According to Bella Hadid, Shorter Bookshelves Are In

published Aug 25, 2022
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graphic of Bella Hadid
Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images; Design: Apartment Therapy

Between being a full-time model and her soon-to-be acting debut, Bella Hadid is a trendsetter for her style and potentially, her home decor. In a recent interview with GQ, Hadid dished the details on her friendship with Ramy Youssef and her role on his Hulu comedy-drama series, “Ramy.”

In the photo shoot that accompanied the article, readers receive multiple shots of Hadid’s New York apartment, including her clothing rack and short bookshelf. Usually, it’s common to see bookshelves that are as tall as their owner, but there’s nothing wrong with adjusting the height. With inspiration from a celebrity like Hadid, will this start a revival for the smaller shelf?

Alright, alright — there’s perks to having a smaller bookshelf that doesn’t pass the height of your waist. I’m not talking about having to bend over or sit on the floor to reach your books, but imagine having your books stored while the top of the shelf doubles as a table for your knick-knacks and plants. Most of the time, you can’t get that with a taller shelf.

Spotted in the GQ photos, Hadid adorned her shelf with multiple plants, small trinkets, and more books. Where exactly can you find a similar shelf? Wayfair has the Cartland Standard Bookcase and the Decorative Storage Cube Bookcase, but similar shelves can be found at Target or IKEA. 

Not to mention, having a shorter bookshelf is a good idea for a child’s playroom or bedroom. Obviously, the height will be useful for a kid that likes to read, but you can decorate around the bookshelf by adding a carpet (similar to what Hadid did) and add other child-friendly furniture to match the room.

Although Bella’s Bookshelf sounds like a cute name for a bookstore created by Hadid, it’s also a catchy phrase that will possibly double as a trend prediction for next year. For now, I might actually look into buying a shorter bookshelf.