For the "Backwards" shelf, if you have white book shelves, and seeing as how you are in serious "bricolage" mode, you can actually buy iron-on (many-colours available) laminate at most home hardware stores, ie Home Depot, Reno Depot, Rona, etc, etc. And, literally, the longest bit is waiting for the iron to warm up. You measure twice, cut once and iron on your strip.... :-) Hides the mdf look of the backward-ness of the shelf.