How To: Incorporate Bookshelves into Your Space

Nothing says home like a collection of books. Whether they’re well-loved paperbacks or the glossiest of limited editions, the books we choose to live with literally speak volumes about our characters and tastes. Rather than restricting your personal library to a freestanding bookshelf or two, pushed up inconspicuously against the wall, why not make it an integral part of your favorite room?

Contemporary shelving styles range from the virtually invisible to the huge and dramatic. Pack them tightly with nothing but books, or intersperse your collection with art objects and accessories that follow a common color theme. And never feel that your books have to live in the office or living room. Hallways, staircases, awkward corners and bedrooms are all prime bookshelf real estate!

The modular Fifty Bookshelf is as large as you want it to be. Mount a single column of shelving, or cover an entire wall with this striking and ultra-modern design. Built-in bookends keep your reading materials neat and tidy.

The Loft Bookshelf can be placed against a wall, but for maximum impact, consider standing it boldly in the center of the room. It makes an ideal room divider, with its open, backless design making it seem light and unobtrusive.

Press Bookshelves are constructed from painted metal, and when supporting a pile of books they seem to disappear. Stack several of them horizontally or vertically for a look that seems to defy gravity.

Finally, if flexibility is preferable to permanence, the Dappertutto Exhibitor Bookcase may be the one for you. Available in four sizes, these understated ultra-clear glass units can be moved on casters from room to room as required.