Don's Bookcase and DIY Bookends

Hello there! I am on a quest to decorate our new house- room by room. When we first arrived, I set Don’s books neatly in his room and then continued to unpack the house. Within minutes (I’m not exaggerating at all) every book was spread across the room. It was a mess! So I went on the hunt for a bookcase- because who can live that?! Lol!

thrift store bookcase

We stopped by a local thrift shop and found this beauty for $23! The store employees were SO sweet and took us on a tour around the store including the free bin where Don was thrilled to pick out a truck. I got that bookcase so quickly- it fulfilled all of my thrift shop furniture dreams! I’ll show you below, but the details on it are gorgeous! Plus, its the perfect small size for his room and will easily fit his books and stuffed animals.

diy alligator bookends

For Don’s room I have plans to make it “Florida” themed room. He loves alligators, so I thought I’d make a DIY alligator bookend- I figure anything that makes reading more fun is a good thing! This is such an easy and fun DIY! You can do it with any animal and color- so you can really customize it for your child and their room.

materials

-Animal (choose something that is 8-10″ long). I went with this alligator– available on Amazon Prime!

–Exacto Knife

-Spray Paint. Any color will work. I kept it simple with white

-Bookends. I used these metal white ones that are really affordable. This part would be easy to DIY from wood if you have some scraps at home!

-Glue. I used Liquid Nails

Step one- cut your animal in half with an exacto knife. This was harder than I thought it would be- most plastic animals are hallow, but this one wasn’t!

Next, spray paint your animal the color of your choice. Glue it onto your bookends once it has dries.

Like I said, this is a super simple DIY! I like that it adds personality to the bookcase in a subtle way.

Plus the texture on it is pretty fun and adds interest. Don is honestly such a big fan. I was worried that he’d be devastated when he saw that I’d cut it in half, but he thinks its fun!

renter friendly gallery wall

Don’s room is the first space where I’ve added art to the walls. I have to say- adding art made it feel more like home (it helps that the “read me a story” is from his old room). I had to use Command Hooks to hang everything since we’re renting, but they’ve held them on like a charm!

clock / gold hashtag / mini woven wall hanging $6 from Target. I can’t find it on their site- sorry! / a-ok embroidery /

I made a simple gallery wall with items from Target (though the embroidery would be really easy to DIY). Aren’t the brass, black, and beige colors so pretty together?! I have some wallpaper going up on an accent wall in here, so I wanted to keep this wall not too crazy.

the joy of reading

Guys, it feels so good having this corner all decorated! And honestly the benefit is that it encourages Don to read- something we both really value. At our last house, I’d find Don in his room quietly reading himself books he’s partly memorized and it really made me so happy! So I’m glad to see him back at it!

custom board books

I wanted to share a book I got Don for Valentine’s Day- its from Pint Size Productions called “My Sweet Valentine.” I first fell in love with this company when I wanted to make Don a custom board book. These books have been treasures to us! Life has been crazy, so one afternoon I slowed down and made him a book to celebrate the month of love. It took less than 15 minutes to make, but it was so nice to look through my favorite pictures.

The inside is customized for him- there are pictures of him and his dogs, him and me, and him and his dad filled with the reasons we love him. The cut off for getting it in time for Valentine’s Day is coming up, so here’s the link if you want to get started. Plus wouldn’t this be so, so cute as a gift with a small box of chocolates?!

Here’s to loving your house, your family, and making it work for you! One of the things I am really trying to pass on is that no matter the size of your home and no matter your budget, you can have a space that is special to you. It’s really the details and the love we put into our homes that make a difference.
That is the first corner of Don’s room. I am really, really excited to keep sharing updates of this room as it progresses! We have a wall mural that is going to be stunning and some gorgeous furniture that is on its way- so stay tuned 🙂 !