These built-ins in my living room have been driving me cray cray for over a year.  Something about them just didn’t feel quite like my style. After months and months of pondering I decided to jump in the DIY pond and do something about it!  Here is an affordable, under $30.00 way to update your bookcases or built-ins with a shower curtain, no painting required.  Yep, you heard me.  A $20.00 Shower curtain. 

This is the before shot.  I capital L to the LOVE color and that is the last thing you get the drift of from this focal point in my living room. Welcome to neutral town. 

Here is another before pic.  Not horrible, but not me.

I read Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love back in October and the most inspiring project {to me} was on page 2, outlining a simple project lining the back of a bookshelf with wrapping paper.

Like this redo from The Chronicles of Home who used $2.00 Target wrapping paper to spruce up her bookcases.

After searching everywhere for the perfect wrapping paper I was discouraged.  Until one random shopping trip to Target I found this Ikat Shower Curtain for $19.99.

It felt just like fabric but for a fraction of the cost.  All I had to lose was $20.00 and a little bit of my time if it didn’t work out, so I went for it.  I also bought 2 large pieces of foam board from Hobby Lobby at $7.99 (with my 40% coupon on my iPhone! Hollah!)

I ran home and measured each shelf of my built-ins so I would know what size to cut the foam board.  Honestly, this was the worst part of the project.  Not sure if you can understand the hieroglyphics of scratch notes below but I hope that helps you understand my system.

Then I laid the shower curtain out.  Mainly just to admire how much I loved it.

I cut the shower curtain into slightly larger pieces of the foam board.

And then used a staple gun to sort of upholster the foam board.  As you can see the back is not perfect.

Here is the front view.

Then I pressed them against the back of the shelf.  Guess what?  They are just sitting there, with nothing attaching it to the back of the shelf.  They fit snugly so I don’t have to adhere it in any way.

Here is one side, fully showered curtained up. 

I repurposed and painted most items so I could keep my project under my $30.00 budget.  I also framed some of Axton’s artwork for a personal touch.

Here is the final product.  I love how it lightens and brightens the room.  It feels so much more modern and youthful and gives the white woodwork the pop of color it needed without the commitment of paint.  If I get tired of the Ikat pattern I can just remove it, find another fabric, staple it on the existing foam board, and achieve a whole new look!  Scroll on up to see the before picture.

We have gotten a lot of comments from house guest asking where we scored such amazing wallpaper to line our bookcase backs.  When I tell them my secret method they never believe me.  So I pull one down to show them.  I can’t keep a good DIY to myself.  It’s just not right.

So what do you think about this makeover?  What non-traditional items have you repurposed into something new in your home?  Share with me on Facebook, Twitter, or in Instagram!  And feel free to Pin any images that inspired you today!