Avid and casual bookworms alike can agree upon the awe-inspiring beauty of ancient libraries across the globe. In true metafictional fashion, entire volumes of books have been written on the topic of historical and contemporary libraries, extolling their cultural significance over the centuries.
From the Hellenic Library of Alexandra to Oxford’s own Bodleian, libraries occupy a space of unique and invaluable importance throughout history. How we choose to catalogue and display priceless literature is crucial, but even more significant is how we democratise the information held within the pages of these irreplaceable texts.
Thanks to the invention of the printing press in the late 15th century, owning popular fiction and non-fiction texts is relatively common. Yet to this day, there are books so old and rare that even those behind the digitalisation of global collections via Project Gutenberg, Open Library and Internet Archive cannot get a hold of them. These coveted first editions and ancient texts remain under lock and key at national institutions all over the world and can only be handled under supervision.
When it comes to curating your very own home library, while the collection of priceless ancient literature isn’t exactly on the cards, the books which we choose to purchase and devour over the course of our lives come to represent a sizeable part of our identity. For especially intense bookworms, the story of our lives might be read through the spines of our treasured editions.
As such, displaying these important and often life-changing texts properly is of the utmost importance to any literature enthusiast. While many of us don’t have the luxury of immense square footage to play with, there are a myriad of stylish shelving units and in-built options on the market that are sure to elevate your collection.
From aged options inspired by history to contemporary, Scandinavian designs, keep scrolling for the best bookshelves for housing your precious, ever-expanding collection of literature.
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Marin Shelving Unit
The Marin Shelving Unit is scattered throughout the sprawling Soho House Chicago. Inspired by the city itself, this lovely piece is crafted from solid American oak and has a warm mid-tone finish with vertical grooved details. The feet are made from solid timber and we’re big fans of the alternating open and closed shelving.
Buy now £3595.00, Soho Home
Holt Wooden Shelving Unit
Inspired by 1970s design, the Holt shelving unit from eclectic furniture specialists Graham & Green is a statement piece that is sure to bring your home together. Made with mango wood and teak, we love how it comes equipped with built-in bookends to prevent your literature from slipping and sliding.
Buy now £990.00, Graham & Green
Rustic Wooden Bookcase with Ladder
Dreaming of a fairytale library which you can traverse with the help of a majestic, moveable ladder? Look no further than CFS. You won’t have to employ carpenters and in-built furniture specialists as this beautiful rustic bookcase is brilliantly designed to accommodate an extensive collection of literature and miscellaneous knick-knacks. Crafted from white cedar wood with a closed-back design, this wonderful piece of furniture is equipped with 12 shelves.
Buy now £2495.19, CFS
Provence Open Shelf Unit
Crafted from gloriously rustic reclaimed timber, this Provence-inspired open bookshelf retains its natural wood grain for a unique and vintage-inspired aesthetic. It’s reinforced with a steel frame across the back and can be used for decorative as well as literature-storing purposes.
Buy now £695.00, Cox & Cox
John Lewis Cara 5 Shelf Ladder Bookcase, American Black Walnut
Ladder bookcases are all the rage on Pinterest at the moment, and this walnut option from John Lewis is a sky-high delight. Due to the open-ended nature of this bookshelf, we’d recommend investing in bookends or sturdy plant pots to keep your literature in place. Otherwise, stack your books in an alternating fashion by switching between vertical and horizontal directions to keep your texts secure.
Buy now £699.00, John Lewis
BBB Italia Sapiens Metal Bookcase
Designed by Bruno Rainaldi for BBB Italia, the floating Sapiens metal bookcase experienced a period of internet virality in 2023. A must-have accessory for cool, contemporary spaces, it’s available in aluminium, white, red and black finishes. Choose between three different sizes depending on how extensive your home library is or purchase all three for a cascading wall of floating literature.
Buy now £249.00, Design Italy
Tall Ashmolean Shelves – Flax
Classically chic, this tall bookshelf from Oka is the perfect piece to buy in multiples. We can already imagine a collection of shelves sacked together in a dedicated home library. The stylish piece of furniture is almost crying out to be filled with precious first editions and historical texts.
Buy now £797.00, Oka
Beautiful Country Ditsy Bone Inlay Pine Bookcase
For a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted piece, Wood n Brush Co. on Etsy has got you covered. Choose from a near-endless selection of primary colours, opt for your preferred stencil design and you’ll be treated to a custom rustic inlay bookcase crafted from pine.
Buy now £375.00, Etsy
Billy Bookcase Corner Unit
A cult classic for a reason, you simply can’t go wrong with the modular and endlessly customisable Billy bookcase from Ikea. We’re partial to this luxurious-looking corner unit, which will add depth to your space while maximising storage capabilities.
Buy now £205.00, Ikea
Oslo Shelving
Designed by Harrison and Nicholas Condos for Restoration Hardware, the Oslo shelving is inspired by the simple and organic nature of mid-century design. Handcrafted from wire-brushed American white oak, we adore the sturdy and rounded edges of this Scandi-cool piece of furniture.
Buy now £2650.71, Restoration Hardware
