I've had a vision of a cozy little space with towering wall-to-wall bookshelves since I was a kid and I'm itching to make it a reality now that we've bought our house. This space near the living room seems perfect for it. The block I keep running into is the windows.
The large window is only like 4-5" away from the edge of the right wall (the only empty wall in the room), so high bookshelves placed against that wall could block part of the window with their depth, which seems awkward. The window on the left wall will also get blocked by a tall bookshelf, and the fireplace switch seems like it would get in the way if I put the shelves next to the fireplace.
"Well, buy shorter shelves," you might say, and I'm open to that—I just don't know how to keep the elegant feel I'm looking for with short bookshelves.
Any suggestions are appreciated! Also, these are the staging photos from when we bought the place. The space is completely empty right now except for a cat tree and a beat-up standing bookshelf that I've had for two decades and need to retire (it's tall and blocks the front window, which drove me to write this post)
by mizpixy
5 Comments
Maybe two short bookshelves
https://preview.redd.it/gj6iezdstfpg1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b9dae284f1f263d9773cd84182d52bb4ba8f882
? One under the windows on the right and one where those lanterns are on the floor to the left of the fireplace. Like this
If someone designed this properly I’m thinking floating shelves would be the best bet. Idk how to describe exactly what I’m thinking without whipping up a sketch. But floating shelves would allow you to really customize this room have shelving to be spaced beautifully for the room. It would be a big job though and worth speaking with a professional about if you really want to turn this room into a library. Otherwise floating shelves on those walls I’m sure you could do yourself, would be really pretty, and would help to not block the windows as much or at all depending on width of the shelves. Then on the left hand side wall continue up but smaller shelves above. This could look really cool
My husband built a library in our spare bedroom utilizing IKEA.
https://preview.redd.it/jvrfw4ibxfpg1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c73d616f80b1bad5c8fdd670013f49904d1d1ed5
Sort of like this maybe but cut outs for window rather than the TV here
You can have custom built library on the right wall, it doesn’t have to be a full rectangle shape… Here’s a picture of my old home library to explain what I mean (sorry for the bad quality) … you can also make the low part an L shape and continue the shelves under the windows (again, doesn’t have to go all the way and cover that switch).
https://preview.redd.it/kcnt3nlsxfpg1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c4a0f4206ea6beb5a79e29eb52270f3bba1983b