Anonymous wrote:I have two Ikea Billy bookcases and have had them for years and used them in two different apartments. They still look great! In my old place, I built the bookcases together with the moulding across the top (so that they looked like one piece) in an office/den and they looked almost built in. Now I have them separated on either side of a fireplace. I didn't even follow any of these "hack" instructions. Just followed the regular Ikea instructions.

Oops, this is PP. I don't have the Billy, I have the Liatorp. A more traditional look. But there are lots of ways to combine them and make them look built in. Check it out: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00116595/

I have two Ikea Billy bookcases and have had them for years and used them in two different apartments. They still look great! In my old place, I built the bookcases together with the moulding across the top (so that they looked like one piece) in an office/den and they looked almost built in. Now I have them separated on either side of a fireplace. I didn't even follow any of these "hack" instructions. Just followed the regular Ikea instructions.

Anyone have pics?

I filled a wall with 2 of the largest Ikea Expedit units and it looks great. Ikea discontinued the Expedit line but the new Kallax line is very similar. We hired a handyman to put it all together--money well spent!

Anonymous wrote:OP-I should add that we can barely assemble ikea correctly.
A hack would have to be very basic for us to attempt.
The wall is about 12 feet long

We have paid a contractor to put together Ikea furniture for us. You can have it delivered and put together (you have to go to the store to buy it though). It's awesome. I hate putting together furniture and I feel like when I do it, it's never done right, so the pieces are off and fall apart/look super cheap. Hire someone to do it, they'll do it quickly and CORRECTLY, and you're out like $200 extra dollars. I was 34 weeks pregnant and we had just bought a house and I love my DH, but he's not so good at that stuff. Best decision ever.

if assembling ikea gives you trouble, then you're not going to find a non-cheap looking solution!

Also check out young house love and apartment therapy for ideas. (Search those)

Check out home decorators, overstock and Craigslist.

Realize you can paint something white pretty easily.

It looks more substantial when the shelves aren't thin, so craigslist may actually have something cool.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP. We screwed Billy bookcases together, painted the backs for some contrast, and added molding to the top and bottom. They look great.

OP- was it hard to add the molding?

OP-I should add that we can barely assemble ikea correctly.
A hack would have to be very basic for us to attempt.
The wall is about 12 feet long

What are the dimensions of the wall?

Hack the Billy bookcase! http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ikea-billy-the-worlds-most-versatile-bookcase-211402

I agree with PP. We screwed Billy bookcases together, painted the backs for some contrast, and added molding to the top and bottom. They look great.

Look for ikea hacks online. You can add molding to the Billy bookcases to make them look built in.

IKEA is my back up plan, any other ideas for stores? What I really want are built ins but sadly my budget is more Salvation Army.