ClosetMaid makes some nice fabric storage cubes for storing all kinds of stuff. They are called ClosetMaid Cubeicals. But you don’t have to buy cheap bookcases from ClosetMaid too. You can have your own custom-sized unfinished or finished partition bookcase built to fit the 10.5″W x 11″H x 10.5″W cubes.
Below is an example of a frameless partition bookcase with cubbies sized to fit the storage cubes. Our Nola frameless bookcases are more sturdy than what you see here. Ours are built using 3/4″ thick Maple or Oak plywood with 2-3/4″H bases. So, they are much sturdier than your standard ready-to-assemble or particleboard bookcase.
Here is how to size your unfinished bookcase (also available stained or painted).
Width: A 3-cube high bookcase would need space for three 11″H cubbies, plus an extra 1/4″ per cubby to make sure they fit easily, plus a 2-3/4″H base and three 3/4″ shelves (including the top).
Height: A 4-cube wide bookcase would need space for four 10.5″W cubbies, plus an extra 1/4″ per cubby to make sure they fit easily, plus five 3/4″W vertical separators. That would make it about 39″H and 47″W.
Overall: Since the cubbies are 10.5″D, the overall dimensions could be 47″W x 39″H x 12″D. Now, just buy some cubbies to fill it in!
Are you thinking about incorporating a custom bookcase into your home? These units are versatile and multifunctional, adding character and functionality to your space. We’ll discuss the various ways these units can enhance your living space.
Office
Do you need a home office with custom office furniture to work at home or just to have a place to set up a desktop computer? Custom bookcases are ideal for such workspaces, especially to homeowners who own a significant number of books. These shelves can hold more than books and offer the perfect way to display collectibles and memorabilia. Our bookcases can also be made with doors or drawers to serve as concealed storage units or file drawers.
Living Room
Floor-to-ceiling units are particularly attractive and provide significant display and storage space in the living room. You can also choose to design your shelves with fluting, arched tops, and even lighting, making the pieces part of this location’s architecture. Bookcases can flank an entertainment console to create a larger entertainment system.
Nursery
More and more parents are also deciding to incorporate custom bookshelves into a child’s nursery. This is largely because the cases offer plenty of space for storing and displaying items. They often remain a key room feature as children grow. Be sure to secure it to the wall to make sure a toddler does not climb up and tip it over!
Basement Pantry
Basements are good for just about anything, but they are especially good for storing extra packaged food items, holiday dishes and servers, and kitchen equipment that is not currently in use. Why cram your kitchen full with items you only use a couple of times a year?
Interested in a Custom Bookcase?
Now that you’ve thought about some of the common locations for these units, browse our selections online or contact us to discuss your unique needs with a professional. We’ve served the thousands of customers for many years and our highly-trained contractors always deliver expert design advice, quality workmanship and seamless installation. Big job or small, you can expect us to have the knowledge, skills and equipment we need to complete it quickly and efficiently. You can also count on us for built-in entertainment centers, storage systems and kitchen/bathroom cabinets.
This is a guide to help you decide what types of wood to choose for your cabinets, bookcases, or other furniture.
Maple
Maple is one of the hardest wood types for furniture or cabinetry. It’s often used for heavy-use items like dressers and dining sets, as it can take a beating. It is almost always used for painted kitchen cabinets since it does not have very pronounced grain, which can show through light-colored paints if you use other types of wood. If you want unfinished cabinets and plan to paint them, order Maple. It is also more affordable than many other hardwoods. This, combined with its durability, makes it ideal.
Maple is found primarily in the Great Lakes region. Its color ranges from cream to reddish-brown, but it takes dark stains especially well. So, maple wood can easily be stained to resemble more expensive wood like mahogany. Maple wood has a straight, fine grain with occasional bird’s-eye or fiddleback patterns. Hard maple usually has a lighter color while soft maple tends to be slightly darker.
Oak
Oak is a durable and long-lasting wood type. Because of the trees’ slow growth, the wood is extremely dense, adding to its quality. The wood adapts to a variety of finishes. This makes it ideal for both modern and traditional furniture. It’s also often used for Mission/Arts & Crafts furniture design.
Most oak lumber comes from the eastern and central United States. Many American antiques are constructed of oak wood. Oak furniture will last centuries with proper care. The color ranges from light brown to pinkish-red with a swirling or striped grain. Oak furniture is often known as a scratch- and stain-resistant wood, if properly finished.
Pine
Pine is popular with rustic and farmhouse design. It is a lightweight wood, making it great for families that move frequently. Pine is an inexpensive wood and is a good option for those who aren’t quite ready for the investment of other wood types. Pine paints well and painted pine furniture is often used for kids’ rooms because of the fun colors.
Pine is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Its color ranges from white to light brown with yellow or red tones, and it’s known for its beautiful knots. The knots are what add character and rustic charm to the finish. Pine wood furniture resists shrinking and swelling, maintaining its shape for years.
Cherry
Cherry wood is known for its extremely straight and uniform grain. The wood polishes well and has a beautiful finished look. Also known for its popularity use for antique furniture, cherry is last centuries with the proper care. It is considered a prized hardwood among craftsmen. Cherry wood furniture is often an investment that will pay off long-term.
Cherry is found in the eastern United States. Its distinctive color starts as a pinkish-brown and darkens to a deep red with a straight grain and some rippling. Like most wooden furniture pieces, cherry becomes more beautiful as it ages. Cherry is the best wood for furniture that’s designed to last for years and stay in your family.
Mahogany
Mahogany is a durable hardwood that’s often used for investment, intricate pieces of furniture. The wood species has a pleasingly fine, straight grain. Because of the trees’ large size, mahogany is produced in large boards. This makes it perfect for focal point furniture. Mahogany has a timeless look and adds warmth to the room. Any mahogany wood furniture will last generations with proper care.
Mahogany is native to Mexico, Central and South America, but it’s grown throughout the tropics and Africa. African mahogany has become more popular than South American mahogany. However, antique pieces are most often made of South American mahogany. Its color varies from pale to pink to reddish-brown with a straight grain. Mahogany is the best wood for furniture that is elegant and timeless, especially large pieces like dining tables.
Walnut
Walnut is a hard, strong and durable wood for furniture. It carves well and holds its shape for years. This makes it perfect for ornate furniture that requires a high level of craftsmanship. This wood is ideal for investment pieces and furniture you want to stay in your family for generations. Think Amish Heirloom furniture.
In North America, walnut grows from Vermont to the Great Plains and south through Louisiana and Texas. Its color varies from white to dark brown, and it’s known for its large burls. Common types include Brazilian walnut, Caribbean walnut, black walnut and North American walnut wood. Walnut’s grain is typically straight, but some waves appear closer to the roots. Walnut is the best wood for furniture that is ornate and requires a lot of detail.
Birch
Birch is an extremely strong and durable hardwood that grows abundantly in North America. The species’ beautiful appearance and blond color make it a great wood type for modern furniture. It has an elegant, clean-lines grain that complements simplistic interior design.
Birch grows in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions and along the Appalachians. Its color ranges from cream to light reddish-brown with a fine grain. The wood’s strong, durable nature makes it great for woodworking and detailed craftsmanship.
Bamboo
Bamboo is known for its eco-friendly nature and beautiful blond coloring. The species is actually a grass, rather than hardwood. Because of this, bamboo grows rapidly. It grows about 10-times faster than hardwoods do. Bamboo also resists swelling and shrinking.
Bamboo grows in every continent except Europe and Antarctica. Its color varies from very light to a warm medium tone, but naturally, it boasts a soft blonde color. Bamboo furniture is versatile for design but is most common in contemporary interior design. Bamboo is the best wood for furniture made for environmentally-conscious families and modern design.
Many kitchens or wall units include glass doors for places where you may want to display your kitchenware, photos, or other objects, but don’t want them completely exposed. Bookcases can also have glass doors to cover electronic components without interfering with the infra-red remote control signal. An alternative is wire mesh, which allows you to see what is inside, but provides a more decorative appearance.
To install the mesh, the glass was first removed and replaced with a custom-cut piece of wire mesh. Most glass doors have clips that hold the glass panel in place, but we use plastic material that is inserted into a slot along the inside edge of the door frame. The plastic strip can hold either a glass panel or the wire mesh, or probably any other kind of thin panel.
Plastic strip used to hold panel in door frame (back view of door).
The wire mesh used in this piece is a 1/4″ thick round wire that has been crimped and has an opening size of 1/2″, which makes it fairly easy to see through without making it too open.
Wire mesh is generally sold in sheets that are at least 36″ x 48″, so you would need to cut it to fit your door openings with a good wire cutter.
Wire cutter to cut 1/4″ wire mesh.
Adding a good quality wire mesh to a door isn’t cheap, but it can dramatically enhance the look of your cabinets or bookcases!
This article describes the steps I took to create a built-in entertainment system using Arthur Brown Face Frame bookcases and cabinets with custom wood moulding used to trim it out and give it a built-in look. The bookcases and cabinets have a simple face frame style so that separate mouldings could be chosen and added to fill in the gaps between the cabinets and the wall.
This particular home has a step-down family room with a raised opening in the wall, which isn’t exactly your typical situation. This made it all the more tricky, since the base of the opening is 12 inches off the floor. The top bulkhead is 12 inches from the ceiling, leaving only 7 feet of vertical space to work with for the cabinetry. The opening is about 11.5 feet wide.
Step 1: Design of the Space and Ordering of Components
To start the project, I began by coming up with a design plan and then choosing bookcases and cabinets that would fit comfortably into the space without leaving too much space to fill on the sides and top. Since I wanted this to be used as an entertainment system, there needed to be space for a large TV, speakers to the sides and above, media components below, and plenty of storage space for DVDs, books, and other items. The center bottom piece is a CN4 entertainment console with a TV hutch above. The side pieces are Arthur Brown bookcases with doors at the bottom. Each piece has custom pull-out trays behind the doors. They were sized to fit rows of DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. The center console section has a pull-out shelf so that a heavy receiver can be rolled in and out to make it easier to connect the wiring.
Step 2: Preparation of the Area
First, I removed the wood flooring from this area since it was no longer needed. Plus, the extra 3/4″ of space gained by removing the flooring made sure the 84″ tall bookcases fit in easily. The photo below shows two 30″W x 84″H x 24″D unfinished bookcases, which just barely fit into the space after having removed the flooring. The bottom section has pull-out trays and doors, but I took these off so that they could be more efficiently painted. The other pieces were moved to another area for painting.
Step 3: Painting and Installation
I painted all the bookcases and other components, shelves, and doors, and then positioned them in the wall space, leaving some gaps between them. They will later be covered with crown, base, and side moulding.
Step 4: Installation of Wiring and Power Access
Before the pieces were permanently installed, it was necessary to run wires from where the media components go to where the speakers and TV will go. I cut holes into the back panels and installed connector panels to enable wires to easily pass through from one piece to the next. For some larger cables, like HDMI and power cables, I fed them through an open panel instead of using connectors. I then connected cables to the backs of the panels and fed them into the shelf above so that they could be quickly and easily plugged directly into the front of each panel. Power was run to the bottom cabinet.
Step 5: Finishing the Installation of Doors and Accessories
I screwed the outer two bookcases to the side walls to ensure they were not able to move, and then screwed the center pieces to the side pieces to make it a secure unit. On the floor, you can see the moulding that will be used to frame out the pieces and cover the gaps, thus making it a built in system of shelves and entertainment units.
Step 6: Installation of Equipment
I installed equipment into the entertainment console and connected the cables and power cords. At the bottom center opening of the entertainment cabinet is a battery backup/surge protector and a receiver. A pull-out shelf was installed to make it easier to slide the receiver in and out while connecting cables. In the short open shelf above are the media boxes, such as a cable TV box, Apple TV, and Blu-Ray player.
Step 7: Installation of Moulding Around Frame
Finally, I nailed unfinished moulding from Home Depot to the wall and face frames of the bookcases and cabinets. In between each piece is a custom-built column consisting of several stacked pieces: a plinth block at the bottom, a piece of fluted column above, and a rosette at the top. In between the plinth blocks are flat pieces of Maple wood with upside down chair rail moulding added to its top. Above the cabinets is an inverted piece of base moulding that was placed in between the columns. Finally, a piece of crown moulding was added at the very top.
Step 8: Painting of Moulding
I filled in nail holes in the moulding using wood filler and applied caulk to all gaps. Then I painted the moulding so everything flowed seamlessly together. You can’t even tell which pieces are separate from each other. As far as anyone can tell, it is a custom built in. The first photo below shows the plinth block with fluted moulding stacked on top. To the side are flat pieces of wood with chair rail placed upside down on top. The second photo shows the rosette block at the top of the fluted moulding, with upside down base moulding on each side and crown above.
Step 9: Finishing Touches
Finally, I installed all the rest of the entertainment components, added books, photo frames and other nick knacks to the shelving, and plugged it all in. No more hole in the wall–it now looks completely built in! Inside the taller doors are pull-out trays for DVDs and other items. It was a lot of work, but much simpler than a fully custom job since I was able to use pre-built component bookcases and cabinets from Highlands Designs.
This article is about home office design using off-the-shelf cabinet, desk, and related components, like we offer at Highlands Designs. A typical home office includes at least one of the following items: a desk, a file cabinet, cabinets for storage of supplies, and bookshelves for books, manuals, business information, or other personal items. The following is one story about getting started.
Jo Heinz is president of Dallas interior architecture and design firm Staffelbach. Entrepreneur.com asked Heinz for advice on designing a home office for maximum efficiency. Here’s what she had to say:
How does designing an effective home office differ from designing a commercial office? And what considerations do you need to keep in mind even before you get started? Working from home is exciting because it offers an opportunity for real comfort and efficiency, but if the office is too casual, or isn’t effectively separated from the home environment, peak productivity may be lost.
While comfort is essential in any office, an office that is too casual may seriously impede the ability to get things done. You have to find a way to separate yourself from the rest of the goings-on in the home and to convey a sense of “off limits” to all other normal and natural home sounds and interruptions.
A distinction has to be made regarding the physical boundaries of this working space. The most effective way to do that is with the design of the space itself.
Ask yourself these questions before you begin:
What will you be doing in the space?
What type of work needs to be done?
Will external clients be visiting the space?
Will colleagues visit for collaborative work?
What type of materials will be referenced and/or stored?
What type of equipment is required?
When will I be doing the bulk of my work?
Will I be making conference calls?
Will I be video conferencing?
The answers to these questions will begin to develop the program for your home office.
The next step is setting up your space. Where are you going to put your office? It doesn’t need to be large or expansive, but it should be separate from other areas. You might be able to convert the guest room you only use a few times a year or another underutilized area into your office. Evaluate how the space you find can be dedicated for your use and can be “your space.”
Keep all of your work in that space because it’s important that you be able to find things, retrieve things and be efficient within this space. You will also want to keep the non-office space in your home free of work items. This promotes healthy balance and allows you to relax at home when you are not at work.
Establish set hours for your work at home. This contributes to your life balance, and should also help you be more productive and organize your day. The biggest problem home workers have is the loss of distinction between work life and home life.
Compartmentalizing your day into identifiable segments will help. Set up an established outline of time that you know you will spend in your office. That will help you develop a plan for productivity.
What are the most common mistakes people make when they’re setting up a home office?
There are five:
Thinking you can “tune out” the plasma screen on the wall. Don’t hang it anywhere near where you’ll be working.
Inadequate storage components
Lack of space for reference materials
Slow and inefficient equipment
Inadequate wire management (cords and wire spaghetti everywhere)
What are the most important five things to consider when you’re setting up a home office?
Equipment. Speed and efficiency are critical at home. But make careful decisions. Question whether that large color copier is a real necessity or if a trip to the neighborhood Kinkos will suffice. Don’t pay for equipment you won’t use on a daily basis.Investigate a wireless hub for your office so you have the flexibility to work on your laptop from your desk, your chair or a table, and at both standing and sitting heights. This simple option can enhance your creative problem-solving and thinking ability.You’ll want a separate phone line to your office so no business associate or client gets a busy signal. Also, make sure your phone has the capability for messaging, conferencing and speaker functions.
Be sure you have a local and responsive computer support team that will make home service calls promptly. You need to know you can rely on the equipment you have to work.
Be sure you invest in the fastest equipment available, so you don’t spend your time waiting for things to work.
And don’t forget insurance on that equipment. Affordable policies will insure your home office equipment in the event of a loss or disaster. You’ll want this peace of mind. Many insurance companies offer special coverage for home workers.
Lighting. Good lighting is essential. Ideally you want as much natural daylight as possible. If your space has a window, it will enhance the lighting. Daylight is the most evenly balanced source of white light available, in that sunlight has an approximately equal proportion of each color of the spectrum. This light, however, never has a constant color and its beauty comes from the way it is reflected and from the way it is refracted by the earth (as in differing times of day). The color of natural light also differs based on geographic location. It is always beneficial to have as much natural light as possible in the working area.If no daylight is available, a combination of general and task lighting will be required. A high-quality task light will be essential for late nights or cloudy days. If your home office is in a basement or a room without windows, check out daylight-replicating light sources that will provide energy-efficient, full-spectrum lighting. Many ergonomic task-lighting fixtures have dimmer switches so you can control the amount of light.The most effective lighting brings out the fullest quality of the colors illuminated. If lighting levels are too low, there can be negative psychological effects, including depression. For human comfort, a yellow-cast illumination is best. It is the color of brightness, and midway through the color progression from cool to warm.
To avoid glare, don’t place overhead lighting directly above computer screens, and don’t put a computer screen directly in front of a light source. That will cause eyestrain.
Energy guidelines are leading to new reduced-light levels in offices that are easier on the eyes. The most critical factor with lighting is the ability to control its brightness and intensity.
Privacy. No one can work effectively in a sea of noise or interruptions. When planning your office area, ensure that it affords a degree of privacy from surrounding activities. While headphones may serve to isolate certain sounds, no one wants to be forced to wear headphones all the time. Portable screens can be used to shield the work area from nearby activities. Alternatively, divider walls that double as bookcases will not only divide the area but provide superior storage solutions.To assist in creating the quiet needed for real concentration and work, a degree of white noise can be helpful. Air filters and low fans will operate at a quiet speed to muffle other noises.If a door to the office area is not practical or available, it may be helpful to add signage (e.g., “No interruptions” or “Quiet please”) to remind others in the space that this is “work time.”
Layout/organization. The old rule, “a place for everything and everything in its place” was coined to relieve stress. If you have carefully thought through your storage requirements, you’ll have the space you need.The desk surface of your choice will serve to support your laptop or desktop computer and work-related items. Your desk will likely be the place where you spend the most time. Consider the myriad of options available for organization of papers on your desk. What is essential for productivity is an organized desk that keeps pending work in order and prevents the chaos of disorganized piles.Solutions are as simple as pencil cups or trays to keep all writing instruments in one place, plus memo and business card holders so, literally, there is a place for everything. Shops such as The Container Store make it easy for you to get organized and stay that way. In this day and age, there are so many options for storage, the challenge is more in finding what works best with your flow of paper and work. Do you find yourself working from left to right? Does your paper trail have a distinct flow? Remember than when planning how you store your items.
Italian product designer and manufacturer EmmeBi has amazing examples of how it organizes an office, both commercial and residential. You can use those ideas for inspiration and, if your budget requires a more modest approach, mimic the same look with some of the items found at Target , Ikea and similar stores.
Ergonomics. Your health, safety and welfare are critical. Therefore, the items you choose should be ergonomically designed to promote your health and well-being while using them.Chair manufacturers have made significant improvements in adjustability and comfort for computer users. They have even researched the biomechanics of seating. Task chairs reflect this research and are making individuals’ lives easier even when they work on a computer the entire day.Keilhauer has produced chairs that feature a pelvis balance point and free shoulder technology. They are truly kind to your back and spine during computer work. Another favorite of ours is Humanscale . It has also taken a great amount of time and effort to study the needs of the human body when it comes to working. If you are in a position where you write or create most of the time, the company’s chairs are an investment you will be thankful for for many years.Consider foot rests, ergonomic mouse instruments shaped to fit your hand and soft keyboard pads that allow rest and relaxation for the wrist, and foot rests. All enhance the work experience and make your time at work less stressful to your body. The goal is make work comfortable for your body and to support the areas of the human form that are brought into play with the work you do.
How can you set up an office to take advantage of the “green” mind-set?
Consider sustainability. Computers contain hazardous materials such as heavy metals, vinyl and toxic chemicals. They also rely on electricity for power. Keep the computer, your printer and other office equipment turned off when idle. Activate power-saving features on your computer. When trading in for new equipment, make sure your home office equipment will be recycled. Avoid throwing office equipment into the trash. A simple internet search will offer many options in your area.
Keep the planet in mind. Eco-friendly design ensures earth-friendly materials. Consider items such as recycled glass countertops and specify materials that use resources most efficiently, such as woods from sustainable forestry and products that are recyclable. Use local and regional resources when available, as this keeps the money local, supports local business and keeps shipping and freight costs (as well as resources used) at a minimum. Also, don’t be afraid to look into ways to integrate energy conservation such as “daylighting,” which takes advantage of natural light. That will not only help you feel better as you work, but it will also help the planet.
What are the best colors for an office?
The psychology of color is real. Certain colors elicit emotional and physical reactions and responses from individuals. Color impacts mood and energy levels. Therefore, be aware of the psychological impact of the color you choose for your home office.
Blues, greens and violets are considered cool colors. These colors evoke feelings of peace and relaxation. Blue can actually make a room feel cooler and can lull occupants to sleep. It’s an ideal bedroom color, but not an ideal office color.
As the dominant color in nature, green is considered a neutral. We are very comfortable in green surroundings. Green evokes organic, fresh, restful emotions and can foster concentration. Today’s new brand images feature a lime green tint that combines yellow hues. This color can add freshness and vitality to an office. The addition of green to an office area will enhance its balance.
Yellow grabs attention. That’s why the most popular highlighters are yellow. It catches the eye like no other color. It makes people happy and evokes optimism. But a bright yellow might be distracting or overpowering in an office area and could even cause a degree of anxiety.
Red is energetic and stirring. It often produces strong feelings and can create excitement. If used in a home office, it should be used as an accent only.
White, ivory, gray and tan can carry subtle variations of color. So they can be neutral with overtones of the colors you feel most comfortable with, such as a warm gray or a cool gray. These colors do not distract and can be combined with accent colors for vitality and energy.
Accents and shades of purple have been proven to stimulate imagination. Purple or lavender tones cross the line between warm and cool tones and can evoke a favorable response when focus and concentration are required.
With all colors, it’s important to test the colors on the wall in large enough areas to ensure compatibility.
There is no real hard and fast formula for color associations. The color blending is subject to the occupant’s wishes.
How would you sum up the concept of home office design?
Make the space your own. Ensure that the space reflects your personality and that you enjoy being there. Ensure that your office reflects you and that it contains a favorite object or photo that will give you the break you need when you pause in your work. It is these small touches that help you make the space your own.
Your office should be a connection to yourself, your spirit and your productivity. It should afford focus rather than distraction and be a place you want to be and want to spend time in. That will positively influence you in the space and enhance the work you do there.
This great Maple, Face Frame Crown style, white entertainment system was put together using a combination of bookcases, a center entertainment console, and a bookcase bridge. Here is how this was put together to create a cascading wall unit with varying depths and heights.
Design Elements
Entertainment System
The central piece is a CN4 entertainment console 84″W x 36″H x 24″D, painted white with raised-panel doors. It has deluxe base moulding that wraps around the sides and is mitered to meet the moulding on the adjacent units.
The piece above the TV is a BR2 bookcase bridge 84″W x 12″H x 16″D set above the other bookcases with deluxe crown moulding wrapped around each side.
The bookcases on each side are stepped back, with the first 16″D, then 14″D, then 12″D. They have deluxe crown moulding that is wrapped around to meet the bookcase next to it. The pieces next to the center have a mini-miter so that the crown moulding overlaps the face frame of the bookcase bridge. On the outer side, they have a partial wrap with a mitered cut to meet the moulding on the next piece. The next piece has an inside miter cut to meet that crown, and so forth. The result is a seamless flowing sequence of moulding that appears built-in and connected. In reality, these were ordered pre-built to fit the design.
Had the homeowner wanted to go all the way to the ceiling, we could have used base units with tall hutches, but since this is a very tall ceiling, it probably would have been overkill.
Diagrams
The diagram below was used to specify how everything would fit together.
Entertainment System Diagram
Final Overview
Entertainment System
This large custom entertainment system is nothing more than a collection of pre-built units designed to fit together as a seamless unit. All that you need is the ability to envision your project and measure the space. Then, just order bookcases and cabinets sized to fit, pre-assembled, and ready to put into place. The center pieces are deeper, with the end units the shallowest of all. There is plenty of hidden storage in the middle, where media, and other items can be placed. The electronics area is in the opening just below the TV shelf or behind glass doors so that the remote controls will still work.
“There is no furniture so charming as books, even if you never open them or read a single word,” said the nineteenth-century writer Sydney Smith. A shelf full of books adds instant appeal to any room, whether in the form of bespoke joinery or stand-alone shelves. We’ve looked for the most inspiring designs for bookshelves in the living room, bedroom or study. From modern designs, to mid-century classics and spy novel numbers which conceal hidden doors, there are bookshelves of every type in this gallery to inspire something as intriguing as the tomes that fill them.
Once you’ve decided on the bookshelf for you, have a think about how best to organize your books. Are you someone who likes them color-coded? Or by size? Take a look at our piece on how to arrange your bookshelf for more advice.
Entryway Bookcases
In the library at Wolterton Hall in Norfolk, two panels of faux book spines, on either side of a door, drop down to reveal a drinks area hidden behind – aperitif bottles are on the left and digestifs on the right. Once closed, they are indistinguishable from the other shelves and you would never know they are there. woltertonpark.co.uk
In the painter Haidee Becker’s north London house, bookshelves have been built into the recess of the wall and along the top of the archway. In the fairly neutral space, the addition of hundreds of books adds color and texture.
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, in a bespoke green, frame the doorway with a view across the hall to a bedroom beyond in Thomas Dane’s Gloucestershire house.
If you happen to have a reasonably wide hallway or landing, adding bookshelves can be a brilliant way to add interest (and storage). At her converted schoolhouse in Battersea, Atelier Ellis founder Cassandra Ellis has created a library with floor-to-ceiling shelves in the hallway.
Stepped Library Bookcases
Work with the architecture of your room. The alcoves to either side of a fireplace are the ultimate spot for built-in bookshelves. In Kit Kemp’s new hotel Ham Yard, the designer has carried them round the wall and over the door-frame, (a trick also favored by our editor Sue Crewe in her home) and teamed them with a chic patterned paper in muted colors.
Kate Aslangul of Oakley Moore decorated this light-flooded library on the second floor of a Parisian home, in which architect Pascal Collange incorporated a bookshelf into the staircase, a signature style. The room is painted in Farrow & Ball‘s ‘New White’ while the pendant lights are from Mullan. Bespoke metal spindles create an arts and crafts feel together with a striped runner from Hartley Tissier, an Anglo-French carpet company.
In lieu of an actual bookcase, antiques dealer Sarah Fenwick installed this Cole & Son wallpaper in the stairwell of her London home. The effect is playful and adds a sense of depth to the space.
Fireplace Bookcases
Floor to ceiling bookshelves add visual impact and character in the home of designer Beata Heuman.
Green covers both the walls and bookshelves in the eclectic, colourful London house of a novelist and lifelong collector. A vintage Venetian mirror from Tarquin Bilgen is flanked by paintings by Anne Rothenstein and a pink lamp by Cressida Bell. A flamingo from Graham & Green is beside an armchair in an Ian Mankin blue stripe, next to which is a statue of a boy from Bora Bora.
Try combining books with mirrors. Lulu Lytle, owner and director of the interiors shop Soane, uses mirrors on the walls that are not shelved to ‘maintain the feeling of open skies in our sitting room’. The clever use of storage, wrapped beautifully around the Peter Twining designed chimney wall makes the room feel lighter than air.
Breakfast Room Bookcases
Hidden Door Bookcases
This eighteenth-century barn has been converted into a stylish sitting-room-cum-guest-cottage, by its owner Emma Burns, managing director at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. Emma adapted the internal configuration to create a striking way of displaying her book collection. The built-in bookcase equipped with a ladder also acts as a secret door to a hidden bathroom.
Crown molding is a decorative trim piece the sits on an angle, and is used to cover transitions between walls, bookcases or cabinets and the ceiling for decoration. It can be installed where the walls and the ceilings meet, but it can also be used to fill the gap between the top of a bookcase or cabinet and the ceiling, or sticking up at the top of a row of wall cabinets or tall bookcases. They can either be plain or sprung.
Most of today’s interior designers agree that every room benefits from the use of crown molding treatment. It is one of most important architectural elements used to define interior spaces. Moulding is typically made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood. Installing crown molding to a room, or to the top of your cabinets or bookcases, instantly adds an aesthetically pleasing and classy look.
Varieties of common moldings include:
Crown
Cove
Astra-gal
Bead molding
Bed molding
Dentil
Scotia
The installation of molding improves the transition from wall to ceiling or bookcase to ceiling and defines the architectural style of a room. The size and style of crown molding used may vary widely, from a simple coves in a farmhouse kitchen to large built-up cornice in a grand entryways.
The size and style of molding used may vary widely, from a simple coves in a farmhouse kitchen to open top crown with rope lighting to large built-up cornice in a grand entryways.
Installing Crown
Crown moulding, also known as ceiling trim, gives a wall depth and character. It’s a budget-friendly way to update the look of most any room. You can also use crown moulding to accent the style of your pantry or kitchen cabinets. Read on for the basic steps and tips on how to install crown moulding.
Plan Your Installation
Learning how to install crown moulding starts with careful planning. The moulding pieces need to fit seamlessly around your room. The first thing to do is determine which crown moulding to use. There are a number of different decorative styles that you can install based on the decor of your room. You can also opt for cove moulding if you are interested in a look that is not as fancy but still neatly finished.
Start your planning on the wall opposite the door (wall 1 in photo above). You want the first view of your crown moulding to be the best.
Plan your way around the room. The moulding on wall 2 in the photo above will be coped, or cut to shape, where it meets the moulding on wall 1.
The third wall is treated the same way as wall 2. The fourth wall is coped at both ends.
Measure the Room and Mark Studs
Each piece of crown moulding will need to be custom fitted to your wall and each other. No room is perfectly square, so measuring accurately is essential. You’ll also want to nail the crown moulding into a stud for a secure hang.
Measure the wall from corner to corner. Draw a faint line where the bottom of the crown moulding will lay. This will help you keep the moulding straight. Write your measurement down to use when cutting your crown moulding.
Use a stud finder to locate the studs. Make faint pencil marks high on the wall to guide you as you nail.
Measure and Mark Moulding
Put the moulding against a framing square, noting the distance between the face of the moulding edge and the corner.
Cut a scrap of lumber to the correct dimension and draw layout lines on the wall and ceiling.
When you install the moulding, align it with the layout lines.
Begin placing moulding against the wall opposite the door.
Mark the locations of the studs by holding the moulding in place. Transfer the stud marks onto the moulding.
Set up the Miter Saw
When first learning how to cut crown moulding, position the moulding correctly on the saw.
Set the miter saw to cut at 45 degrees in the general direction of the angle you need. See Step 5 below.
Make sure the ceiling edge is flat on the bottom of the miter box. The wall edge should be tight against the fence.
If the blade and cut line won’t align, try turning the moulding upside down and try again.
Cut close to the end.
Tip: If you do not have a miter saw, cuts can be made with a hand saw and miter box.
Cut Crown Moulding
Part of learning how to install crown moulding is figuring out which cut to use. You will make inside corner cuts, outside corner cuts and sometimes scarf joint cuts. The most common types of crown moulding cuts are:
Inside corner cuts have a long bottom edge and a short top edge. The cut on the left will angle left. The cut on the right will angle right.
Outside corner cuts have a short bottom edge and a long top. The cut on the right will angle left. The cut on the left will angle right.
Scarf cuts are used to join two pieces of moulding that meet on a wall. The cut will angle in the same direction on both sides of the moulding.
How you cut your crown moulding also depends on what kind of joints will work best. There are two kinds of joints: mitered and coped. Mitered joints meet at the corners in a perfect 90 degree angle. Coped joints work best when a corner isn’t squaring up or is not at 90 degrees.
A coped joint is when you cut the end of the moulding square and install it flush into the corner of a wall. You then cut the next piece of moulding to fit the profile of the first. Most corners are not perfect, so it’s good to know how to make a coped joint.
Lay out the cope joint on a second piece of moulding. Start with a piece that’s a few inches longer than the finished length. Flex it in place.
At the end of the moulding that you will cope, draw a line in the general direction you plan to cut. Cut at roughly a 45-degree angle.
Tip: Cut the inside corner and outside corner moulding upside down on the saw. Place the ceiling side on the bottom and the wall side on the top.
Test and Trim to Fit
You want your cuts to fit snugly together. As you cut each piece of moulding, look closely at each one. See if there is the excess wood beneath the profile. Cut away any excess with a coping saw.
Tilt the coping saw back at a 45-degree angle to create a razor-thin edge where the two mouldings will meet. You want the mouldings to overlap flat.
Check the joint by fitting it against a cutoff.
Be prepared for an imperfect fit. Fine-tune the joint until it fits.
Sand and file any high spots to create a tight fit.
Installing Crown Moulding
Once you’re sure the joints fit, you’re ready to install the crown moulding.
Measure the wall again.
Cut the moulding 1/8-inch longer than measured. The extra length will help push the cope joint closed when installing crown moulding.
Make a square cut on the uncoped end of the crown moulding.
Flex the moulding in place.
Nail or glue the moulding to the wall and ceiling. To prevent splitting, drill pilot holes the diameter of the finishing nails. Drill holes at each mark at the top and bottom of the moulding and nail in place.
Putty any nail holes.
Crown Moulding Installation Tips
Purchase a few extra feet of your crown moulding to make practice cuts.
Before you install it, prime and paint the sides and back of the moulding. This will keep your moulding from warping. You can use stain or varnish instead of paint.
Wear appropriate hearing and eye protection when cutting your moulding.
If you’re painting the moulding after installation, run a bead of caulk in the seam. Wipe it smooth with a wet finger or damp rag.
Don’t guesstimate, calculate. Know exactly how much you need with our project calculators.
Now that you know how to install crown moulding, you can improve the look of any wall. Try out different ideas: Use crown moulding to create a picture frame or to border a built-in bookshelf. Use a few different types of moulding together. Different combinations of moulding are called build-ups. Learning how to install crown moulding means you can install build-ups the same way.
Remember to measure and cut accurately for the best look. And don’t worry if you don’t own all of the tools needed to complete this DIY crown moulding project. Rent tools for any project at The Home Depot.
Bookshelves are often overlooked when it comes to designing the interior of a home. The truth is that the right bookcase in the right place can make a world of difference, increasing the beauty of an interior and decreasing the clutter. Here are a few suggestions for different types of book shelves to consider if you’re in the market.
Freestanding Models
You can’t beat a good freestanding bookcase for convenience. Not only are they great places to store books and knick knacks, but they can be attractive furniture additions to your living spaces as well. The beauty of freestanding book shelves is the incredible variety of styles available. Corner bookcases are wonderful for making use of those odd corners in the living room or den, and provide an attractive place to store and display books and other valuables.
Rotating models are also available, and are very handy when used as end tables to store books, magazines, remotes, and other things you want to have within arm’s reach when stretching out on the couch.
If you’re looking for something really distinctive, consider a doored bookcase, a close cousin of the china cabinet. These are great for displaying everything from grandma’s old dishes to that autographed copy of The Old Man and the Sea that you’re always telling everybody about.
The fact is that when you’re talking freestanding book shelves, there’s a model out there that will satisfy just about any space, taste and budget.
Built-In Bookshelves
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the amount of furniture you already have, you’ll want to consider having built in bookcases installed instead. These can be custom designed to fit your living spaces, and often can be fitted in out of the way places or recessed into a wall where a freestanding model just wouldn’t work.
Some examples of places where built in bookshelves can really bring a room together include around fireplaces, doors and windows, beneath stairs or running up them, and in odd corners throughout the house. Bookcases have even been built in to serve as a barrier and divide a room into two distinct areas. If you have a space you think a custom built-in bookcase might be the ticket, Highlands Designs can make it happen.
