Built-in bookcases cover empty walls with practical storage and beautiful visual displays that enhance value and personality in your home. Custom-built-ins may seem intimidating, even if designing and building them are within reach of more people than you might think.
Using either DIY or outsourcing to a woodworker, having basic design principles and styling fundamentals under your belt allows you to craft editorial-perfect-looking and working built-in bookshelves. The secret is careful planning before building and chic finishing after installation.
Creating and Measuring Your Built-In Bookcases
Start by taking precise measurements of your wall space. The in-shelf will be one inch shorter than the ceiling height to allow for installation and the addition of crown molding. Measure off the floor, not from baseboards, to leave space for pre-existing trim. Shelf depth is typically 10-12 inches for books, but deeper shelves are appropriate for heavier display items or to create a dramatic effect.
Don’t sacrifice adjustable shelving in the up-front cost. Metal standards with pin provisions for shelving offer you ultimate adjustability as storage requirements evolve over time. This easy retrofitting saves you the anguish of fixed shelf positions that cannot be altered to fit future collections of books or decorative items.
Include:
- One inch below the ceiling height for the measurement of the overall bookcase height
- Depending on your collection, plan shelf depth—10-12 inches for books
- Install adjustable shelving hardware for future flexibility
Style tip: Hang bottom cabinets with doors below open shelving to conceal clutter while still providing display space above. It’s a great combination of front-of-house visual appeal and behind-the-scenes working storage.
Read More: How to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Like a Spa
Construction Basics: Simple and Sturdy Is Best
Built-in bookshelves do not have to mean fancy joinery or exceptional cabinetmaking skills. The best projects employ plain butt joints held together with screws, well within the capabilities of careful do-it-yourselfers to handle. The secret is to work with good material, solids, or the best plywood, since the books will not overwhelm it in the end.
A simple floor-to-ceiling built-in uses vertical side panels nailed to wall studs and horizontal shelves supported by adjustable standards. Add face frames to front edges for a finished appearance, followed by crown molding at the top and baseboard trim at the bottom. Paint it all the same color as your walls for a built-in wall-like appearance, or paint in complementary colors so that the shelving serves as a double architectural detail.
Don’t cut corners with solid wall anchoring. Shelves in a built-in must be securely anchored to wall studs, not just drywall, particularly for large book collections. This avoids fatal tipping and keeps your investment going generation after generation.
Read More: Gallery Wall Layouts That Always Look Polished
Styling Your Built-In Shelves: The Art of Arrangement
Once your personalized bookshelves are installed, some hip finishing touches complete the entire project. Start by gathering more than you think you’ll ever use: books, filler objects, artwork, plants, and treasured personal items. You’ll probably only use half of what you gather, but having objects to work with means you can experiment with displays.
Follow the guideline of alternating height, shape, and texture for each set of shelves. Place a tall vase with piled-up books, followed by placing a low framed photo between them. Do not place heavy objects near or underneath each other; visual weight in a location. Instead, place large pieces opposite each other on your bookshelf for a pleasant visual effect.
Make layer art by tilting photographs in frames at different levels against the back wall. This adds depth and is a simple way to rearrange your display without new nail holes. Books are arranged vertically and horizontally, horizontal stacks serve as pedestals for supporting plants or small sculpture.
Style tip: Be adventurous with displaying books and objects in odd multiples (fives or threes) for more dramatic, designer-approved groupings that playfully please the eye.
Wall-mounted bookshelves marry practical storage with stunning good looks when you plan out your measurements thoughtfully and design your shelves with an artist’s flair. Begin with thoughtful wall measurements and adjustable shelf hardware at construction time, then stack books, artwork, and accessories in jaunty vignettes for design-conscious flair. Planning makes it practical, and styling adds the personality to your place.
So, if you are ready to turn that bare wall into something beautiful, measure, map out your plan, and collect styling pieces that reflect your own style. Your own bookshelves will be everyone’s favorite in your living room.
Read More: The Secret to Styling Open Shelves Without Clutter
