Styled Bookcases and Solving the Cable Box Dilemma!

Stick a fork in 'em, they are D-O-N-E. The never-ending tale of the Billy Bookcase Fake Out has come to an end, peeps. From painting to molding to now styling (when did that become the fancy new word for decorating - kinda like the whole 'chevron aka zigzag' thing), these puppies are lookin' good!

Let's just take a stroll down Memory Lane for a moment, shall we?

I had a plan for a Family Room Makeover.
I sold our old ginormous sectional. Bought new couches.
Rearranged the entire layout of the room.
Had the TV mounted to another wall and placed the fireplace under it (it's electric, it can move;).
Painted the fireplace white.
Bought 2 Billy Bookcases from IKEA to flank the fireplace, give it a built-in feel (hopefully!).
Painted them. Added molding to beef them up. Added accessories and now my dream has come to reality.

Here's what I started with...

Here's what I have today...

I think it's a pretty close second to the real (built-in) deal, don't you? For a fraction of the cost too - spent about $180 on the bookcases (including bookcases, paint, molding). I filled them with a lot of items I had, but the new ones were all VERY inexpensive purchases, from Marshalls, HomeGoods, yard sales...

...like this frame - only $7.99 from Marshalls. And weighs a freakin' TON! Glass and votive from Dollar Tree, filled with popcorn kernels.

And this cool wire basket holding my beloved Pottery Barns and Ballard Designs, $9.99 at Marshalls.

Oh, and can I just tell you how thrilled I am that we've solved the Cable Box Dilemma?! The one we've battled ever since we got this fireplace about 4 years ago?!

See it in there? Not too obnoxious, right? Our Verizon box fit like a glove in there, and we cut (with a steak knife, 'cuz we're fancy like that) a small hole in the cardboard backing of this bookcase so we could hook it up. And I just love the leaf print down below. My preschooler made that a few weeks ago in school and she's so tickled that it's framed and on display:) Oh, and you might be wondering about the black cords that should be dangling at the floor. One word: wiremold.

Can you see that white piece above the molding there? It's called wiremold (one of the perks of being married to a techie who works all day long with cables and wires!). You can buy it at Lowes - $15 for 5 feet of it, and it's like a hollow flat-ish tube that houses all the cables. It has an adhesive back, so you just saw down the size you need, and stick it to the wall. Wires be GONE!

Check out the DVD player, in the opposite bookcase at the bottom...

Tried to disguise it as best I could with a stack of books on top;). I can't believe it, but the electronic boxes aren't bothering me in the least! Who knew that could ever happen?!

I'm just loving the way my vision is coming to life.

Still just needs the finishing touch: I'm working on something for above the TV. That little rectangular spot is screaming at me, and I *think* I've got just the thing. Keep you posted on that one!

You might recognize that I got the THANKS glasses out on the mantel again this year.

Decided to fill them with dried pinto beans and popcorn kernels. Stuck a votive in each one too.

Mantel needs a bit more work, but one thing at a time, right?

So that's the final chapter of the Billys. Can't wait to show you the entire room. Just a couple more things to cross off the list and I'll show you! I'm so excited!