Project Bonus Room: Built-in Shelves With a Slanted Ceiling

My first big project of 2015 was making some built-in shelves and cabinets around this window in the Bonus Room.

Before:

I started out by framing the window in the craftsman style, like I've done throughout my first floor.

Then, I built the base cabinets based off Ana White's Rebecca Media Center - Console plans. I've used these plans a lot for reference when building cabinets. I spent most of the month of January building and painting these two cabinets and doors. (I can't believe I don't have any pictures of these. You'll see them later throughout)

The tricky part came measuring the top portion of the shelves since the slanted ceiling made for some angled cuts. I measured and marked each board upstairs as I went along, which meant a lot of running downstairs to cut things in the garage and then running back upstairs to make sure it fit right.

I was able to measure a 60 degree angle where the wall met the ceiling (which didn't mean it was consistent all the way up). So, I angled the blade on my table saw 30 degrees and cut the two ends that would be meeting. I used my fence and added however much extra length that would cause to what my final length needed to be. I also left a little gap for ceiling planks to fit between the shelf and the ceiling.

The angles didn't meet up perfectly, but I knew the face frame would cover up a lot of gaps where the boards meet. Everything was attached with pocket holes using a Kreg Jig.

Next, I needed to create shelves. Since they would be long shelves, they needed to be beefy. I cut 1/4" birch plywood, then cut and nailed a frame made with 1/2" plywood on top, then nailed another 1/4" board on top.

I added a decorative strip across the front to hide the seams.

I was hoping the sturdiness of the shelves would mean I didn't need to put dividers in the middle to support them, but it became quickly evident that they needed the extra support, so dividers were cut and attached from the top using nails. The shelves were screwed in from the outsides.

The bottom two shelves were plywood with a frame, but the top shelf is a regular 1x12 cut on the angled side at a 30 degree angle and screwed into place with pocket hole screws. I added the decorative strip across the front to made it match the other shelves, but also to hide where the shelf meets the frame and there's a little gap.

I painted some beadboard and nailed it onto the back.

I was able to use my jigsaw to make small cuts upstairs.

I needed to take a small detour before I could finish this project and start planking the ceiling since I wanted the face frame to be flush with it. Once the first section of planks were in place, I could cut a 1x3 for the top of the face frame.

I used a piece of paper to help me draw the angle on that I needed 

I was able to cut this angle with my jig saw. Then I could mark where to cut off the straight edge on the other end.

 
I continued using a similar measuring technique along the sides using 1x2s. 

After sinking nails, filling holes, and doing some touch up painting, these shelves are mostly done! Once my kids are a little older and stop pushing on this window, I'd like to put a window seat in between them.

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DIY Book Covers

 

I've been working on some built in shelves in my bonus room for the past two months. They are now ready to have books back on them, so I've been doing some purging, selling, and organizing to keep this space as dejunked as possible and only keep those that I truly love and will read again. I do think books in and of themselves are beautiful, but I have a few mismatched series (some are hard copy, some are paperback, some are library discards or used, and some are new) that are an eye sore.

I saw this Vintage Circus Elephant Graphic from The Graphics Fairy and thought it would make an excellent overall picture for a set of books. Then I found some white wrapping paper at the Dollar Tree and got to work.

Here's my set of books that I wanted to cover (don't judge)

First, I covered all the books text book style. The paper was thin, but since I was putting the elephant image over the spines, I didn't worry about it. For the other books, I doubled up the wrapping paper so you couldn't see through it.

 

I lined the books up and measured the width and length of the spines combined. Then I opened the image in a Word Document and resized it to 8.25" x 10.5" and printed it in black and white.

Next, I flipped the image over and one by one traced a book's spine and then cut off the section. I couldn't find an uneaten glue stick in my house (I have a 2 year old), so I used double sided tape. I have since bought and hidden a glue stick to help seal down all the corners and edges, so that's why they aren't as sealed down in these images.

My next series, I double wrapped and cut some numbers with my silhouette machine. You could easily find some stickers that would work.

I also wanted to cover my Percy Jackson books since they are all used and varying in wear, but my boys relocated most of them to an unknown location. I decided to use Roman Numerals for the ones that weren't missing. Randomly, I found this elephant bookend at a thrift store after I made the elephant book covers and couldn't pass it up. I think I might spray paint it, but I can't decide on a color yet.

Since I started planking the ceiling, I can finally finish the face frame on these shelves! The Bonus Room is coming along slowly, but surely.

Other Bonus Room Projects:

Faux Fireplace and Cabinets

DIY Murphy Bed

Linking to:

Cover Roman Shades With Your Own Fabric

Materials Needed:
JCPenney Home™ Savannah Roman Shade found here- my window needed the 47"w x 64"l size
Cute Upholstery Fabric - I needed 2 yards
Roll of Stitch Witchery
Scissors
Iron and Ironing Board
Thin cloth for pressing
Straight Sewing Pins
Upholstery thread (if you use your sewing machine for part of it)

As part of my Bonus Room makeover, I wanted some roman shades with a geometric print. I figured my best option would be to cover a cheap roman shade with fabric. I found the perfect fabric from Joanns. I found a reasonably priced white roman shade on JCPenney.com. They often have good home sales and coupons.

I've covered one of these shades before with black out material for my master bedroom. I just followed the lines and used my sewing machine, but it was hard to handle the large size and keep everything straight on the machine, especially around the dowels. I decided to use some Stitch Witchery on the dowel folds this time.

First, I laid out my Roman Shade and removed the top piece that's attached with velcro.

Then I laid my fabric on top of the shade. I hemmed the top, but since it will be covered by the top piece at the end, you could just zig zag it or leave the edges raw.

Next, I rolled out my Stitch Witchery and placed it under the hem. Following the directions on the Stitch Witchery, I placed a damp cloth on top and pressed my iron on it for at least 10 seconds in short sections all the way across. Then I turned it over and did the same on the back.

I smoothed out the fabric so it was taut, pinched the fabric around the dowel, and smoothed it down.

To help hold the Stitch Witchery in place, I pinned the fabric and Stitch Witchery to where it needed to be under the dowel.

Once it was pressed on both sides, I pinned the top fold to help hold the crease in place until the sides of the shade were hemmed.

Then I repeated for each dowel all the was down to the bottom. On the bottom, I wrapped the end of the fabric underneath the shade and just used my sewing machine to stitch it to the shade. You could easily use more Stitch Witchery, but it was simple enough for me to sew the bottom and it gave it a little more stability.

Next, I needed to sew the sides. Again, you could probably use Stitch Witchery, but I felt the sewing machine would give it a more permanent hold. On each side I measured one inch from the outside of the shade and drew and line to zig zag on.

Then I trimmed off the excess fabric

Then I folded fabric under the sides and pinned it in place. I sewed along the sides, making sure the dowel folded down.

Lastly, I covered the top piece with the little bit of fabric that was left. I didn't want to hem the top over the top of the piece because there was the velcro on the back, so I just hemmed it and used Stitch Witchery to attach it to the top. Then I hemmed the sides and bottom with the sewing machine.

Top was pressed in place with Stitch Witchery

 Bottom and sides were hemmed

Then I put the top piece back on and used the hardware the shade came with the put it in the window.

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