How to pick the perfect bookshelf

BookSHELvES are simple, versatile and a wonderful way to decorate your home. Here’s how to make the most of them.

Measure well

Measure from top to bottom and then measure out as well. Think about depth! If you have broad shelves in a narrow passageway, you can end up bumping into them. A good way to test dimensions is to stack some cardboard in the spot for a few days. If you keep walking into it, you need to relocate or resize.

Install or free-standing?

You can install shelves, building them into the walls or buy cases and put them against the wall. The first is usually a bit more effort and more expensive but you get a perfect fit. The second tends to be easier, cheaper and you can move the cases about if you like but the disadvantage is that you have gaps behind and in between that collect dust.

Enclosed or open?

Enclosed cases are great if you’re messy and you want a clean look. The disadvantage is that you can’t see your books. opt for a case that has both a closed and open section or pick one with a glass front. Tip: the glass front will smear so if you’ve small kids, don’t go for this!

Expand your view

Bookshelves can do so much more than house your favourite books: if you pick sturdy, wide shelves you can add in your television and knick-knacks, turning a wall into a feature. Also, free-standing bookshelves can act as a temporary divider. And if you put them back to back in a big room, you get tonnes of extra storage space.