We all have bookshelf goals. We aim to achieve a large and stunning book collection filled with beautiful covers and a variety of wonderful stories, a house rich with knowledge and adventure. It seems odd and strangely empty if a house isn't showcasing a stunning bookshelf, and as the quote by Horace Mann says, "A house without books is like a room without windows".

In the spirit of these beautiful bookshelf-dreams, this Monday we have chosen to show you all the bookshelves we want in the future, or bookshelf ideas we find inspiring - what we can only dream of or at least attempt to have in our homes. Some are unique, some are grand and some are just beautiful.




1. 

Can you imagine having a bookshelf so large that you need a ladder? I know. Only in a dreamworld. The idea of having a room with a bookshelf like this in it is amazing!

2. 

Again, another that would require a ladder, but it's still absolutely stunning! What I'd do for a room with a wall that's just... books. Yes, please! 

3. 

A bathtub bookshelf. Y'know, for those times when you're having a glorious bubble bath, wine in hand and... yep, a book. So many choices! I'm quite the fan of reading in the tub so this would be perfect! 

4. 

This is gorgeous. It's such a great place to store your books and it's also a nice way of making use of under the stairs. No cupboards for young wizard boys to stay, or a place to fill with crap you never use. The best way to show off your books! 

5. 

The frame for this bookshelf is basically highlighting your book children and making a statement of how proud you are of them. This is definitely a fantastic way to brighten up your bookshelf. If having a huge bookshelf is too expensive, or even if you're starting up a small book collection, this is a good way to start. Just buy a big-ass frame and show those babies off!

6. 

Books in the ceiling. Books. In. The. Ceiling. I think this is pretty self-explanatory. It's so cool! They're safe from everyday errors like people who borrow books without asking (who bring it back damaged), floods, thieves or any other things that will cause harm to your precious books. Nope. Put them in the ceiling. Then you can sleep soundly through the night! 

7. 

I basically want this room. A room that's just books and comfy armchairs. If I had this, it would be the most used room in the house. If you put a fridge in there and maybe a kettle, I'd never leave. I can only imagine how great it must be to have this room and the smell... oh, the book smell! 

8. 

Stunning bookshelves... but not just that. A bookshelf that's a secret passageway to more bookshelves. Yep. I think every book lover would need this! The ones precious to you would be inside the passageway, of course. 

9. 

Not only is it large enough to hold a lot of books, but it tells people who come into your home to read. I don't know many people who read, which breaks my heart, but maybe this would encourage them. As an added bonus, it would look beautiful in a modern-looking house. This is a statement bookshelf that's the highlight of a room. 

10.

A room that's just books. Yes please. Put in a comfy chair, hang a chandelier and some ladders to reach those high books, and I'm there. I would very much like my own library. I have no problem with filling those shelves, I just need the room now!




1. 

The best kind of furniture is the kind which doubles as a bookshelf - or that which is backed by a bookshelf (literally). Not only does it look fantastic when done right, but these books are easily accessible even for the laziest readers. Always a plus in our books. (Pun fully intended.)

2. 

Even if you don't appreciate the beauty of a tree-shaped bookshelf, we argue you must appreciate the irony. (FBI disclaimer: Some trees were injured in the production of this bookshelf. Also these books.)

3. 

Natalie has already made a compelling case for a bookshelf-as-a-space-divider, or - more specifically - a bookshelf door. Because, really, why break up a room with a run-of-the-mill cement wall when it can be broken up by a thousand lives instead?

4. 

There's easily accessible, there's ingenious, and then there's a reader's heaven. This just so happens to be all three.

5. 

The only thing more appealing to a reader than a stunning bookshelf is one which doubles as a book nook with a view.

6. 

In terms of DIY, crate bookshelves are easy to put together, fairly inexpensive and, in cases like these, utterly stunning upon completion. As an added bonus, they can be compartmentalized and decorated with assorted knick-knacks on multiple levels for added effect.

7. 

And while on the subject of DIY and convenient bookshelf recycling, there's nothing quite like a reader who knows how to take advantage of every possible place in the apartment and make it into a beautiful book-holder.

8. 

And for the modern-art lover in us all, there are cubist designs - literally. Cubes just happen to be ideal shapes to store books of all sizes - regardless of their relative position to the ground. As an added bonus, they look remarkable doing it (and they're not even trying).

9. 

Similar to the READ bookshelf featured above, this one is both straightforward and convenient for every true book-lover. The down side is, there probably needs to be an additional bookshelf which will hold our extensive collections. This is more of a constant-rotation shelf as we make our way through our TBRs, one book at a time.

10. 

We aren't always fond of stairs. But when we are, they double as bookshelves. Amazing, amazing bookshelves as far as the eye can see.




Do you fantasize about any of these? Got any in mind? Don't hesitate to contact us! We'd love to hear about your dream bookshelves, or even dream rooms (or shall we say libraries) in your house one day. Unless you're one of those lucky people who already have their ideal reading rooms. If you are one of those, we're incredibly jealous. Can we live with you? Adopt us, maybe?

Whichever group you belong to, leave us a comment and let us know how your ideal reading room looks. And - as always - find us online in any and all of the places below. We are more than happy to discuss bookshelves and their content with anyone and everyone, twenty-four hours a day. (We're those readers, as you can tell.)