Bookshelves and racks: types, materials, color solutions, placement in the interior and design

Types of book shelves

The main types of designs.

Hanging

Is the most common option, equipped with brackets for mounting to the wall. Hanging models can be a simple or multi-tiered design, having a different geometric shape. Hanging shelves on ropes will help create an original accent in the room.

The photo shows hanging bookshelves near the window in the interior of a children’s room.

Floor-standing

Such products in the form of a combination of a cabinet with open shelves for books are distinguished by good stability and, if necessary, can be moved to the desired place in the room. These pieces of furniture often have a classic rectangular or angular design.

The photo shows a guest room decorated with floor bookshelves.

Tabletop

These models can be conveniently placed on a table or chest of drawers and serve as a storage place for books of various sizes.

Shelves

Such open-ended structures do not clutter the room and do not steal space, which is especially important in small apartments. Shelves provide convenient storage of necessary literature and create a very comfortable and cozy atmosphere in the room. In addition, these shelves can be filled not only with books, but also with various decorative elements, such as figurines, souvenirs, dishes, photographs, flowers and other trinkets that complement the decor.

The photo shows a living room interior with a three-tier white bookcase.

Stand-shelf

A stand-shelf is basically a rotating model or a horizontal rectangular structure on legs, special wheels or rollers. Such products are quite mobile and are most often made in an open version.

Material

Types of materials used in the production of book shelves:

• Wooden. Models made of natural wood or boards are a classic solution that always has a very beautiful and authentic appearance. Wood combines well with glass or metal and is suitable for making carved shelves or racks of any configuration.
• Metal. Iron models are characterized by high strength qualities and durability. Sometimes metal is used only to create a frame to which shelves made of any other materials are attached.
• Plastic. Quite a popular option, which is distinguished by neat execution, special lightness and inexpensive cost.
• Chipboard/chipboard. Such shelves have excellent performance qualities, have a wide variety of colors and shapes, and are also characterized by a very affordable price.
• Plasterboard. Shelves and racks made of plasterboard fit organically into a variety of interior spaces, are quite durable and provide the ability to install lighting.

The photo shows wooden bookshelves in the living room interior.

Forms and sizes

Thanks to the bookshelves up to the ceiling, it is possible to place an entire home library. Such a multi-level rack is considered more relevant for light and spacious rooms. A special softening of the geometry of space and the surrounding environment can be achieved with the help of round and semicircular models with graceful curved lines and smooth shapes.

A rather stylish and at the same time practical interior solution are products made in a herringbone pattern, which consist of several separate modules, figured structures in honeycombs or diagonal diamonds.

The photo shows the interior of an office decorated with a corner bookcase.

The most relevant and fashionable option is vertical and horizontal shelves or racks. They are very reliable, static and can have any design that harmoniously matches the overall style of the entire room. In the case of a small room, narrow shelves are perfect, which do not attract unnecessary attention and are a secondary interior item.

The photo shows a living room in a modern style, decorated with bookshelves to the ceiling.

Color of book shelves

The classic solution is considered to be designs in a dark wenge shade. They look very expensive and give the space a certain luxury.

The photo shows white bookshelves located under the stairs in the hallway interior.

For a more formal design, black, white, gray bookshelves or black and white models are preferred, which simultaneously combine two contrasting colors, filling the interior with the spirit of modernity.

The photo shows the interior of the living room with hanging two-tiered bookshelves in a turquoise shade.

Arrangement

For more rational use of free space in the room, structures for books are installed in corner. Such products can be wall-mounted, placed on the floor or have several sections. Window openings framed with books have a particularly original look. An elegant wooden or plastic model by the window will help create a new interior image and add a certain zest to the room.

The photo shows slanted bookshelves with lighting, located by the window in the attic of a private house.

To add a special piquancy to the atmosphere, you can place book shelves above the fireplace, place them on both sides of the hearth or TV. Products above the bed in combination with wall sconces will help create a stylish design and comfortable reading before bed. Achieving significant space savings is easy due to the design installed around the doorway, which is intended to store a large number of publications.

Photos of shelves in the interior of rooms

Photo examples of design in the design of various rooms.

For the children’s room

This piece of furniture is almost mandatory element in the interior of a schoolchild’s room. Shelves with books placed on them provide a neat appearance of the room, significantly simplify the learning process and allow the child to accustom himself to neatness. For a child’s room, choose the most convenient and at the same time original models, for example, these can be a round rotating rack, shelves in the form of a tree, a snake, letters and much more.

The photo shows the interior of a child’s room for a boy with book shelves in the form of letters, placed above the table.

The best option for placement is next to the bed, which provides comfortable reading before bed. In terms of color scheme, both bright products in blue, red and green tones and models in more muted blue, peach or pink shades are appropriate in a child’s room. For a girl, choose shelves in the form of houses, clouds, flowers or different animals. More sophisticated transforming models or interesting options that can have the shape of a ladder, globe, hemisphere, spiral, zigzag or triangular design will suit a teenager.

In the hall

In the living room, due to the home library, it is possible to achieve a truly aesthetic design. The space next to the shelves can be turned into a cozy reading nook by decorating it with a soft sofa or a comfortable armchair in combination with a floor lamp.

The photo shows a low floor-standing bookcase in the living room interior.

On the balcony

A loggia or balcony space is often equipped with floor-standing systems, hanging corner or straight models. In order to protect books from dust, moisture and ultraviolet radiation, closed shelves are also used.

In the bedroom

If there is a niche in the bedroom, it can be supplemented with book shelves, which can have a wide variety of shapes or be supplemented with lighting. In this room, such items are often placed near the window, door or above the bed.

In the hallway

In a fairly long hallway, it is quite possible to place a home library. Such structures are usually installed further from the entrance door, equipped with shallow shelves and open facades that display neatly and orderly arranged literature.

In the office

For the office, most often they select shelves up to the ceiling and sometimes they are equipped with a pull-out stepladder, thereby creating a single compositional design that adds a special impressiveness and solidity to the interior.

Design ideas

A rather original and at the same time practical solution is a rack with glass doors. This design with hinged or sliding doors is perfect for storing valuable publications that need to be protected from dust, moisture and sunlight. Sometimes the transparent glass facade is decorated with barely noticeable tinting.

The photo shows the design of a bookcase decorated with glass doors in the interior of an office.

Forged book shelves are particularly functional and highly decorative, and despite their elegant appearance, they are very durable. Antique items have a truly unique look and unusual execution, undoubtedly becoming an original element of the entire interior.

A selection of original shelves

Such unique designs are considered an independent interior decoration. For example, an original design solution is a chair combined with bookshelves, which saves space, or various products of non-standard shapes, reminiscent of a spiral, a wheel, a world map, etc. Floating models with hidden fastenings look especially unusual.

The photo shows an interior with original book shelves made in the form of a tree.

The design in the form of a tree with spreading branches looks no less original and provides an interesting arrangement of books. Shelves or racks can also be made in the form of letters of different colors, such a design will be especially appropriate for a child’s room.

Photo of book shelves

Shelves allow you to emphasize the design of the surrounding space and create a practical interior. They are particularly light and mobile, which makes it possible to change their location at any time.

The photo shows a corner wooden bookcase in the interior of a spacious living room.

Thanks to narrow shelves, which have a rather refined and elegant appearance, it is possible to use the free space of the room in the most rational way. In addition, with the help of a double-sided design, you can achieve competent zoning of space.

Examples for different styles

For rooms made in the classical direction, shelves made of natural wood are especially appropriate, which can be decorated with beautiful openwork carving. In the Provence style, simplified narrower designs of white, milky, beige, pale brown or pink shades with a vintage finish and an antique look are most often found.

The photo shows the interior of a living room in a modern style with geometric book shelves located above the fireplace.

Loft style suggests bookshelves with casual design, placed, for example, in an asymmetrical or checkerboard pattern. More massive shelving units made of dark-colored materials fit in perfectly here.

Scandinavian design is distinguished by laconic open models of rectangular or square shape, made in predominantly white or cold colors.

In the high-tech style, shelves with a glossy surface look very fashionable and weightless, and for minimalism, matte designs are preferred. A functional modern interior is characterized by the most convenient open shelving units or modular products with clear lines in a bright, deep or natural color scheme.