IKEA's Billy Bookcase Hack For Gorgeous Floor-To-Ceiling Shelves

Floor-to-ceiling shelves maximize storage and elevate a room's interior, especially for smaller spaces. They make a bold statement, whether you use them to store personal mementos or add texture to an open space. Building floor-to-ceiling shelves from scratch can take time to accomplish, but using IKEA Billy Bookcases makes a great hack to cut your time in half. TikTok user (@literary_delight) Ali's husband built floor-to-ceiling shelves for her home office. The small office holds a bed, a desk, and new floor-to-ceiling shelves, transforming her space from mundane to chic.

Incorporating floor-to-ceiling shelving enhances the storage space in your home. There are a few places to add shelves to your home, usually in the living room, dining room, or bedroom. They're commonly utilized as bookshelves, but you can use them for anything, such as displaying your fine china dinnerware or storing extra cooking appliances. To recreate @literary_delight's shelving unit, you'll need three 31-inch Billy Bookcases, two 15-inch Billy Bookcases, and trim to complete the project.

Blank walls can be challenging to decorate because there are many options, such as placing a decorated end table, hanging a massive piece of art, or a large intricate mirror. It's also the perfect place for a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit. Since building a shelving unit from scratch can be time-consuming, using IKEA's Billy Bookcases makes setting up the shelves easier and faster — you only need to assemble the bookcases following the user's instruction manual.

TikTok user Ali used five Billy Bookcases to fit the length of her wall. Of course, everyone's wall size will be different, so tailor the bookcases to your wall's size. Ali's husband included trim from Lowe's to make the bookshelves appear connected instead of having a distinct separation between them. He measured and sawed the trim to fit the top and bottom borders. Then, he caulked the holes to create a seamless look, ensuring the shelving unit truly looked as if it was built-in.

While the bookcases have specific holes to situate the shelves, Tiktok user Ali's husband also customized the shelves, rearranging them to have a larger space in the middle and aligning the other shelves across all bookcases. Play around with the shelving placement to suit your needs. You might want more space at the top than in the middle, so move the shelves lower to create an open space. Or, if you want to store heavier potted plants at the bottom, situate the shelves higher towards the top to leave more space.

Once you finish assembling all of the parts, decorate your shelves with everything your heart desires. Fill it with books, picture frames, small plants, display vases, or lamps. Opt for an exciting theme that complements the interior of your space. For example, if your bedroom is more modern, mix it with antique décor for a contrasting look. Choose embellishments full of color and interesting patterns to fill your shelves for a maximalist interior living room. The possibilities are endless, but let your personality shine through your shelves.