Book Tower -- a unique over-sized bookcase for living rooms and home libraries

Over-sized books always present a challenge. At pubic and academic libraries they are stored in special "folio" bookcases, which makes sense -- otherwise you would have to make all book cases large enough to accommodate such volumes, thus significantly limiting the space you have for book storage. In a home library, over-sized books can end up on top of other books, they are often left on desks, coffee-tables -- what have you. Which is a shame, because these are usually superb editions with quality illustrations and great looking spines. This book tower offers a solution to this over-sized books problem.

For centuries codex books (as opposed to scrolls) were typically stored flat, not on the side which is the case today. This was quite practical, because vellum books were heavy and the binding was never strong enough to support them in upright position. Basically, books were treated like wine :) The same principle is used in this book tower. Even very large editions can be placed on the shelves without causing any visual chaos that would have been inevitable when mixing horizontally and vertically arranged volumes. The base of the book tower is very wide and durable -- no reason to fear that the shelves will become unstable. An added benefit is the ability to arrange the books for maximum decorative effect, by choosing the right shelves for books of different sizes. This point is illustrated in the photo above by the arrangement of branches that also helps define your interior space in a similar way. Perfect for a living room, this solution can also find its application in a dedicated home library. So, if you have a wide assortment of over-sized books, try this book tower that combines function and style.

Bedside "Book" Table

You don't need any plans for this sort of bedside table. Just a stack of over-sized books and... a couple of belts. If you tighten the belts the table will be structurally sound. Perhaps keeping the buckles on the side rather than on the top would work better. There are obviously other ways to keep the books together, but it is more important to consider the various choices you have in customizing this table. You can use books that reflect your taste (as well as distaste for certain books!). You can even go with a particular time period. Of course, I don't advise any misuse of incunabulae, but some nice leather bound antique books could look absolutely stunning in this capacity. Also, depending on the style of your home library this bedside table can find its place there, just blending in...

Bookcase plans

Due to high interest amongst that the visitors of this blog have in woodworking, I decided to put together a list of some freely available bookcase plans that can be found on the Internet. There are many places out there where plans can be purchased and that's fine. But why not explore the free ones? Perhaps with some slight modifications you can build your dream bookcase!

Barrister bookcase plans

How to build a bookcase

How to build a Bookcase: Step-by-Step Woodworking Plans

Bookcase Plans - Make Your Own Bookcase Design

The Tall Bookcase

Build your own bookcases

Short Bookcase


See also:

Ladder bookcase & Waterfall bookcase - design, decor and function.

Kids' bookcase extravaganza (actual bookcases shown!)

It is always a good idea to keep the kids' books separate from the rest of your book collection. Besides, it is nice to be able to spread the book around the house, so that they are in the area where they are most needed. You will probably want to keep your cookbooks in the kitchen. Our children deserve nice dedicated book storage units in their rooms.

Kids' bookcases come in a variety of styles, nearly all of them quite boring. Manufacturers seem to be unable to show more creativity other than what requires to come up with a pink or blue box of shelves with pictures of Disney princesses or Superman drawn all over. The bookcases I show here are, believe it or not, actual bookcases from the collection designed by craft artist Thomas Leman. They are not kids' bookcases per se, but they look SO much like they have just stepped out of a 3d cartoon! Something tells me that the quality of these bookcases is very good, so they will probably last as long as you want them to.

Check out more of this furniture style at dustfurniture.com

Barrister bookcase design plans

The barrister bookcase is believed to have been popular among British lawyers who often experienced the need to expand their existing book storage capacity. These bookcases can be easily stacked and they look very attractive in a traditional home library. If you are looking for a period piece it is certain to be very pricey. However, if you want to build one, there are some excellent detailed plans. Popular Mechanics published plans for a barrister bookcase in June 1987. I normally wouldn't mention it, but this issue is currently available on Google books:

Popular mechanics: Book keeper


See also:
Bookcase plans

Reference book racks

Another passage from Matthews' "The Home Library" highlights an overlooked (despite being quite well-looking) piece of home library furniture - a reference book rack.

"For those who have but few books, which they must needs have at hand when they are working, nothing can be better or more simple than the two little portable, or rather movable, book-stands devised by Mr. F. B. Patterson. He calls the plainer a "Lawyer's Brief-Rack" (Fig. 7); and nothing can be handier for a lawyer hard at work consulting cases than this double row of reports and text-books kept ready to his hand on this pair of neat shelves, mounted on casters, and easy to roll into a corner at will. A slightly more elaborate design Mr. Patterson calls an "Easy-Reference Book-Stand" (Fig.8); it is intended to hold two rows of books of reference, encyclopaedias, biographical or geographical dictionaries, while the more bulky Unabridged American Dictionary lies on its side on a lower shelf, and an atlas—always an inconvenient book to store away—stands up in a pocket behind."

"The Home Library" by Brander Matthews

A curious little passage from Brander Matthews book "The Home Library". There is some good advice there, of course, (especially concerning the windows in a home library) but I especially enjoyed the style of Matthews' writing.



ON THE LIBRARY AND ITS FURNITURE.

If a man with a fondness for books has also money enough to build a special room to hold them, as did the late William E. Burton to contain his fine theatrical library, he ought to consult those learned in the law of book-protecting. He would be told that the library should have very thick walls, to exclude the damp of spring, the heat of summer, and the cold of winter. He would be informed that the library should have windows only on one side, and that these windows should be recessed, that the sun may not shine in too violently, to the increase of moths and worms, and to the destruction of bindings. He would learn that the library should not be a corner, and that it should be protected, if possible, by other rooms on three sides. There are those who advocate a library wholly without windows, and lighted only by a skylight, but this is too severe and cheerless an arrangement for a true book-lover. There should be no carpet on the floor, for carpets hold dust, and dust is a great danger to books. Rugs, which may be shaken frequently, are sufficient covering for the floor. The heating arrangements, an open fire-place if convenient, should be ample enough to warm the room without making it hot; the ordinary hot-air furnace is very injurious to books.

These, however, are prescriptions for those who carry a long purse. The ordinary American, for whose use and behoof this simple treatise is intended, is well satisfied if he can give up any corner of his house to his books. As often as not it is an odd room, useless for any other purpose, and cheerless at all times. Now, this ought not to be. The library should be a room into which every member of the family may feel glad to go. It ought to he bright and cheerful. It ought to be easily accessible. It ought to be warmed in winter, and protected from the glare of the sun in summer.

Writing table, bureau and secretaire in your home library

There is a number of home library furniture pieces that did not fare particularly well as technology made a few quantum leaps over the last one hundred years. Small and elegant writing tables, exquisitely designed bureaus, and conveniently placed secretaires were first replaced with heavy desks capable of bearing the weight of a typewriter, and eventually computer desks with all their ever spreading and multiplying peripherals. It is my belief, however, that these traditional writing surfaces still have a place in a home library that attempts to preserve the spirit of the good old times! If you have a spare corner in your library that would not be convenient for a chair or another bookcase, consider getting a writing table or a bureau. There are many designs available on the market today. There is one kind of a bureau that I was unable to find, after seeing it in several historic home libraries: a tall one, not too wide, - you would have to actually stand up while writing. In my opinion, this would be ideal for writing quick notes.