Is any one else reminded of Fahrenheit 451?

Does anyone know what that fantastic leafy plant is in the first photo?

hmm this is an interesting idea. I just so happen to have a decorative fireplace and a box full of books. Mine is a bit busier than those pictured (most similar to the 4th pic) so I'll probably try to keep it more monochromatic/simple.

Miami's Elaine- that was the first thing I thought of!

This makes me uneasy for some reason. It's as if the books are about to be set on fire!

Bookshelves > Fireplaces

You have to really have panache to pull that off as a design statement. It usually looks crazy-cat-lady-ish and really tacky.

I agree with knoxkatie - while I see the interesting creativity in this idea, the thought of placing books in a fireplace incites anxiety. Books are just too precious to me.

Meh

I like it. I don't know many people who actually use their fireplaces anyway so it's wasted space outside of the pretty decor it offers. :) It wouldn't work in mine because it's got doors though. Bummah.

I think the plant is mulberry, a branch cut from a deciduous tree that grows outdoors (not a houseplant). It is usually considered to be a weed, so if you see one in your neighborhood, the owner would probably be glad to spare a branch or 2 for your flower vase.

It seems normal to me. Not like a 'statement' or anything, just normal. I grew up in a house with major book overflow, so books ended up in every nook and cranny. In grad school, any of my friends who had non-working fireplaces had their extra books stored there too.

I don't have a fireplace, but if I did, my books would be in it.

We're back to this bad idea again?

@ jennieyuhja: the plant in the first photo is a common fig. it will grow in a planter, but prefers to be outside during the summer.

Looks like a little fig tree in that first photo.

About once a year this idea comes up on AT ...................... and then it gets shot down again.

Please put it to rest.

books + fireplaces = just plain wrong.

Horrible

I'm a bibliophile and book blogger to boot, and I think this is really neat! I imagine it would be difficult to pull of without looking too weird, but I like all of the photos here except #2, which is more of that "let's turn the spines away from us and make finding books really difficult."

do a lot of people have experience with faux fireplaces spontaneously combusting?

i love the look. it's like a "natural" bookshelf--especially great when you don't have room for another piece of furniture. had it in an old apt of mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kicsi_paprika/4020812381/in/set-72157622483647227

Ugh!

I'm kind of tired of decor ideas that treat books as mere blocks of color for artful stacking. If you own books, keep them in condition and accessible for reading. Or get rid of them. This is annoying, not cool.

Yes, that is a perfect way to store books without them getting dirty.

yeaa

Or you might be able to find a bookcase with the right dimensions to fit into a fireplace...

What paint color is this???

Number four doesn't seem so bad for some reason, and maaaaaybe number five. But the rest just look shoved in there and ready to ignite. They even look like they're so crowded in number three that they're falling out.

sorry, but i hate this

I like lepidoptery's idea of using a bookcase. That would protect them nicely.
Our house is 60 years old and the living room fireplace has never been used. I recently figured out that I could put our audio equipment, i.e. CD/Tape player/turntable/speakers in the fireplace. We did just that and they fit perfectly. I put a tension rod across the top and some William Morris print fabric that I lined and attached with ring clips. It's kind of funky but I like it better than where I previously had the components. I like the idea of repurposing fireplaces for different uses. I'm not keen on using artificial or dried plants as they tend to collect a lot of dust. I suppose a live plant that can get by with low light might work. Using a grouping of candles might look nice but I wasn't very inspired to attempt it. I'm interested in knowing what other ideas people might have for repurposing fireplaces. For the most part, they are not an efficient, economical heat source.

I like it. I have heard of people keeping books in the oven so this alternative is better.

I stash my books in my fireplace, too! I thought I was the only one!

Lemondrop is right: Bookshelves > Fireplaces.

reminds me of something they'd uncover in an episode of Hoarders. and i too get the fahrenheit 451 vibe. no likey.

cool! i like it. we too have a dysfunctional fireplace (had to close it off & insulate last winter - too much heat loss). i like how clean & filled it looks in the main photo, but others are hit or miss visually.

I'm sorry if i touch a nerve here....

But it seems that whoever is posting these "CREATIVE" ideas of what to do with books (other than read, that is), is consistently trying to excuse himself (or herself) in not letting go on them. Just check all the posts about books on this blog, each one is more preposterous than the one before.

Books are recorded (or made up) information... If you are done with it, either pass it on or keep as is...

@SabinefromCologne, thanks a lot. Will try to get one. What a beautiful leaf.

It seems like most people who hate this idea hate it because they think fireplaces should never be used for book storage and/or books should be stored only on bookshelves. What an uninspired take on the subject! This website is full of wonderful ideas to put things to new uses. If you're not using your fireplace as a fireplace, what's wrong with putting it to use as a bookshelf or anything else it can be used for? And if you're finished with a book, why pass it on if you treasure it as a beautiful decorative object? Books are so much more than the words contained within them. (If they weren't, there'd be no argument about converting everything to ebooks.) They are lovely objects in and of themselves and add so much to the rooms they're housed in.

"This reminds me of a Ray Bradbury story and thus wigs me out" is something I can get on board with. But "this is annoying because books belong on bookshelves" is ridiculous.

It looks like a bad idea except for the 4th photo with the least amount of books. The fewer the books, the better. Stuffing the fireplace looks cluttered.