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A built-in bookshelf can transform both the functionality and aesthetics of a room. Beyond offering a place to hold your books and keep them from piling up in a corner or on a table, built-in bookshelves can bring charm and style to your space. They also allow for creativity, allowing you to give purpose to corners, the walls surrounding a window or fireplace, stairwells, and other areas of the home that are often viewed as wasted, unusable space. The trick is deciding on the best design and layout for your space. Use the built-in bookshelf ideas below to help you find some inspiration for this next home improvement project.
1. Hidden Door Bookshelf
While doorways are often overlooked when it comes to storage and organization, creative built-in bookcase ideas don’t let these spaces go to waste. Instead, they transform a basic doorway into an attractive storage solution. With a Murphy door bookshelf, your doorways can pull double-duty. They’ll not only provide access between rooms in the home, but they’ll also offer a convenient and attractive solution for organizing books and displaying treasured items.
2. Relaxation Nook
Whether you’re looking for a DIY bookcase idea or would rather hire a professional to construct one, consider making better use of the space around a bedroom, office, or family room window. Adding built-in bookcases on either side of the window, with a cozy bench connecting them, will instantly create a relaxation nook. Add all of your favorite books to the shelves, toss a blanket and some throw pillows on the bench, and you’ll be all set up to cuddle up and enjoy a wonderful story.
3. Wall-to-Wall Storage
Why not make your new bookshelf the focal point of your space? With wall-to-wall built-in book cabinets, you can do just that. Upper glass doors allow you to showcase memorabilia and other more attractive items, while solid lower cabinets offer hidden storage for items that aren’t as visually appealing.
4. L-Shaped Corner Library
The corners of our rooms are among the most underutilized spaces in a home. L-shaped built-in bookshelves can help reverse this trend, converting a corner into one of the most organized and functional spaces in a room. With an L-shaped corner library, you can display artifacts and mementos, while still having ample room to store books, file boxes, bins, and more.
5. Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are a built-in shelving option that can allow for greater flexibility. You can customize the design and layout based on the other elements in your space—placing the shelves underneath a television, above a couch, or behind the desk in the office. Installing floating shelves is also relatively simple if you’re up for a quick DIY project. You’ll just need a stud finder, a level, a drill, and a few anchors and screws to secure everything in place and support the weight of the books and other items you wish to keep on the shelves.
6. Modular Library
If you’re looking for some bookshelf plans you can make in a weekend, consider a modular library made from floating shelves. For this DIY built-in bookshelf, consider the available wall space, and then create modular boxes that you can hang to create a design that is as functional as it is attractive. Place a mix of books and decor items for an aesthetically pleasing finished product.
7. Branched-Out Storage
This tree-shaped built-in bookshelf design might be the ideal fit for your space if your goal is to make the shelf an integral element of your room’s decor. The branches of the “tree” function as the shelves to hold books. Some of these shelves are slanted, mimicking the twists and turns of real tree branches and adding to the overall appeal of the design.
8. Wall of Books
Those looking to embrace Cluttercore design and showcase precious items can consider installing a wall-to-wall built-in bookcase with open shelves. Sectioning these shelves into separate compartments will help you organize books, memorabilia, and other items, making it possible to draw attention to your favorite treasures.
9. Fireplace Surround
Direct attention to your fireplace by building some bookshelves on either side of it. The fireplace will stand out as the star of the room, while the built-in bookcases will provide additional storage and allow you to highlight other key decorative elements that make the space unique to you.
FAQ About Built-In Bookshelves
The cost of built-in bookshelves can vary based on the size of the unit, the type of materials you choose, and the style of the shelves and/or cabinets that you choose. On average, the cost of a built-in bookshelf is around $3,000. You could lower the price significantly by learning how to build a bookshelf yourself and cutting the cost of labor out of the equation.
When building a bookshelf, you can paint it the same color of the wall it is built into. Doing so can help make the shelf feel like it is a true part of the room and may make the space feel bigger. It can also help make the decor elements you place on the shelf a focal point of the space. However, you don’t have to make a bookshelf match the color of the wall it is built into. Painting in a darker — or lighter — color that the wall will provide some contrast, drawing more attention to the design of the shelf itself.
When building built-in bookshelves, recessed or wall alcove shelves are often considered a relatively simple project. For these DIY bookshelves, you’ll need to cut out a section of the wall between two studs, build a box to fit in the desired space, and mount it in place.
