Wall-to-Wall Shelves Inspiration Gallery

John and Tyke's Modern Cabin

Love a good library? You can get the look at home by lining one major wall with books. We've combed the archives for 10 spaces that use a wall of bookcases to provide storage, color, and pattern — it's like working wallpaper.

SHOWN ABOVE

John and Tyke wrapped a corner in bookcases to create a cozy reading nook.
In Roberta's dining room, painted backs make the wall-to-wall shelves stand out.
In Steve and Sarah's attic apartment, low shelves create a wall of storage.
Nellie's built-ins provide storage for books, office supplies, and media equipment.
Joshua and Bethany chose dark shelving for a dramatic look.
Sameera & Ashish's hallway library incorporates a library ladder to access books.
Kerri & Luke's dining room is wrapped in built-in shelving.
Jason Neufeld's Good Book Shelf was a runner-up in last year's Design Showcase.
Hiroshi Nakamura designed a wall of mixed bookcases for the Shibuya Bookstore.
Tony and Hilary's studio is made up of low storage against the wall and a "pod" of shelving in the middle of the space.

Photos: Laure Joliet (1), Sarah Coffey (2-3), Made by Two LLC (4), Bethany Adams (5), Sameera & Ashish (6), Micki Howl (7), Jason Neufeld (8), Hiroshi Nakamura (9), Tony and Hilary (10)

Comments (8)

This is the best places to spend holiday I have ever seen :)

All these pictures are giving this bibliophile shelf-lust.

Though, to the first picture, I have to say that I don't think anyone who actually reads the books they own organizes them on the shelf by color ...

actually, if you read your books, you know exactly where they are - so organizing by color is completely feasible. If you DON'T read them, then you'll have to have some organizational system that will lead you to the title.

daaaaaaaaaaaaayumn. nothing is as amazing as wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves! i'd love that forever. THAT is the dream.

@ earthanddust: Well, feel free to organize your shelves by color, but I'm keeping The Hobbit and LOTR trilogy together, not divying them up onto the green, blue, red, and purple shelves respectively. That just doesn't make any sense.

My home has an inset wall that the previous owner had covered in floor to ceiling mirrors like a ballet studio - I built an open back black floor to ceiling bookshelf in front of it. It was the perfect way to "hide" my 70's mirrors and display my books.

LOVE these shelves and the timing is uncanny: my fiance and I just moved into our new condo and were discussing last night what to do for shelves in the office/3rd bedroom.

Does anyone have any idea how much it might cost (in Boston) to have shelves a la John & Tyke's Modern Cabin custom built? And/or any leads for Boston-based carpenters? :)