Building Fun Shelving Systems for Books

Shelving systems that hold all types of books and decorative items can be functional and fun. Books come in different sizes, both in height, width and thickness. They can range from large photo books to small paperbacks. Bookshelves can be used to store books and other items, or they can be used as a showcase of these household objects. 

Wall Paper Bookshelf

Find a cheap bookshelf at a local yard sale or flea market. Paint or wallpaper the interior with bright colors or funky patterns. Choose a coordinating paper or paint for the exterior. Place the unit in your room and fill it.

Jigsaw Bookshelf

Make a number of interchangeable book shelf boxes for book storage and display. These boxes will have tops, bottoms and aides but no fronts or backs. Decide how long and how wide you want your boxes to be so that they can be placed on top of each other. Purchase lumber from your local hardware store and have them cut the lumber to the the lengths you need. Position the lumber into the book shelf boxes.  Use wood glue and clamps to secure the wood together into the boxes. Allow the glue to dry completely. Sand the boxes. Paint the wood in colors that will complement or contrast the colors of the room. Stack the boxes and fill them with books. 

Invisible Bookshelves

Find a long hardcover book and use it with L-shaped wall mounts to build an invisible shelf.  Decide how wide the shelf should be based on the length the book that will be the support. Use a pencil to lightly mark the points for each of the ends of the shelf on the wall.  Use a leveling tool to be sure both ends of the shelf will sit level on the wall. Secure the L-shaped mounts to the wall with wall screws and supports. Lay the hardcover book you have chosen as the supporting shelf over the mounts. Place the other books on top.

Ladder Bookshelf

Place a ladder against the wall and use each of the steps as shelves. Consider opening the ladder and placing small pieces of plywood across the two ladder steps to make larger shelves. Adding a second ladder can make the shelving unit wider. Consider painting the ladder with colors that will work with the room.

Drawer Bookshelves

Find a cheap dresser at a local yard sale or flea market. Take the drawers from the chest and sand them to remove any finish or residue.  Choose a color for your drawers and paint them. Allow the paint enough time to dry thoroughly. Choose a coordinating wall paper or shelf liner paper to line each of the drawers. Decide on an arrangement for placing the drawers on the wall as a shelving unit. The drawers can be placed in any pattern and facing any direction that you would like. If you are placing the drawers with the fronts facing outwards, install some fun knobs to them. Use screws or wall mounts to secure each of the drawers to the wall. Add the books to the unit.