The standout in the studio is the “giant pink bookcase” that helps make the living room its own distinct zone; and it’s actually a unit made of multiple BILLY bookcases and extenders, all painted pink (Behr’s Pink Taffy).

Ashley started with a base made of 2x4s and then added her IKEA pieces. “I used three large BILLY bookcases built upside down on BILLY extenders for the longer side and one small BILLY bookcase built upside down on a BILLY extender for the short side,” she says.

To achieve the built-in look, Ashley and her friend added trim and molding to the case before painting it. The project was the most expensive of the three, costing around $800 in materials and tools, but Ashley says that the results are priceless. “It is one of my greatest accomplishments,” she says. “I’m obsessed! Not only does it create an incredible statement in the apartment, it provides a ton of functional storage.”