A wall of built in shelving with integrated lighting... plus a windowseat with storage
This project is proof that built in shelving can transform any room from a bland, empty box into a stunning library that's the centerpiece of the home.
Our customer had recently purchased a beautiful house in a modern style. She had a large collection of books containing containing biographies of every American president since George Washington. This collection was the work of a lifetime and even included a few rare treasures... yet she had never really had a place to display all of her books together in one place.
We started by consulting with her to determine exactly what she was looking for, then created a virtual 3D model based on her ideas. This gave her the opportunity to preview the room as it would look with the shelving, and make sure that we were on the same page.
We started by consulting with her to determine exactly what she was looking for, then created a virtual 3D model based on her ideas. This gave her the opportunity to preview the room as it would look with the shelving, and make sure that we were on the same page.
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She had come to us after seeing the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves which we had recently built for another customer.
Her favorite aspects of this design were the offset pattern of the shelves, and the way the openings for the books graduated in size from large at the bottom and narrow at the top. This is a fun illusion which draws your eye upward and makes the case seem even taller than it really is. It's also handy when your collection includes books in a wide range of sizes. Little novellas can go on the smaller shelves at the top, while large art books can go on the taller shelves. Her version would be much longer than the shelves in the inspiration photo, and it would include integrated brass lights to illuminate the books and add warmth to the room. |
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The soon-to-be library began as an empty room, with a large window and trim painted in a warm gray color. In addition to the bookcase, our client asked us to include a windowseat so her dog could look out of the window.
The entire bookcase had to be built onsite, because the staggered placement of the shelves meant that the unit had to be built in one piece. (We couldn't build it in smaller units, and a 14-foot bookcase would be way too big to transport!)
While we were building it, we scheduled with an electrician to run wires for the lights.
While we were building it, we scheduled with an electrician to run wires for the lights.
After we finished the building the bookcase, the electrician returned to install the lights. They're really a nice touch. The brass stands out elegantly against the gray background.
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To the right is windowseat, which has three compartments with flip top access. This adds just a little bit of extra storage space which is perfect for bulky items like extra throw pillows or blankets that you don't need very often.
Some clients have also found windowseats like these to be handy for hiding a wireless router, so that with the addition of a desk and a laptop computer, the room can double as a home office.
Some clients have also found windowseats like these to be handy for hiding a wireless router, so that with the addition of a desk and a laptop computer, the room can double as a home office.
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Altogether, these library of built in shelving is the perfect balance between pretty and practical: it serves as functional storage and display space, while also serving as the decorative centerpiece for the room.
If you need something like this to showcase your books or other collectibles, please get in touch with us. We can work with you to design a beautiful storage solution.
If you need something like this to showcase your books or other collectibles, please get in touch with us. We can work with you to design a beautiful storage solution.
