Magazine File Makeover: Hidden Bookshelf Storage

Today’s little project was a last minute makeover for the Revamp, Restyle, Reveal challenge and one that I liked so much that I felt that it was worth sharing. As a hoarder, I love being able to use up leftover materials and this project makes use of the little scraps that I never thought I would use. Bonus. Whether you just don’t like your files on display, or you need a clever hiding place for your priceless diamonds, this magazine file makeover will have your shelves looking stylish in minutes.

Now, they’re not the worst things in the world, but I’ve always found magazine files to look so ‘functional’. Not that functional is a bad thing; far from it, they just look a bit ‘officey’. *My new word, you heard it here first.

Now check this pic…

Not a hint of ‘officey’ in sight. Can you tell where they are? (it’s okay, just pretend that you don’t).

Ready for a magazine file makeover ‘how to’ ? Here goes…

You Will Need:

Magazine files or box files

Scraps of fabric slightly taller than the height of the file

Thin strips of wood or cardboard (for the spines of the books)

Spray adhesive (PVA would do the same but with a little patience)

Glue gun (or other strong adhesive)

Magazine File Makeover Instructions:

For the spines of the books, I used scraps of wood trim left over from previous DIY projects. If you don’t have left over trim, you could cut thin strips of cardboard, layered to get variations in thickness. These variations will add dimension to your books.

I cut the strips into lengths slightly taller than the height of the file. Varying height and width. Keep the spines close in height so that the illusion isn’t spoiled when folk see that the ‘book’ is only just a spine!

At this stage, I painted the magazine file black, to provide depth should any spaces be seen between your fake books.

Whilst this was drying, I moved on to the next bit…

Lay each spine onto a scrap of fabric, ensuring that there is enough to wrap around the back. I didn’t fold over the top and bottom, I chose to trim these neatly to the edge of the wood, as this gave a better impression of being a book cover. Folding it looked a little fake.

Coat each strip in glue, front and back and smooth your fabric on neatly with your fingers. Start on the face then fold around to the back. Trim the top and bottom neatly with a sharp pair of scissors.

You may wish to paint some of your spines. I used left over emulsion paint, applied in two or three thin coats to allow the texture of the fabric to still be seen. Variation in surface texture and finish also adds to the reality of the illusion.

Once dry, glue your books in place. I recommend an ever-so-slight ‘tilt’ to one or two so that they aren’t too regimented.

Tip: If you aren’t able to completely hide your files within a bookshelf, you could add a sheet of thin wood or card to the exposed side of your file, covered in the same fabric as the spine it would be attached to.

The Finished Magazine File Makeover

Placing your magazine file on the shelf really is the final step. Off the shelf, it really just looks…well, a bit crap. The illusion is all part of the beauty.

I may consider some lettering to add to the illusion, perhaps using transfers, as my handwriting is atrocious (and I want this to be as convincing as possible). For now, I am quite happy with the plain version.