We recently moved to a new house with paneling and built in shelving in the living room. I was so excited for the potential of those built in shelves, but I wasn’t thrilled with the look of the original shelves. The shelves were oddly placed and prone to looking cluttered. I wanted a cleaner, more cohesive look.

The Easiest Built In Shelves Ever

I had some red oak boards that were going to be perfect for this project. The wood is so warm and the color is just beautiful. My plan was to use a 1×6 for the shelf and a 1×4 to trim out the front. First things first, I cut my wood to size with my miter saw using straight edges.

Next I took the wood I cut into the house and set it on the 1x2s that I had screwed into the wall studs at my desired height. I used my nail gun to attach the boards to the supports, and then again to attach the 1x4s to the front of the shelf. The 1×4 on the front acts as a trim and gives the shelf a more finished look.

Built In Shelf Success

I absolutely love how these built in shelves turned out. They have a classic look and really finish off that wall of the living room. I styled them with my favorite decor and the room looks so much more complete and whole. Adding shelves is a super easy and fast fix for any room! Click here to see me build these shelves as part of my fireplace makeover.