Friday, May 10, 2013

bookcase possibilities: Billy vs. Vittsjo

Before moving in I posted a mood board for the dining room:



Unfortunately, when I put the console in the dining room it emphasized how leggy all the furniture in the dining room is. All the furniture is going to get up and walk away:


So that console moved into the playroom behind the sofa.  All that remains is the dining table and chairs.  (Also, the orange trellis curtains are not in that room, and blowing up the picture of Italy is giving me problems, and pretty much nothing from that mood board worked out.)

On the left I am thinking of putting a wall of bookcases.  Ikea is the obvious choice--I already have two currently unused white Billy bookcases out in the garage, so two more would be the inexpensive way to cover the wall.  I am picturing something like this fabulous wall of bookshelves that Centsational Girl built:

image via Centsational Girl
The other option is the Vittsjo open shelves.  Three units would fit comfortably in the space, and it can be painted a bright color.  I am thinking of something along these lines:

image via BHG

(Interestingly enough, Centsational Girl also used the Vittsjo in another project.)

I love the yellow shelving look--so bright! So cheerful! But....the Billy wall is less than half the price of the Vittsjo, seeing as I already have a few in the garage.

Do you like the open shelving like the Vittsjo, or do you prefer being able to customize the back of the Billy with a pretty paper or paint color?  

10 comments:

  1. Hi,
    I'm not sure you should do either.
    I went back and looked at the other pictures and it seems a really big space to fill. Are you in a hurry to have it finished ? - why not wait and see if you find something fabulous on Craig's list. Rather than huge book cases which may still look dinky in the room, I think the room would benefit enormously from some of your DIY Art to add colour for now. You can work what the room really needs after a few weeks ( or months) living there. We'll still be watching and waiting to see what you do.
    Kind Regards
    Cathy

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  2. I really love those open yellow shelves. But I think the Billy shelves would work too and I am so tempted by cheaper!

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  3. Waiting--and having the kids do another art project is a great option, really.

    I love the vittsjo--but I'd be wary of them around kids. All those open sides are an invitation for things to fall out. And they are the "leggy" equivalent of your console table.

    Are you looking on craigslist for a dresser for that spot, instead? Paint it a bright colour and you'll have some of the drama you need in there!

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  4. Hmmm...I like both. Helpful, I know. We have a large bookcase in our "dining room," which we actually call the library (even though that sounds pretentious and it's really just an extension of the living room). I think I'm with Cathy and wondering if you really know yet how you want to live in that space.

    This type of question has been taking up lots of space in my head the past two weeks, as it's at the heart of the project I'm working on for the design course we're taking. (I'm trying to figure out storage in our family room.) Right now, I'm supposed to be doing deep analysis of the "gaps" in the space. What's the problem/gap that I want a design solution to solve?

    Not sure if this provides anything that's helpful, but thought I'd throw it out there!

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  5. You should do the Billy's but you should also buy the extensions they have so that they almost touch your ceiling. In doing that, the left side of the room will feel taller and compliment the right side. Just my opinion :)

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  8. The yellow thing doesn't look super stable. If all your kids go running by it will delicate things go tumbling to the ground? Also with all the earthquakes will it fall over tipping forward?

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  9. Agree that the open shelves are an accident waiting to happen and would continue the leggy look of the room. You should look on craigslist for a nice weighty sideboard that you can put art above. Open shelves seem out of place in a dining room...unless theyre filled with dishware, I suppose.

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  10. I kind of like both, but with kids I'd do the Billy.

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