Welcome back to Handbuilt Holiday! This is week 7 of the series and today we are sharing a modern bookshelf. Ana White and I strive to provide a good mix of new gift plans every week that include toys as well as functional and fun furniture pieces.
Today is one of those functional gifts and since most kids have a collection of books this modern bookshelf makes the perfect storage solution with just the right amount of quirky kid fun built in. Ana designed this bookshelf with tons of storage space but also great ledges and nooks for all kinds of toys and play.
The window cut outs on the sides add some modern flare and mimic a dollhouse without being too feminine.
Ana’s plans call for 1×12 boards for this build but I choose plywood because I can’t resist using what I already have on hand and I’m a sucker for natural plywood edges.
And you’ll be happy to know you can build this bookshelf without a pocket hole jig! I went the old school route with 2″ countersunk screws, in this case having visible hardware adds to the modern aesthetic.
I definitely recommend painting before assembly if possible otherwise use blue painters tape to mask off portions and achieve straight lines.
How to build a modern bookshelf:
Follow Ana’s plans here for cut lists and assembly.
To make the window cut outs easy and smooth first mark the window dimensions with pencil. Then using a 3/4″ spade bit drill out a circular hole at each corner. This gives the window a nice curved edge and a place to insert your jig saw blade. Use a jigsaw to make the remaining straight cuts.
Again I recommend painting before assembly.
Be sure to sand all the corners and raw wood edges super smooth.
For more holiday gift ideas and a complete listing of all the past projects click here. We hope you’re building something awesome for gift giving this year and be sure to check back next Friday for another new gift plan!
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