BEFORE: 
And AFTER: (shelves not back in yet)
You all remember the bookcase found at the yardsale for $50. I’ll show you step by step on how it is now transformed into a whole NEW look.
Went to Home Depot and spent $18 on a sheet of pine beadboard. I wanted the real wood look and they even cut it for free. I took off the old backing, measured it carefully, and asked the guy to cut a new piece that would fit exactly on the back. I even have some left over pieces for another project.
I went ahead and primed the whole piece, including the shelves, as well as the beadboard.
Went to Home Depot and spent $18 on a sheet of pine beadboard. I wanted the real wood look and they even cut it for free. I took off the old backing, measured it carefully, and asked the guy to cut a new piece that would fit exactly on the back. I even have some left over pieces for another project.
I went ahead and primed the whole piece, including the shelves, as well as the beadboard. 
Love this tiny foam roller for jobs like this, it makes quick work of painting the flat parts. A brush comes in handy for the molding.
Here it is with the first coat of black.
And you can barely tell this is blue on the beadboard, but it is! I ended up putting 3 coats of black on most everything to get the depth I wanted.
Turned the bookcase face down inside on the carpet, so it wouldn’t mess up my new paint.
And with a hammer and small nails, I went around all the beadboard edging, nailing it to the back of the bookcase. Worked like a charm!
And here you have it…the new and improved bookcase! Don’t you think it looks a LOT better now? For a total of $68, it can’t be beat. And the beadboard really kicks it up a notch.
The beadboard color is lighter than this & you’ll see it changing in all these shots as the light is different.
It’s hard to get a decent pic of black furniture, but here are the details. I took some sandpaper & distressed it slightly and then rubbed some stain over those spots to deepen the wood. There were already some little holes in the pine that gave it a more rustic look, so they show up with the black paint too.
Not too much distressing, just a bit.
I love it!
Fairly accurate color of the beadboard. The color is Sherwin Williams Rain.
Another fun project! I’m really getting geared up to finish this room now. I may muddle through those slipcovers and see how I do with it. I’ve got the paint purchased and am ready to start painting any day now, so you will see a new room in a few weeks! 
I have to put in a plug for this new movie, Fireproof. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and GO! This is from the producers of Facing the Giants and I love that Hollywood is finally taking note of Christian-based movies and that people are responding to them. Kirk Cameron (of Growing Pains fame) stars in this movie and it’s a wonderful story of love and forgiveness and how God can put a marriage back together again. I hear it’s doing well at the box office and I hope all of you go see it too. Let’s support this movie!
Hope to see a few of you Birmingham girls at my yardsale on Saturday (8 a.m.) If you want to drop by & haven’t emailed me for directions yet, please do! I’ll be sure and post some pics of the sale later on. I’ve been busy this week with some projects and getting all that yardsale stuff together. It will be great to clear out the stash closet!
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That is really cool – I will do that stuff one day when I have the time, too bizzy of a season right now. Seems to all revolve around food, HA. Hungry kids!
Happy Weekend Rhoda!
Rhoda – your bookcase is beautiful!! Also, my husband and I went to see Fireproof and loved it. What a wonderful thing that church in Albany is doing making these movies. Hope you have a great weekend!
Hi! Just wandering around blogs-The bookcase is awesome! I posted about Fireproof as well-an important movie to see if you are married,or thinking of getting married in your lifetime!! Awesome movie, very impacting!
LOVE what you did with the bookcase! The transformation is amazing. Great Job!
Went to see Fireproof today and will also be putting a plug for it on my blog!!! 🙂
Rhoda, I have ALWAYS loved your projects from the first time I “met” you on the MSN boards years ago! The bookcase looks GORGEOUS! Wonderful! I haven’t been to see Fireproof yet, but I intend to see it hopefully!
Loved the message in FIREPROOF!!!
Rhoda the bookcase looks great black. After seeing how great it looks, causes me to 2nd guess the brown I painted my new cabinet. Hmm, I might be repainting.
This looks amazing, what a transformation!! Love your blog!
I love your makeover, you are great at painting furniture.
Your blog is sweet. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy,
Debra
Love it!
I’m going to try something like this on an old desk. What color black did you use? Did you use a satin or semi-gloss? What color stain did you rub on after sanding?
Have you ever tried two colors of paint? I want to try black as the base, with red over the top. Saw a piece on Pottery barn that had three layers with a gold color included with the black and red. Hmmm? Ever tried that? Suggestions?
Hi, Deborah, I don’t remember the exact black I used, but I always just get a quart of black paint mixed up at the local store. Any dark black will do. I use Satin always for furniture painting. Provencial or a dark walnut stain will work nicely for the stain over it. I have not done a complete 2 layers of paint look, but I’m sure it can be done. I think you paint the base color, then if you add a little wax on the edges and then paint over the top coat and rub it back, this shows the base color through. Chalk paint is great to work with also for painting furniture, but it is a little more pricey than regular paint.
Rhoda.
I was googling around for black painted furniture ideas and saw your bookcase from 2008, I think!
I have an inexpensive bookcase that I was thinking of painting black, and when I saw your beadboard, I thought that was a cute idea. Do you think, however, that it might be easier for me to try just wallpapering the back with the beadboard wallpaper vs. removing the back of the bookcase?
Thanks! Sure wish I lived in Atlanta or still worked in the area..I’d be making a trip to your Open House! You will have a blast!
Love how this bookcase turned out. I realize the paint is black but is there a name for it?
Sorry its been awhile and I don’t remember the color.