Ha ha, I have to laugh at my clearly unimaginative title. But I couldn’t think of a better name when I saw the horses that Nicole Hill Gerulat just pimped and shared on her blog. She picked them up at Homegoods in this sort of coppery color and viola! from copper to eye-popper! Now that made me laugh again because I sounded soooo HGTV, right? Maybe I should just let the pictures speak for themselves…

I bet you will think twice the next time you spot some shabby bookends at the thrift store. If they have a great silhouette just paint those bad boys and rock ‘em!

And a big P.S. — Are you not absolutely green over her massive Penguin classic book collection? I am!

(images: nicole hill gerulat)

31 Responses to “Pimp Your Bookends”

1 tyna commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 3:02 pm

Love these bookends. I’ve been on the prowl at vintage stores for bookends for years – why did I never think to paint them?! Totally stealing this idea – thanks!
tyna´s last blog ..Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Soap – oily skin’s best friend
2 Shanon commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 3:04 pm

WOW! Best DIY I’ve seen in a long time. What a great eye!
Shanon´s last blog ..Happy Friday! & Houses
3 Vickie commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 3:32 pm

Droll over the bookends.
Droll over the mirror.
Major droll over the book collection!
4 Ken commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 3:42 pm

I actually like the before better. sorry.
5 Melanie commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Niiiiice. Definitely love the books – art in themselves!
6 Cassie commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

What a great idea. I’ve got some George Washington bookends the same color that I should paint.

LOVE, love the books. I’ll have to find where to get them so I can start a collection of my own. Thanks.
7 Maria commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:16 pm

An awesome idea, so creative and such a lovely choice of color. And what difference a little paint can make. Unbelievable and gorgeous.
Maria´s last blog ..Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) 5×5 (13×13 cm) Photo Print
8 Tricia Rose commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:30 pm

Trouble is my books overflow so much I don’t NEED bookends! The books have no end!
Tricia Rose´s last blog ..Displacement Activity
9 Carrie @ CarrieCan commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:32 pm

Wow, such a difference! What a little paint can do…
Carrie @ CarrieCan´s last blog ..Modern wisdoms
10 decor8 commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:34 pm

Cassie – George Washington? Oh I love the thought of seeing them in bright blue!!!!
11 Sara LeeAnn commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:37 pm

Ok. That is too funny and fantastic!
Sara LeeAnn´s last blog ..When In Need of Consolation, Drop $40 at the Antique Store
12 Lea commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 4:50 pm

I have some Abe Lincoln bust copper bookends that I don’t like to much, but after seeing this I think I’m going to paint them. Thanks!
13 Alarna commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 5:45 pm

These are amazing! What a great find! So jealous:)
Alarna´s last blog ..Paris!
14 forget.me.knot.weddings commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 5:46 pm

Love, Love! The mirror and bookends so great!
15 Stacey commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 8:15 pm

Love everything about this post! Even – and possibly especially – the title :)
Stacey´s last blog ..Why Photoshop rocks
16 Justine commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 8:29 pm

What a great color! Totally makes them pop. Spray paint is seriously my best friend :)
Justine´s last blog ..Admissions Ambassador Campaign
17 Brooke commented:
March 10th, 2010 at 9:19 pm

So cute! I’m actually heading to Home Goods tomorrow (I so wish NYC would get one!), its been way too long. Maybe I’ll find some goodies to paint and add to my apt. . . And yes, her penguin classics book collection, very jealous! They were on my holiday list and I didn’t receive even one! :(
18 Jutta commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 2:21 am

I AM so envious of the book collection. I’m waiting for the day they will be available in Finland, translated in Finninsh. Hehe, I guess it’s a long wait… :)
Jutta´s last blog ..Tervetuloa kotiin / Welcome home Eames Hang it all!
19 penny-elizabeth neil commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 4:28 am

It seems Ken and I are two of a rare breed, I like them better beforehand as well. Still, never let it be said that a little paint can’t improve a boring item- I usually go for black.
20 Decor Arts Now commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 7:36 am

Those gorgeous books are currently available on Amazon for around $13.99. I have been buying them myself, they are so beautiful!!! Anyone can have an instant collection of them.
Katie Armour Home, an Etsy shop, often has similar great vintage bookends. Check her out.
Finally, HomeGoods has some great stuff. Designer Elaine Griffin (author of Design Rules) outfitted an apartment in a housing project for lower income and disabled residents for charity as inspiration for the new homeowners with stuff from HomeGoods. Pictures look great and when I went to HomeGoods to check it out I found great stuff too. Here is a link:http://decorartsnow.com/2010/02/25/designer-elaine-griffin-gets-great-results-on-a-budget-and-for-a-good-cause-too/
21 sarah b. commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 8:54 am

Super cute. Great improvement.

I have all of those books, so I don’t have to be envious at all. :D
sarah b.´s last blog ..the oatmeal
22 Traveling Mama commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 9:26 am

I am seriously going to run out and buy spray paint just to have on hand! Do you get country living? They had an office featured in the March 2010 issue where they transformed boring file cabinets w/paint. It was so cool! I have missed having access to simple stuff like paint!
Traveling Mama´s last blog ..her {doilies}
23 glendachilders commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 1:23 pm

I love Homegoods. You have to get past all the cutesy stuff and then you can find amazing and very cheap things.

I own one penguin classic – a Christmas present from my daughters. This inspires me to grow that collection.
glendachilders´s last blog ..Gg: Dd is for declutter
24 Jolette commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 3:00 pm

YES to brilliantly makeover-ed bookends and YES to beautiful Penguin Classics covers – as if what’s inside the books isn’t enough already! Nicole has a magic touch.
Jolette´s last blog ..Turning on the charm
25 // Sarah commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 3:02 pm

What a genius (yet simple) makeover!
26 Amy commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 4:04 pm

I believe that selection of Penguin classics is available at Anthropologie of all places.

Any tips on painting success? I have a pair of ugly bull and bear bronze bookends that my financial husband brought home. This is a super idea!

Thank you.
27 Cat Sitter in the City commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 5:04 pm

I just love the bookends. The color is fantastic. It really is amazing what you can do with a little spray paint!
28 Jackie commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 5:24 pm

I love that color. Great idea!
Jackie´s last blog ..Ugh
29 bussbuss commented:
March 11th, 2010 at 8:24 pm

that cracked me up and did sound very hgtv. :) i’m still waiting for decor8 to have its own show.

love the aqua bookends. funnily enough, i just saw one of the hgtv decorators do something similar (forget the name of the show, but it’s all about color). he bought a bunch of travel decor from a pier one type store (african masks, etc.) and spray painted them all bright red to tie them together. i liked it! a good way to tie together disparate items…
30 Mandy commented:
March 12th, 2010 at 2:36 pm

The book covers were designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith for Penguin. Some are available on Amazon for about $13.50, and they’re available on the Penguin website for $20.00.

And worth every penny! I absolutely love mine! ;)
31 Kimberly commented:
March 14th, 2010 at 1:17 am

I actually do like the “before” but I also like the after, just two different looks, so I will definitely keep this lil DIY in mind next time I spot something at the thrift store. I try to always think spray paint when I am thrifting:) It is like magic in a can! Oh, and yes the book collection *swoon*

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