DIY Blog - A Dabbled Dwelling

DIY Murphy Door Bookcase

September 26, 2023 by kelsey.mackall

Why are hallways so boring? The upstairs hall leading to my kids’ rooms is so long and kinda dreary. The walls are currently empty and there is a door to a linen closet that we never use at the end of the hall. I was determined to spruce it up a little and have some fun at the same time. I decided to DIY a Murphy Door bookcase to liven up the hall.

What is a Murphy Door?

A Murphy Door is a door masquerading as a bookcase, a painting, or something similar. When it is a bookcase it is recessed into the wall which requires the door to swing open using a 360 degree hinge. One side of the bookcase will swing backward into the doorway when the door is opened. I found this hinge on Amazon and it came with everything I needed for a working 360 degree hinge.

First Things First

What comes first? Always demo. I started with taking off the door and then removing the doorframe. To remove moulding like doorframes and baseboards, it’s so much easier to have a utility knife and a prybar. First I use the utility knife to cut the caulk between the wall and the moulding. After that’s done, wedge the prybar in between the moulding and the wall and work it along the moulding in small sections. It should easily pull the moulding off.

Woman uses hammer and prybar to remove door trim

Building the Bookcase

I know they sell kits at the big hardware stores, but I wanted to build the bookcase myself. It seemed really simple to build and as a bonus would save me a lot of $$$ over buying a kit. After measuring the doorway without the frame I built the bookcase to have about an inch of clearance on the sides. Bookcase depth determines the amount of clearance needed between the door frame and the bookcase. In the workshop I built the bookcase out of plywood, added shelves, and built simple drawer boxes and fronts. I added the fluted panels to the front of the drawers to give the whole piece a little texture.

Mounting the Murphy Door

Remember the hinge I bought on Amazon? It’s a 360 degree hinge. Instead of attaching on the side of the door, it attaches to the top and bottom of the door as well as the floor and the top of the doorframe. For the pieces that would attach to the bookcase I had to create a space for them to fit into. I used a hammer and chisel to make a spot for the hinge piece to sit in. Then I attached the pieces to the floor and top of the doorframe and also to the bookcase using the hardware included with the hinge. I am so happy that it fits and swings open and closed with ease!

Woman looks at murphy door bookcase in doorway

Now What?

The bookcase is mounted in and functions as a door, but there are huge gaps on either side and at the top, how do I cover those up? The simple answer is trim. I used flat trim to create a frame for the bookcase and it overlays those gaps nicely. Once the trim was on, I prepped the whole thing for paint using caulk and wood filler. I made sure to sink the finishing nails using a nail setter and a hammer then filled the nail holes with wood filler. Then I sanded and wiped the door down so I could caulk seams and corners to really give the murphy door a finished look.

Excited woman in front of murphy door bookcase

Ready to Paint

I seem to tend toward blues and greens in my home and I spent a long time trying to decide what color I wanted to paint the murphy door. Finally, I chose a color and prepped the area for paint. I wanted a pop of color because that hallway feels so dreary. I picked Benjamin Moore’s New London Burgundy for the murphy door. This color is well outside of my usual palette, but I love the moody vibe it gives. I used my new Wagner FLEXiO 3550 paint sprayer, and I love how this paint went on so smoothly and hid the seams so well.

Woman begins painting murphy door bookcase

Styling the Murphy Door

Part of the reason I wanted a murphy door bookcase at the end of the hall, was to have a chance for some cute decor. I found the coolest “books” on Amazon, they’re just boxes with book covers, so they’re light and were a lot less pricey than thrifting cute books. There were cute vases, like this one, and some eucalyptus leaves to add some coordinating color. I also really love these rattan boxes that I found. It all came together so well, but I know what you’re thinking. It’s a bookcase, but it’s also a door. Won’t everything slide around when you open and close the door? That’s where this museum putty comes in. Just stick some to the bottom of your decor and it won’t move! It’s also reusable so one pack will last forever.

Best Bookcase Ever

I am so happy about how this project turned out. It was so much fun to learn as I went along on it and I loved the challenge of building this murphy door from scratch. The bookcase is so unique and adds a fun element to an otherwise boring hallway. I almost want to see where else I can add such a unique and fun element in my house!

Versatile Big Wall Décor for Any Room

September 14, 2023 by kelsey.mackall

I was so happy to give my daughter her dream bedroom. We were excited to choose the décor and really make the room her own. A lot of our style choices will grow with her, but some things needed to be chosen for the kid she is right now. As any parent can confirm, kids grow up and their tastes change. Finding large wall décor that would be easy to transition as she grows was important to me.

* This post is sponsored by BIG Wall Décor *

BIG Wall Décor

We had one large wall in her room that needed a BIG piece of art. How do we know what size would work best for the space? As a general rule of thumb, you want your artwork to take up at least 55% of the width of your wall. If you’ve decorated a room before, you know that wall décor big enough to be the focal point of one wall can be expensive. I am so glad that I found BIG Wall Décor, they have so many options for wall art, and they offer so many different sizes!

A woman admires a blue and yellow painting in a pink room

Super Versatile

Their approach to artwork is so unique. They have found a way to make it easy to switch out your wall art without costing a ton or taking up a bunch of space. The frame that the artwork is mounted on is sleek and beautiful and also specially designed so that the art can be changed at a moments notice. I received two fabric prints for the bunk room and you will not even believe how easy it is to switch one for the other to give the room a different vibe.

A woman removes a large piece of art from the wall.

So Easy to Change

These frames are lightweight. They are super easy to move and change out your artwork. All you have to do is take the print off of the frame and stretch the new print over it. Then tuck the silicone edge into the metal infinity frame. It really is that simple. Also, instead of storing bulky canvases, you’re just storing the fabric prints. Overall, it takes up so much less space.

A woman removes a fabric print from a frame.

A woman is holding two fabric prints, the frame is on the bed.

A woman places a new fabric print into the frame.

A hand tucks the edge of the fabric print into the infinity frame.

A hand is showing the silicone stitched to the underside of a fabric print.

Simple and Well Designed

BIG Wall Décor thought of everything. Not only is it lightweight but there are other features that make this art ideal for kid rooms and family spaces. The fabric prints are durable and the material they are on is resistant to scratches and tears. Did I also mention that they are washable? Because they are! They can be spot cleaned, or if more is needed they can be thrown in the washing machine on delicate. The frames come with everything you need to hang it up. It’s as easy as assembling the frame and putting it on the wall. No last minute trips to the hardware store. Look at how nicely this frame hangs against the wall too!

Versatile Décor Made Simple

I love the way this art looks on the wall and I’m so glad it’s easy to swap the prints. Right after I changed the pictures, my daughter informed me that she likes the first print better. BIG Wall Décor has changed the game when it comes to wall art choices. It’s family friendly, super simple, and much more affordable when looking for large pieces.

Garage Workshop Project

July 16, 2023 by kelsey.mackall

I do so many projects that I was itching for a designated work space. Instead of stashing tools in my kitchen cabinets, it was time to finally tackle the unfinished garage and create a functional workshop studio space that felt like me! It turned out so cute! Read more to see what went into this Garage Workshop project!

Garage workshop studio project with floral wallpaper, a tool pegboard, and green, white, and gold accents

woman stands in front of garage workshop space

Clean Out With Dumpsters.com

It’s hard to believe what this garage looked like before. After moving in and remodeling, our garage was packed with boxes, junk, construction materials, and random items left by the previous owners. I was pretty ashamed of it but with the help of Dumpsters.com we were able to tackle a major clean out.

We rented a 20 yard roll-off construction dumpster and it was surprisingly convenient. Of course there were a few fair stipulations such as no appliances, electronics, batteries or paint, and to make sure we didn’t fill above the top of the dumpster. They dropped it off right in our driveway where it was easy for me to access from the garage and we got to work! Once filled, we scheduled a pick up online and they came back to haul it all away! So simple! We will definitely be using Dumpsters.com again for future renovation projects and you can get a quote on their website!

roll off driveway dumpster in front of house

throwing materials into the dumpster for the garage workshop project

flexing my muscles while standing in a dumpster as a tackle this huge garage clean out

woman is worn out inside dumpster during a garage clean outproject

Garage Workshop Drywall

Once the garage was cleaned out it sparked a bit of a debate between my husband and I on garage territory. The result was quote literally drawing a line down the middle. I decided to use moisture/mold resistant drywall my side and he said he had different plans for his half. This may have shifted my overall vision slightly, but I’ll concede a little since most men don’t have to deal with their wives wanting to take over the garage.

husband and wife fight over sides go the garage and divide it down the middle

husband and wife hang drywall in a garage

Epoxy Garage Floors

The DIY Epoxy floors was one of the most impactful upgrades for this garage space. Not only does it give a more high-end finish, but it makes it so much easier to clean! We used the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield products which was so easy to apply and I have a separate post on the whole process!

Cabinets

Adding cabinets was necessary for storage and organization. I salvaged a metal cabinet that was already here by power washing, priming, and painting green (Jojoba by Behr). I also picked up a few unfinished cabinets from Home Depot and painted them “Polar Bear” with the Behr Cabinet & Trim Enamel as well as adding gold hardware.

36″ Unfinished Base Cabinet

24″ Unfinished Drawer Cabinet;

Long Gold Cabinet Pulls

Round Gold Cabinet Knobs

White and Gold Pendant Lights

Wallpaper from Rocky Mountain Decals

The floors and cabinets were looking so great but I really wanted this space to be a reflection of me. It needed some personality and pattern to achieve that! So while wallpaper in a garage may not be conventional, I think it’s what took this workshop studio to the next level. I used The “Juniper Blues” Peel and Stick Wallpaper from Rocky Mountain Decals and not only was it beautiful and easy to apply, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be more of a vinyl material than paper. I think this will help it withstand my various projects in this workspace even better.

The panels we’re marked with numbers to establish the correct order and the seams matched up perfect. I simply used the included squeegee tool to smooth out any bubbles and peeled the back off as I went. It was such a quick afternoon project and made such an impact on the overall design. I love how the little touches of green match my Ryobi tools!

wallpaper installation in garage workshop project

The Ultimate Pegboard from Wall Control

Last but not least for the Garage Workshop Project, I needed easy-to-access tool storage. I had used Wall Control on a previous garage so I already knew how awesome it was and wanted to include it here. In my last house I had it hung over my deep workbench which made it hard for me to reach over. This time, I decided to do a full tool wall that I could walk right up to!

One of my favorite things about Wall Control is how easy it is to install. The holes are already prepositioned for you and the screws + anchors are included! I’ve never had it come away from the wall, even after loaded with heavy tools! The panels are made of metal so it’s extra durable, you don’t have to worry about the holes getting loose overtime, and it looks SO NICE.

There are a ton of handy accessories with a really smart and secure way of attaching to the peg board. I prefer to use the Wall Control product because of this, however, the panels still have holes for traditional pegboard accessories!