I Used an IKEA BILLY Hack to Create Craftsman-Style Living Room Built-Ins
My 1940 rowhouse has great bones, like a beautiful brick fireplace and original hardwood floors, but it’s been up to me to add architectural details — all those charming, characterful touches that I love in a space.
So when I moved in (with my new homeowner’s zeal for DIY and too many boxes of books), one of my first projects was to create a faux built-in using an IKEA BILLY bookshelf.
I added a BILLY to the right side of the fireplace.
The gist of this project is straightforward: Follow IKEA’s instructions to assemble a BILLY, that most ubiquitous of bookshelves, then surround it with trim to create a built-in effect. My dream was to have shelving on both sides of my fireplace, but because of size constraints, I just did the right side.
Some IKEA hackers get pretty elaborate with shelf lighting and cabinets for their BILLY hacks, but I kept it simple. I bought a single 31-inch BILLY and trim that felt like a nice match for the existing baseboard trim for the surround.
I also picked up a white MDF shelf that I could cut to size for the top: This would act as a lid of sorts, extending all the way to the back wall to hide the gaps.
I made a (rough) framework.
To create something for the trim to attach to, I mounted scrap wood on the side of the fireplace and the wall. I also made a simple wood base to elevate the BILLY so that, once it was anchored to the wall, the bottom of the shelf would line up with the top of the baseboard trim. This was definitely the ugliest phase of the project. But hey, now it’s hidden forever!
Once I added the trim, baseboard, and MDF and finally saw that “built-in” effect, I was so proud and pleased! Were all my measurements perfect? Nope. You’ll see in the “during” photo I aimed too high at first and had to patch and refill the holes.
But with some caulk and Benjamin Moore’s Simply White paint (left over from the living room walls), everything felt clean, unified, and intentional.
The best part? Filling it with books.
It brought me so much joy to unpack my books and organize my new shelf. I also added a thrifted ceramic container for bookmarks, which was a last-minute idea that continues to delight me by reminding me of all the book shops I’ve visited.
My books are a big part of what makes my home feel mine, and creating this spot for them added exactly the kind of charm and character I was after. Plus, it’s always fun when people mistake it for the real thing!
Inspired? Submit your own project here.