The size of the bookcase
It does not matter if it is a simple shelf in a plasterboard niche or a giant bookcase: it’s crucial to find the right balance.
Bookcases are usually modular and, therefore, do not have standard dimensions. You can add as many modules as you like. Even if you buy your bookcase in big chain stores, you can choose the size and how many pieces to add. However, we can provide some guidelines to orientate ourselves in the design phase. The shelves should have a depth of around one foot. It is useless to choose a deeper piece of furniture if we intend to use it just for books because there would be a lot of unused space behind the books. Differently, gaming devices and entertainment components require deeper shelves. Therefore, it is paramount that we have a general idea about what we intend to put in the bookcase before deciding its depth.
As for the height of the bookcase, there are several modules. There are bookcases with a height of one meter up to bookcases to the ceiling, so 8 or 9 feet.
As for the height of the shelves, 24 inches is the maximum space you want between shelves. If you need to change the height often, opt for adjustable shelving.
The charming tip:
Bookcases with regular and non-adjustable shelves are more elegant, as you do not get to see all those little holes on the sides.
The width must of course be chosen according to the available space. To create a dynamic effect on bigger bookcases, broader and narrower compartments (or compartments of different heights) can be mixed.
If you have a lot of space available, the best way to choose the bookcase’s size is to calculate the space you actually need for the books and for the objects you want to store calculate some extra space to foresee any. Put them in a row and calculate the linear measure they occupy. Considering that the shelves are about 12 inches apart, it is easy to design the ideal bookcase.
Let’s take an example: the books we want to put away measure 8 feet. We can design a bookcase 3 feet wide and 3 feet high with three shelves or a bookcase column 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
My advice is always to calculate some extra space to foresee any new purchase.
If you decide to go for separate shelves, you should hang them at about eye level (as you do with artworks), about 4 or 5 feet from the floor. If you are hanging them over a sofa or a piece of furniture, remember to leave approximately 10/12 inches from the top of the furniture.
On the previous page, we have seen that a different use of the wall bookcase employs it as a real wall to separate two environments. It is an excellent solution for creating a room divider that does not take away the light from the rooms, but at the same time creates an optical division. For example, it can be used in an open space to separate the living area from the kitchen, or in 70s homes where there was no distinction between the entrance and the living area, it can be used to divide the two rooms. In all these cases, the bookcase is double-sided, so it can be made slightly deeper than one foot and be used for different purposes: for example, towards the living room as a real bookcase, while on the entrance side for storing plants or furnishings.
The materials of the bookcase
The materials of a bookcase can be innumerable… from wood, to laminate to iron… or even bricks like in this picture.
Almost everything can really be used…
Each type of material has its own specific characteristics and adapts to different rooms in the house. Many producers, though, make wooden bookcases that are well suited to all rooms. It is enough to choose the right finish and the same bookcase can be a success in the living room as well as in the bedroom. Recently, as the industrial style grew up in attention, iron and wood bookcases became extremely popular. Some models have iron uprights and wooden shelves.
The wooden wall bookcase is the classic bookcase. Pushed against the wall, it may or may not have a back. It is the most traditional and straightforward solution to make. Also, in this case, you can alternate the open compartments with doors or drawers and baskets. Usually, the closed elements are in the lower part of the bookcase (the one close to the floor) and the upper compartments are open shelving. This is advisable to prevent stability problems: since it is natural to stock up many things in the closed compartments, those will result in being quite heavy; moreover, also the weight of an open wooden door at the top could compromise its steadiness.
As for the sturdiness, a natural wood bookcase is undoubtedly the best choice both from an aesthetic point of view and from the point of view of strength. An inch thick wooden shelf certainly has a higher load capacity than a laminate one.
The Charming Tip 