Library Bookcase: No one got Squished!

One day overdue but it's done.
This was one of those projects that was worth every drop of sweat and every penny spent. The impact is HUGE (and so is the bookcase).

It wasn't without it's trials and small hiccups:

• After hanging the upper cases the lower case looked way too small so we added the wood top. A mere $26 upgrade and I think it makes all the difference. 
• The fact that our ladder was a little too small and Lee had to stand on the TOP step, 12 feet in the air to fasten and paint the top. That was a little, let's just call it a hiccup (a big dangerous hiccup).  But don't worry I stood under him the whole time, steadying the ladder, ready to catch my 6 foot 8 inch tall, 250 lb husband in case he fell. You know . . . so we'll both be seriously injured.  
• And lastly, after the thick wood top was attached it started to come up at the front because we couldn't screw down that close to the edge, so some extra glue and a couple clamps later and it was fixed. 

Nothing too major, Lee stayed on the ladder and I remained my un-squished self. It's probably my best quality . . . not being squished!

But after all the sanding and painting was done we both couldn't be happier with the result. So without further ado:

The top of the wall cabinets is about 15 feet in the air. I have never been a big fan of double height ceilings. I really like seeing exposed rafters and other architectural details but a big empty space above has never appealed to me. If only someone had shown me 15 feet of bookcase!

Wallet Damage:
$26 for 2  2"x12" pieces of framing lumber.
$234 for Upper Kitchen cabinets without doors, from Ikea.
$18  Chair Rail as Crown around the top ($1.56 a foot x 11 feet) Here's a how to: Link.
$10  Piece of 1/4" MDF (4 foot x 4 foot)
$5 Tester pot of paint to match cabinets (Martha Stewart's Talc).
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Total Cost:  $293 + some extras like leftover stain, glue, screws and finishing nails.

For around $300 dollars that's a lot of added impact!!  But remember if you don't already have lower bookcases that cost will almost double. 

And of course we can't call this a reveal because we still have a rolling ladder to fabricate and install! It should add another $100 or so to our budget, but millions of dollars of impact!!!!

We are so close I can almost hear the music:

"Tale as old as time, 

Song as old as rhyme"

Oh how I LOVE the bookcase from Beauty and the Beast. Lee doesn't like the beauty and the beast reference . . . maybe because it would make him the beast ? ? ? I however and totally ok with the reference! ;) haha