Bookcases

This stacking method is both stylish and genius.

It works with IKEA BILLY bookcases, too!

Bookcases aren't just for flanking fireplaces.

It's a major improvement from her Dunder Mifflin desk.

If you've purchased more books than ever in the past two years — but didn't move to a roomier space — that may mean you’ve officially run out of shelf space. But there's no reason to worry: Books can be stored almost anywhere and showcased in the most unusual spaces and imaginative ways.

This isn't your standard set of shelves.

Not only do floating shelves free up precious floor space (especially when several are hung together), but they serve as a pretty focal point in a room, too.

They're not just for books!

Aside from the fact that IKEA makes furnishing a living space quick and easy (well, kind of easy, at least), it has also blessed fans with products that can be personalized on a whim. Those MDF dressers and EKET cabinets may look basic, but with a few helpful hacks, you can turn your IKEA HEMNES (and pretty much every other item from the Swedish chain) into a DIYed masterpiece.

Adding live plants to a bookshelf may seem easy enough in theory, but doing so in a thoughtful and intentional manner may not be as foolproof.

Before it's gone!

But these spaces prove it can be done!

Form meeting function has never been better.

The controversial truth!

Ladder up.

It's all about the doorway bookcase.

If color-coded shelves feel played out, feast your eyes on these stunning alternatives.

Am I the only one who wants a complete makeover every time another birthday rolls around? There’s just something about starting a new year that feels like the perfect time to try out a fresh look. My own is coming up next week and I’m already planning to dye my hair a new color and maybe get another ear piercing. And it turns out, IKEA furniture is a fan of the new year, new me mantra too.

As the House Tour editor here at Apartment Therapy, looking at a wide range of homes is a requirement (and a delight!). And while many of those spaces I see online, I still have a penchant for flipping through the pages of a good coffee table design book for inspiration.

We love libraries, and we love a design that takes advantage of unusual circumstances, and when those things come together, well, that’s just beautiful. These seven home libraries might be a little different than others you’ve seen before, but they manage to squeeze in lots of books—and look lovely while doing it. Above: Remember that beautiful, freakishly enormous library that the Beast gave Belle as a gift in Beauty and the Beast?

Although you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you can definitely appreciate its presentation. Along with keeping all of your favorite texts organized (and at arm’s length), a well-styled home library can often become an artful centerpiece inside your home; so it pays to come up with thoughtful ideas for book storage. To prove the point, I gathered some cool, contemporary book displays to share for inspiration.

If you're hard up for storage solutions, you may be looking below your sofa or your bed, or above your cabinets — but what about behind?

We love bookcases. We love color. Put them together and you have something even dreamier than the sum of its parts, worth looking at and lingering on for a long, long time. If you’re thinking about painting your bookshelves, you’ll find plenty to be inspired by in this collection of shelving in every color of the rainbow. Above: A set of gorgeous emerald green bookcases spotted on One Kings Lane.

Fact: reading never goes out of style. But as many of us are ditching paperbacks for e-readers, our homes are filled with stacks and stacks (and stacks) of reading materials we don’t often pick up. Instead of tossing (or donating) these texts, why not celebrate some favorites by putting them front and center in your decor, and repurpose copies you’re unlikely to read as wallpaper or a nightstand. This one’s for you, fellow bibliophiles.

Though there are few concrete rules to laying out a living room’s furniture (each space is different, after all), some might agree that putting a furniture piece directly in front of another furniture piece would be like double parking in your living room. There’s one notable and stylish exception to this, though, and that’s putting a bookcase or shelving system behind your sofa.

Bookcases don’t have to be boring. After you see these 10 designs, you may never be satisfied with plain old, run-of-the-mill bookcases ever again. Sorry about that. Above: Russian architect Andrei Saltykov created this USA bookshelf for his London home. “I thought about doing Britain or Russia,” he said, “but there weren’t so many sections, and the United States has lots of straight-lined divisions—great for holding books.

For a book lover, there’s nothing more beautiful, and more satisfying, than a huge wall of built-in bookcases. But installing built-ins can be pricey, and if you live in a rental, it’s not really an option at all. So how can you get the library look you crave without spending a ton of cash? Turn to the IKEA Billy.

Something feeling “off” about one of your rooms? It could be the space is a little too heavy on the low-end. You might need a visual weight adjustment. Relocating certain design details high-up in a space can create a more sophisticated, balanced room. There are ideas you can try that will take only a little time to tackle, and there are some that might take the afternoon. You decide what your room might need and how much time you have this weekend!

I live in a one bedroom loft apartment where the only built-in storage is in the kitchen. There wasn’t a closet or a single bathroom cabinet when we moved in, so I had to get creative with my storage solutions. I am lucky to have high ceilings, which allows me to have vertical storage pieces in even the narrowest of corners. Here are a few of my favorite finds for when you need a lot of storage in a tiny space. 1. The Grid Tower is perfect for a tight bathroom space. CB2, $199 2.

We’ve all heard a thousand times that books are best for kids in places where they can be accessed with ease. But this doesn’t have to mean overflowing from the bottoms of your bookshelves, or in a messy pile beside the bed. What about storing books for the kids in one of these incredible book caddies? Easy on the eye…and easy for tidy-up time! 1. Land of Nod’s Walnut Open Book Bin would be a welcome piece of furniture in or out of the kids’ room. $179. 2.

Both professional interior designers and crafters/DIYers struggle with the same kinds of problems: how to make a small room feel larger, how to bring ample light through less than ample windows, and where in the world to store all of that extra fabric for future projects. (Image credit: Apartment Therapy) With a dedicated craft room, storage space is probably not a concern.

Leaning ladder shelving units, such as the ones used in Courtney & Michael’s Scandinavian Comfort, are a great way to add a little extra storage without overwhelming a space. Since the shelves start out larger on the bottom and get narrower toward the top, you’re forced to place big items on the bottom, creating a visual anchor. To achieve a similar look in your home, we’ve rounded up 10 different leaning shelf options… Walnut Five Tier Ladder Shelf from Overstock $64.

If you love looking at pictures of interiors like we do, you’ll probably see a few of the same pieces crop up over and over, design classics like the Eames lounge or Harry Bertoia’s wire chairs. But one of the most ubiquitous pieces has a humbler pedigree (and a much lower price point). It’s the IKEA Expedit, and it’s taking the world of storage by storm.

Hanging curtains across bookshelves seems to be a move that high-end interior designers make in their own spaces, and perhaps they are on to something. After all, if you’re like me, keeping your bookshelf neat and tidy takes some intention. Why not have the freedom of covering up the mess when it gets out of control?Advantages to this strategy include a layered look that’s sure to add some warmth to any space.

Resources:• IKEA — We love IKEA’s shelving for the affordability and flexibility. For instance, the Stolmen line can be configured to include drawers and a desktop. The Billy bookcases can be joined together to create a look similar to the home pictured above. • The Container Store — Elfa Shelving can come out of the closet!