a daily basis.

However, even after the curtains and the lamp and the playful bits of color, there has been one more mighty project on our list.  Our built-in bookcase!  It needed a new top and some pretty glass faced doors.  So that is just what we have been working on.  And all I can say now is, "Wow".  Probably one of my most favorite projects yet.  The pictures just do not do justice to the change this project made in the room.


This project was initially going to be another "low" for the High/Low challenge, and although we kept the overall budget down and manageable, there were a few things that added up.  This cabinet was our inspiration piece coming in at $600 plus shipping.


The size of the inspiration piece is 34" tall by 71.5" wide, while ours comes in at 43" tall by 126" wide, giving us an amazing amount of storage.  We have been living with the first half of our project for the past few years {you can read all the details here}, and see it in a recent photo below.


The bookcases have been fantastic for our living space.  We absolutely love how much storage they have provided us for games, photos albums, books, crafts, movies, puppy toys, magazines and even more books.  However, all of the open shelves meant more to "style" and more eye clutter.  I have been wanting to add doors to the outer two cabinets for quite awhile now, yet the way we had it set up previously wouldn't allow for it to be a quick project.  New doors would require us to remove the decorative moulding across the front which would also require us to re-address the top piece as well.

So, we went into it with a plan.  The room has A LOT of white pieces.  The white bookcases, the white shoe cabinet, the white school cubbies/credenza.  It was time to break that up a bit.  Adding solid white doors would conceal the clutter, but would add more white, and I wanted a little bit of drama.  That is where the mirrored furniture comes in.  I have always coveted beautiful mirrored pieces yet have been hesitant with little kiddos ruling the roost.  Now that they are all older, I figured it was finally time to take the plunge.  The mirrors would break up the white and add some glam, however, we also wanted to bring in warmth.  I am on a mission to sprinkle in wood tones throughout our home, and the bookcase was the ideal piece in this space to do that with.  To sum things up; pretty glass doors plus warm wood top equals beautifully updated "built-ins" and a happy living space.

As soon as my hubby gave me the thumbs up on the project plans, I ran right over to the bookcases and started carefully removing the pieces of decorative moulding.  Please forgive my awful photography, we were nighttime warriors and photo lighting was less than ideal.


While I pulled nails and caulked exposed holes from removing the trim, Bryan got busy cutting down some pieces of wood for the top.

The top was made from two pieces of 1"x12"x12' lumber from Home Depot.  I wanted something with grain and knots yet budget friendly.

Bryan started by bringing in a board and measuring it right on top of the bookcase unit.  He figured out where all of his cuts needed to be and took the board back out to the garage to cut the piece down to the correct length as well as jig out the front bump-out.  He then ripped the second board to the remainder of the width of the top of the unit.


Above shows the test fit where we determined that we loved the slight overhang and that the boards were all cut just right!  High fives happened and then back out to the garage went the boards to prepare for the staining process.

In the meantime, it was time to turn focus to the doors!  IKEA makes doors specifically for the BILLY bookcases, so instead of custom building something, we went the easy route and picked up four total doors which were already the perfect size and included the exact hinges we needed.  Once we had the doors in hand, I brought one to our local Ace Hardware store.  Ace has cut plexiglass for us in the past, so I thought I would check into mirror cutting services as well.  I received the thumbs up and for a total of $40, I was able to purchase mirrors for each door as well as have each piece cut exactly to fit.

To affix the mirror to the cabinet doors, we used a construction grade adhesive.


Once the mirror was set, we allowed the adhesive to cure for 24 hours.  The doors were already looking so very pretty!


Once the boards were stained and had dried in the garage for a day or two, we brought them in and carefully placed them on top of the bookcase to get an idea of how it was all going to come together {using a drop cloth to buffer just in case there was any wet stain remaining}.  The wood tone received a HUGE thumbs up from me and I couldn't wait to start assembling the entire unit!  So good!  And because you all love to see my messes, this is how our living room looked for an entire week while we worked on the project.  This is a very common, oh-so-glamorous side effect of our DIY projects....


Do you spy that pretty door in the photo?  I had to pop it into the room when we brought the wood top in.  I am such a visual individual that I wanted to be sure we were on the right track.  And after seeing it even in the messy space, I was smitten.

To create the beautiful "x" treatment on the front of the door, we purchased approximately 56' of simple screen moulding.  That was enough to cover the perimeter of each mirror as well as an "x" through the center.  I painted the wood strips {which Bryan had pre-cut to fit each door}, with a white paint that had been color matched to the IKEA doors.


The moulding was attached to the glass with a simple white caulk.  The moulding was cut at 45 degree miters for the perimeter, and once affixed, we also caulked the cuts to hide the seams.


To create the "x", the corners were a custom cut-to-fit process.  For each door, Bryan began by laying a strip of moulding at a diagonal from corner to corner of the door, then drawing a pencil line where the trim met the beveled corner of the already affixed frame.  Next, he used his miter saw to cut the end of the moulding to fit each corner {this took a few attempts to get it exact since it wasn't a specific angle; a.k.a. finicky and putsy}.  Once the pieces were finally cut to size, a thin strip of caulk was used to affix the moulding to the glass {see step one and two}.  For the opposite diagonal, he repeated the first few steps and marked the intersection point.  This allowed him to split the intersecting board into two pieces, which he also caulked into place.


I know it wasn't his favorite job and that it was a bit tedious with a lot of measuring and marking and cutting, but he totally rocked it!


The new top boards were affixed right over the existing MDF top with a brad nailer.  To hide the newly exposed MDF edge, we added a strip of decorative moulding which I later painted the same IKEA white.


And here is the state of the bookcase today; simply stunning!


The top turned out really lovely.


I had never used a stain/poly combo before, but now I may never go back.  It was really easy to use {a total of three quick coats} and the finish was exactly what I was going for.


Seriously though, those doors!


We selected over-sized cabinet {appliance} hardware, coming in at over 15" long each.  I adore the dramatic effect they add.


The set of doors behind the teal blue chair will ultimately house all of our crafts {our future craft cabinet}, while the left side now conceals all of our family board games.


The doors give us the glam I was after, while the top gives us the warmth.  It really turned out to be the perfect combination.  Plus the fact that the room can still house family crafts and games without visually cluttering the space is joyful candy to my eyes.


The mirrored door fronts also seem to bounce extra light around.  Is there such a thing as too much natural light?


And for a final budget breakdown of the entire wall to wall unit {over 10 feet of storage}:


Grand total: $450


Still under the high end version with far more storage and substance, yet custom to fit our home and needs.  I would say it is a win!  It also helped to build it in phases over a few years, which allowed us to spread out the cost over time.  

I still have to add a few small details and touches to the space in the form of accessories, photos and art, however, I finally feel like it is "finished". 


This room has really been one of those "built over time" spaces.  Much of it has been done on a budget by hacking IKEA pieces, shopping thrift stores, using coupons on top of sales, sewing our own curtains and building/DIY'ing pieces that will always have a place in our hearts.


69 comments:

  1. These doors are really great! Thanks for sharing how you did this ♥
    xo Maria
    http://www.marygoesround.de

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  2. The bookcase is very nice with the mirror-doors! The only thing which I don't like in this area is the huge appereance of the TV-monitor during most of the time, when the TV isn't on.
    Have you ever thought about a solution like this for example?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZM-yR7JFM0


    We have our TV behind an old davenport, and if we want to watch TV, we turn the davenport around. The solution isn't absolutely perfect, but it was the easiest way to find a solution without constructing nearly a new living room.

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    1. Hi Nicole!

      Around here, it is quite normal for a large TV to be out at all times. I don't know that the hubby would be up for concealing it, so it is my job to continue to try and make it blend and work in the space.

      xo!

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  3. Hugely well done - it looks fabulous! (Now, please get on a plane to England to build me one!).

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  4. So nice! I LOVE the stain color!

    Sarah

    www.sarahsdaybook.wordpress.com

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  5. Looks amazing!! Y'all did such a great job!!!

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  6. Looks great! My collection of books is always expanding so its nice to have somewhere to display them.
    http://voguebeach.blogspot.co.uk/

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  7. Wow ! It looks amazing!!! Your hubby rocks!!! Don't forget to thank him!! :) but no worries, you rock too !! :)
    xo
    Iris

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    Replies
    1. He does rock, I am a lucky gal. I am definitely his biggest fan! <3

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  8. What an amazing result!
    I love your blog, your DIY budget projects are really inspiring!
    MJ from France

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  9. do you like your blue chair from World market???? is it a teal blue or navy???

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    1. We do like it! I prefer to pull up the table or toss a pouf in front of it for my feet, but overall, it is pretty cozy and durable. Our kiddos lounge in it a lot, they love to toss a pillow on one arm and dangle their legs over the other. :) It is more of a teal blue than navy.

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    2. Is this the chair that you have?
      http://www.worldmarket.com/product/pacific+blue+elliott+wingback+chair.do?&from=fn

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  10. !!! I LOVE IT! Great choice on the dark wood top and the glass doors. .. WOW! I'm such a long way from calling anything "finished" in my home, but we'll just keep diying our way through. If my results are half as good as yours I'll be happy.

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    1. Thanks Heidi! And good luck with your projects! I feel that way about a lot of other spaces in our home still. :)

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  11. where is the teal chair from?

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    1. The chair is from World Market: http://bit.ly/1o2T2I2

      They do a lot of 25% off furniture sales as well as coupons, so we took advantage of that and got it at a great price.

      xoxo!

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  12. My jaw is on the floor!! Literally! you two are an amazing team...the stuff you dream up, and what you can execute together is always stunning!! Those look like perfection in your room!!!

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  13. i always wait for your ideas

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  14. This turned out great!! I love the mirror detailing you added!
    www.amemoryofus.blogspot.com

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  15. Beautiful!!! You really have an eye for design, and how wonderful it is to have a handy hubby who shares your dreams and can make them come true. I love the way that horse bookend keeps making its rounds! :-) I do have a question for you. I'm thinking those four boxes on the the top shelves on either side of the TV are for DVDs. They are so pretty. Is there a post on that?

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    1. Thank you so much!

      The movie cases are from the Container Store: http://bit.ly/1rZoaWA

      They each hold 120 discs, so it really cuts down on case clutter. I just added some pretty paper to the fronts along with a vinyl chalkboard label.

      xoxo!

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    2. I purchased these from Amazon that work great as well:

      http://www.amazon.com/Compucessory-DVD-Storage-Sleeves-Clear/dp/B000FD7VE0/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1399399792&sr=8-22&keywords=clear+dvd+storage

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  16. Wow! Love love love the wood top and doors! A great update to ordinary bookcases! Great job!

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  17. Looks awesome!!! I may have missed it, but where is your blue chair from?!?
    Great job on the project. Love the mirrored doors!

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    1. The chair is from World Market: http://bit.ly/1o2T2I2

      They do a lot of 25% off furniture sales as well as coupons, so we took advantage of that and got it at a great price.

      xoxo!

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    2. Seriously amazing. I love the warmth of the top, too. Gorgeous!

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  18. I have definitely copied this plan from your original post! We have this same set up in our living room. We have YET to attach the trim however, and will not be doing so now! I love how this looks - we have had the issue with the MDF bending because our TV is so heavy - this will eliminate that issue!

    I am trying to determine where the cuts were made on the boards, could you elaborate?

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    1. Hi Cami!

      We purchased two 12' boards and cut them down to the exact length of the unit. Then, the front board was jigged out to match our bump out. The second board was ripped down the length to cover the remainder of the top {the back side}. They were both affixed to the previous MDF top with our brad nailer. You can sort of see a visual of the two pieces in the 6th image down.

      xoxo!

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  19. Stunning! I read your blog everyday and am always impressed, but this I couldn't keep to myself. The project is beautiful, but I think my favorite part is the picture of your husband gluing the X's onto the mirrors in a dress shirt - proof that you really do work on these projects at night :) Thank you for all of the inspiration

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    1. Thank you! And yes, with hubby working full time outside of the house and the kids in different school activities and sports, we definitely have to maximize our time in the evenings and weekends.

      xo!

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  20. I hadn't seen the old post and I loved reading it and seeing how your space has evolved over time. I've lived in my current place about year and a half and most of my rooms are works in progress. Although my budget and time dictates it has to be this way, it can still make me jealous when I see bloggers finished rooms and wish I was already at the end point. It was refreshing to see that other people's rooms had evolved over time too.

    I LOVE mirrored doors but the risk of one cracking has already scared me away. That seems like another bonus of the 'low' vs. 'high' in this circumstance. God forbid anything happen to the door it seems MUCH easier to replace.

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    1. I couldn't agree more Kelly! One of the many reasons I love to blog so much is to chronicle the changes we make to our spaces. Our home has definitely evolved with us over the past 12 years, and we still have a ton of unfinished spaces, which I love just as much. :)

      xo!

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  21. What is it about a wood top that is just so flippin' joyful??!! I absolutely love how this turned out! And the mirrored doors rock! I can just imagine how alive and dynamic they must make the room feel in person. :)

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  22. This turned out awesome! Nice work!

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  23. This looks fabulous! It makes me want to do something similar in storage deprived office.

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  24. So incredibly stunning! I am always so impressed by your DIY projects. You think up the most creative solutions. The mirror door effect is perfect!

    Side question - do you use an app to create your photo grid collages? I've been on the hunt for a good app that I can use with Blogger. I would love you to share how you do yours, if you don't mind! I love the simple grid effect. I have Photoshop but it seems so tedious doing it that way - I would love to just drag and drop. :)

    Karen | a house full of sunshine

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    1. Thank you Karen!

      For photo collages, I occasionally use Photoshop, but find iPiccy to be much quicker. I just upload my photos, create a collage and save it to my project folder which I then upload to blogger. Still a little time consuming, but quicker than Photoshop. xoxo!

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    2. Oh, thank you so much, Jen! I'll check it out! :) xo

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  25. Where did you get all of your decorative pillows?

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    1. I have been collecting them over the years and swap them out on occasion for different looks. My favorite sources are Ikea, HomeGoods, West Elm and Etsy. Society6 has great options as well. xoxo!

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  26. Beautiful! I love your creativity!

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  27. So beautiful!! What a great update! I just came into a couple of 6in brass safety pins with numbers!! What on earth should I do with them?! How woul you display them?

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  28. I love this! Great job with those mirrored and trimmed doors and especially that wood top. Just perfect. :)

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  29. Gorgeous bookcases! You guys are quite a creative team!! I'm enjoying seeing all your wonderful creativity and ideas. Any time I need ideas to DIY something, I check out your blog first. Hmm, maybe you should consider teaching project workshops around the country. :D

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  30. Wow Jen, you never cease to amaze. I never would have thought about mirrored doors. You just gave me an idea for our future wardrobe doors... Thank you!

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  31. Jen, Your living room looks AUGH...mazing!!!! The mirrored doors are the extra touch that makes the room!!! Your taste is so great! I wish you could come to my house and give me a few ideas! xo

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  32. Hi Jen! I may have missed this in an earlier post, but where did you get your living room curtains? I LOVE them and am searching for a similar pattern. Thanks!

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    1. Hi Angie!

      You can snag all of the details in this post here: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2014/03/hooked-on-navy.html

      xoxo!

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  33. What was the construction adhesive you used to adhere the mirrors? I have affixed mirrored panels in the past and the adhesive did not work and the mirror fell. I still need to finish this project but am nervous about specifically which one to use?
    Love what you guys did!

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    Replies
    1. Hello!

      We used Liquid Nails Interior Paneling Wood & Foam Molding Adhesive.

      It is also important to let you mirrors set and cure for a good amount of time before hanging them.

      xoxo!

      Delete
  34. Oh my goodness! I JUST DID THIS to my bathroom vanity!! I'm so glad you shared the X detail though because I haven't posted about our vanity BECAUSE I was debating some type of embellishment! LOVE IT!

    Amber :)

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  35. The mirror detail adds so much glam! Great idea!

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  36. The end result is amazing. Lessons learned - take time and DIY

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  37. Thank you for the material breakdown. Very affordable.

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  38. This may seem strange, but where in the world did you find those gorgeous floral and blue boxes?!

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    1. Hi Alexandra!

      The floral boxes are from World Market {although they have since been discontinued which I say boo to on a daily basis} and the blue boxes were from Walmart a few years ago but I stumble across similar styles at Container Store, See Jane Work and Ikea on occasion.

      xoxo!

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  39. Hi Jen! I love your built ins. You constantly amaze me. Can you tell me where you got your Moroccan rug? I love it!

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  40. You have wonderful taste! Great work. I would like some help if at all possible. I am looking for the doors but can't see to find the white. The link brings me to ikea but not sure what door. Ramjos

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    1. Shucks! Looks like they changed things up. These may be a similar option: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20275550/#/50275596 but it may be worth a call to the store to be sure. Good luck Bonnie!

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  41. I was wondering where you purchased your sectional couch in your living room? It looks gray. I am looking for a similar one. :) Thanks :)
    Amanda

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    1. Hi Amanda!

      The sectional is a Rowe purchased from Becker Furniture. You can snag all of the links and details here: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2014/01/our-sofa-story.html xoxo!

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  42. I am not sure I understand how the bump out was created, are the middle bookcases deeper?

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    1. Hi Alice!

      The bump-out was done by pulling out the middle set of bookcases prior to affixing the bookcases on the end. They are not deeper, just pulled out to create the effect. You can find more details on my original post here: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2011/03/built-in-beauty.html xoxo!

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  43. Love this! I'm thinking this would make a perfect pretty, cost effective solution to our homeschool room. I tried clicking the links to the Billy bookcases and it just takes me to the Ikea site. Are they no longer available? Hoping that's not the case. Do you feel the shelves are deep enough? Are you happy with the quality of the shelves? Hoping I can recreate this!

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    1. Hi Linda! IKEA may have changed their site since the post, here is a link to the bookcases we used:

      http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80279786/#/30263844
      http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70284528/#/80263832

      And the doors (which are now titled OXBERG:
      http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20275550/#/50275596

      I do wish the shelves were a bit deeper, you may have better luck with the BESTA as I can state they are deeper and more durable than the Billy. However, we are still quite happy with the unit in general. :)

      xoxo!

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  44. Hello Jennifer! I recently found your blog and I love it! You have inspired us and we are going to create this piece in our family room. I have a couple of questions regarding the project: How did you attach each individual bookcase to each other? How much are the three middle bookcases offset from the others? Thanks for your time!

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    1. Hi Stephanie,
      To attach all of the bookcases together, we screwed through the sides of each bookcase. The offset was about three inches. :)

      Have a great time with your project!
      Jen

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