Updated May 30th, 2023



Want to know the one thing I would put in almost every room of my home? Built-ins! The options are endless. I could scroll through Pinterest all day. Today I want to talk about built-in bookshelves vs. store-bought bookshelves.

Studio McGee

Built-ins not only provide endless storage options, but they add so much character to a home too. What would a kitchen be without built-in cabinetry? It would be a mess for me. However, built-in shelving or furniture isn’t always an option, and there are some great retail options of various styles. 

Let’s talk about the differences between built-in shelving vs. store-bought bookcases.  Then, we’ll also talk about using store-bought bookcases to create built-ins. 

STORE BOUGHT BOOKCASES

There are a wide variety of bookcases out there. When purchasing a bookcase from a retailer, look for quality construction and materials so it doesn’t fall apart on you too soon. Then think about if you want open or closed storage. I like a combination of both so I can hide some of the clutter but use the open shelves for an organized display.

The bookcases in this office have a mid-century vibe and look great in this cozy vintage style office.

I love the detail on the doors. Depending on your space, I like putting 2 or 3 bookcases together. It looks more intentional that way.

This modern farmhouse style shelving unit is ideal for display. In this case, we didn’t want to hide the shiplap. I love the contrast of the white shiplap with the dark shelving frame.

CUSTOM BUILT-IN BOOKSHELVES

Built-in bookcases will typically cost more than store-bought, but I consider them to be worth it. They add great architectural detail, and a good carpenter can customize them to fit your space. 

I love this style, and I know Emily from M&B Design. These built-in cabinets on the bottom with built-in shelves above are spot on. M&B design did a fantastic design job on this new build as well as styling those shelves.

You can see here in our Modern Coastal Abode project how these custom built-ins add so much character and help define the living room space. Plus they add some much needed storage for this family.



Design Tip: add wallpaper to the back of your shelves for extra color and texture

In this recent client project we added custom built-in cabinets and shelves to this space beside the fireplace. We also added molding and trim to the fireplace, and painted everything the same color so it looks as one built-in unit. Stay tuned to see more of this project.

These built-ins by Jessica Oltman are so beautiful. I’ve always loved white built-ins, but I’m also loving the darker, moody colors.

Jessica Oltman

Styling tip: Use white or light colored accessories with darker shelving as well as dark or brighter colored accessories with white shelving.



For an office, I like the functionality of the cabinets but also the form of the open shelving above.

STORE BOUGHT TURNED BUILT-IN BOOKSHELVES

In this bedroom, we bought Ikea bookcases and turned them into built-ins. The bench, however, is custom-built to blend in with the bookcases. A DIY project we decided to tackle.

white bedding, baskets, lamp, art prints

Read more of this teen bedroom makeover here.

Here’s a close up of the bench detail. You can see that we made use of all the space by having cubbies underneath.

baskets

If you want to know how we used Ikea Billy bookcases for this project, check out this tutorial by Centsational Style.

We used IKEA bookshelves and cabinets in my home office here. Again, my contractor just added base molding, trim and crown molding. See more of my home office reveal.

Then again in my daughter's bedroom for the One Room Challenge.

In this basement nook, we used a pre-made kitchen base cabinet and had a carpenter finish it to look custom. Then he custom built the floating shelves and the deep bench seating.

New Paragraph

Have a room in your home that is calling for some shelving? I’d love to know! Thanks for stopping by, and sign up for my newsletter for more inspiration and tips delivered to your inbox.

PIN IT!