There is no greater joy than living in a house where there are actual books displayed on some sort of bookshelf. Books stored under the bed or simply stacked on the floor are of no use. But when the house has a bookshelf where books can be stored, it feels very homely and comfortable.
The problem most Indian houses face is a lack of space. Each and every inch of space is already occupied. To accommodate a bookshelf in the house, either you end up having an awkward-looking stand-alone bookshelf or give up the idea altogether.
Neither of these is a good option. A good option would be designing the shelf better. That is what I intend to do with this blog. Let us take a look at ten of the best bookshelves designs suitable for Indian houses of all sizes.
1. Floor-to-Ceiling Wall Bookshelf
This is definitely going to catch people's attention whenever they walk into the room. A wall-mounted bookshelf that runs from floor to ceiling makes use of the maximum vertical space available. When your entire wall becomes the bookshelf, then even a small room is going to feel like a library.
You can also add some LED backlighting on the shelves and get a beautiful effect at night. The room will be lit up with a soft glowing light from the books. This particular design is perfect for living rooms and home offices.
2. Bookshelf with Built-In Study Table
This kind of bookshelf design is perfect for those who have a room in which they want to accomplish two purposes simultaneously. Bookshelves that also serve as study tables have books kept open in the upper part, a study desk in the middle and drawers to keep everything away from display at the bottom.
This design is especially useful in the case of children's rooms and home offices. With this design, the child has a proper place to study, which is equipped with all sorts of books and stationery. And an adult working from home gets a dedicated desk.
3. Floating Wall-Mounted Shelves
Indeed, there is often a saying that simple things are the most beautiful ones. Floating bookshelves attached directly to the wall do not use up any floor space. They can be put in a row, in a staggered formation or even in some geometric shape occupying an entire wall.
The main advantage of such shelves is flexibility in terms of the number and types of items that can be displayed there. From books, plants and framed photographs to various ornaments and decorations, floating shelves make an otherwise dull wall alive and full of personality and memories of its owner.
4. Corner Bookshelf
There is always a spot in a house which goes unused for any reason whatsoever. A corner bookshelf perfectly utilises this dead space. It may come as a triangular, L-shaped or even a wrap-around unit depending on the angle.
What makes a corner bookshelf so special is the fact that it takes up absolutely no space at all. It simply fits into the gap where nothing else could have been placed. For example:
- In a bedroom: for nighttime reading
- In a living room: for displaying carefully selected books along with a little plant or a candle holder.
5. Ladder Bookshelf
A ladder bookshelf leans against the wall at an angle, with shelves becoming increasingly narrower at the top. This piece of furniture does not need any drilling, anchoring or other complicated installation. It is enough to put it against the wall and fill it up.
Such a bookshelf proves especially useful in rental houses because it needs no holes drilled into the wall. In particular, a wooden ladder bookshelf can accommodate more than 200 books, looking incredibly stylish. Additionally, this unit can be easily moved if needed. For book collectors living in rental flats, it is a very convenient alternative.
6. Bookshelf as Room Divider
If you live in an open-plan flat or studio apartment where one room has to serve as a living room, dining area and study at once, then a freestanding double-sided wooden bookshelf can serve as a room divider. One side of such a shelf will face the living area, while the other will face the study area or bedroom.
This idea creates a clear psychological boundary between two zones without requiring a wall. It makes the home feel more organised and purposeful. And it gives you a significant amount of storage on both sides simultaneously.
7. Under-Staircase Bookshelf
In homes that have a staircase, the area under the staircase is generally neglected. This may consist of shoe racks, boxes, or just anything! This custom-built bookshelf design under the staircase makes use of this area to make it one of the cutest reading corners in the house.
Add this to a little chair and a reading light, and your mini library in the house will be set up in the most efficient way under your stairs. This design always attracts a lot of praise from visitors, as it is innovative, unusual, and practical at the same time.
8. Geometric Hexagonal Wall Shelves
Bookshelves don’t always have to be in the standard rectangular shape. Honeycomb-shaped shelves attached to a wall create an amazing visual effect and are simultaneously a bookshelf and an attractive piece of wall art. Each hexagon contains a mini collection of books or a decorative item.
This design will work great in the living room, as it creates an unusual wall design, which can turn out to be a great conversation starter. Visitors walk in, take a glance at the wall and want to know the person living here better.
9. Bedroom Bookshelf Above the Bed
Another surface that remains unused by most people is the wall above their bed. Bookshelves hung on the wall above the headboard can make this part of the bedroom functional and aesthetic at the same time.
Make sure the width of the shelves does not exceed 8 inches and fasten them safely to the wall to avoid accidents. Add your books, flowers, and the bedside lamp. The entire wall will get transformed into something extraordinary without much effort on your side.
10. Modular Cube Bookshelf
Modular bookshelves consist of individual blocks in the form of squares or rectangles, which can be combined and placed in any manner you wish. These can be placed in a certain order in a grid-like structure, in staggered formation or mixed in with different sizes of open and closed cubes or even with a desktop.
The main feature of this type of shelf is its flexibility. As the number of books in the collection increases, you add more blocks. While moving houses, you can adjust the shelves according to your current needs and space available. Some cubes can be designed with doors and some with open spaces for your favourite books to show off.
Why Choose 123 Home Paints for Your Space-Saving Bookshelf
At 123 Home Paints, we design and manufacture custom bookshelves and home furniture to suit the needs of the people living in Kolkata, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. At 123 Home Paints, a bookshelf is not an off-the-rack item selected from a catalogue. Our bookshelves are designed keeping in mind your room, your walls and your books.
We manufacture bookshelves in various designs to fit the needs of various kinds of rooms. Our designs include wall-mounted floating bookshelves, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, bookshelf study table combinations, corner bookshelves, modular cube bookshelves, custom bookshelves to suit unusual spaces or particular designs and more. All our bookshelves are manufactured using quality plywood and laminated using durable laminates and PU finishes which last for many years of use.
Our design team comes to your place, takes accurate measurements of the available space, understands your requirements and designs a bookshelf to make the most of every inch of wall space available to you. We then construct the bookshelf at our workshop under controlled conditions and install the bookshelf perfectly.
At 123 Home Paints, our team also takes care of the installation of lighting in your bookshelf. LED strip lighting incorporated in a bookshelf totally transforms the look and feel of the bookshelf and the room. Our design team will design your bookshelf lighting system as a complete unit so that you do not need a separate electrician to do so.
Apart from bookshelves, we manufacture false ceilings, interior paint services, modular kitchens and home furniture. No matter what your home requires, we provide it to you.
Conclusion
So, what are you waiting for? Still bothered about your corner bookshelf and how it will take shape? Schedule a consultation with 123 Home Paints now. Contact us at 9903011111 or visit our website.
Explore Our Bookshelves and Furniture at 123 Home Paints
FAQs
Q1. Which bookshelf is the most suitable for a small room?
A. The best bookshelf to choose for a small room would be either a floating shelf attached to the wall or a floor-to-ceiling wall bookshelf, as these kinds of shelves do not occupy any floor area in the room. A floating shelf utilises only wall surface while leaving the floor space completely free. For additional workspace, you may opt for the combination of the shelf and the study table on one wall.
Q2. Which material is the best for a bookshelf in India?
A. BWR (boiling water-resistant) grade plywood covered with good-quality laminate or PU finish would be the most appropriate and long-lasting material for a bookshelf in a house in India. BWR plywood easily withstands fluctuations in humidity and temperature conditions and does not warp. The solid wood is aesthetically appealing but rather heavy and pricey. MDF is great for a painted bookshelf but fragile when exposed to moisture and must be avoided in non-air-conditioned rooms.
Q3. How can I make my bookshelf look attractive without making it look messy?
A. Follow the rule of thirds. Two-thirds of the shelf should be occupied by books, while the remaining third should be for decorations with small plants, framed photos, and figurines. The books should be oriented differently on the shelf. Some should be vertical, others horizontal. Use bookends to arrange your books neatly and add an LED strip light fixture along the rear edge of the shelf.
Q4. Can the bookshelf be used as a room divider?
A. Yes, it is one of the best double-purpose furniture pieces for open-plan apartments. A double-sided wooden bookshelf will create a visual and physical barrier between two spaces of the room without depriving it of light and making the space smaller.
Q5. Is a wall-mounted bookshelf safe enough to hold heavy books?
A. Yes, but only if it is properly installed. The key principle of a wall-mounted bookshelf design involves installing the shelves securely into the wall studs or directly into the concrete wall. For heavy books, it is advised that the maximum shelf length be no longer than 90 centimetres between the points of support to prevent bending. A properly installed wall-mounted bookshelf is totally safe and able to hold hundreds of books without any risks.
Q6. What is the recommended depth of a bookshelf?
A. It is 25 to 30 centimetres for regular-size books. Coffee tables and art books require 35 centimetres. In the case of kids' picture books, 20 centimetres is enough. If you decide to make a bookshelf for yourself, inform your carpenter or furniture-maker about the type of books you have. It will help him/her change the size of the shelves accordingly.
Q7. Can I install LED lighting on my bookshelf?
A. Yes, but it will make a huge difference in terms of aesthetics, especially in the evening. LED strips are installed on the back side of each shelf, pointing at the front towards the books. The best choice for LED strips would be warm white (2700K-3000K), which will make the books and other items glow without any shadows. At 123 Home Paints, we combine LED shelf lighting in our total bookshelf installation process.
Q8. How long does it take to make a custom-made bookshelf?
A. Custom-made bookshelves usually take 7-12 working days from design approval to installation. The time includes purchase of materials, manufacturing in the workshop, finishing, and installation. A bit more time may be needed for making larger and more complicated pieces, such as a whole-wall floor-to-ceiling system or a bookshelf-study table combo. You will get a precise timeframe from your furniture supplier after he/she learns all the details of the project.