5 Ways to Get This Look: Pretty Book Nook

It’s no secret that shelving has been on my brain, lately.  With the building of my studio cabinets, sometimes it feels like all my brain space has been taken over by thoughts of how to create and organize shelving!  While I chose to keep my shelving behind closed doors in my new workspace, I can appreciate a gorgeously styled, open shelf when I see one.  So I was drawn to this sophisticated reading/dining nook by designer Marika Meyer, featured at Georgica Pond.

Elements of this space that I love are the elegant bookshelves, the color scheme, and the natural accents.  The pattern on the back of the bookshelves adds an incredible graphic element without overwhelming the room.  The table, with ornate carving, manages to be understated thanks to the coat of chippy white paint.  And the thoughtful details really impress me, here, like the blue trim around the the bottom of the chairs, that ties them in so nicely to the pretty blue ceramics.

I just had to see if I could find some DIY tips out there for recreating some of the elements of this pretty room.  Take a look at my discoveries:

 1. Get the Look of Custom Shelving

The bookcase in my inspiration room has gorgeous detailing that makes it look like a high-end, custom piece.  You can achieve the same effect with pre-fab shelving units from the big-box stores.  Last year, I featured several ideas for faking built-ins, including this one from Centsational Girl.

2. Add a Pattern to the Back of a Bookshelf

I adore the geometric trellis pattern on the back of these shelves.  The designer achieved this with wallpaper, but have you ever seen the price of nice wallpaper?  A much more budget-friendly option for the DIYer is using wrapping paper got get this effect.  Visit Simple Details for a tutorial.

3. Decorating with Fresh Flowers

That vase of tulips is stunning.  If the idea of fresh flowers seems out of reach for your budget, check out this advice for arranging grocery store florals from Poppy Haus.

4. Paint a Table White

Centsational Girl definitely knows how to get a designer look for less!  She has an awesome tutorial for painting round dining table white–I think I like hers even better than the one in my inspiration pic.

5. Reupholstering a Wing Back Chair

Wingback chairs aren’t too hard too find…as long as you don’t care about the condition they are in.  Learn to reupholster them so that you can get them to fit your decor perfectly.  All Things Thrifty offers a good tutorial specifically for wing backs.

What’s your favorite thing about this pretty room?  If you have any more ideas for ways to DIY this space, make sure you share them in the comments!