How to Make Ikea Bookshelves Look Like a Professional Built-in

We took Ikea Billy Bookcases and made a beautiful loft library out of them. But we weren't satisfied with just that, we wanted the professional look of a built-in. So follow the steps we took on our journey to make our loft library. See the video for way more details. Enjoy!

Step 1: Prepping the Walls and Moving Outlets

The first step in this project was to pick up Billy Bookcases from Ikea (with doors). We used 6 altogether - two doubles and a single on each side. After they were assembled and waiting, we cut into the drywall and moved some outlets to the side so they could still be accessed. We also ran a wire for a new outlet on top of each side so we could power cabinet top lights. After all that, it was time to mud, sand and repair those walls!

Step 2: Planning the Height and Spacing

We then took the prebuilt and planned how to join them at 90 degrees. In the picture you can see we used a 4x4 with a section cut out of it. We screwed the bookshelves to that post and painted it white to match. We also determined the exact height the cabinets needed to be raised in order to fit the baseboard on.

Step 3: Building the Base and Putting It Together!

It was time to build the base and get those bookshelves secured to it. We screwed into the wall studs thereby avoiding damaging the hardwood underneath. With the height just perfect, we put the baseboard on making it look like a beautiful built-in.