5 Design Elements to Enhance Your Bookshelf

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In times of an ongoing global pandemic and constant video meetings, more and more people are leveraging their bookshelves at home to not only create appropriately stylish screen backdrops but also communicate credibility. There’s even a Twitter account on the subject. That being said, not everyone has a library-worthy collection to display or the space to store heavy art volumes. But whatever your personal shelf dream – even if it involves cats – here are five design elements that will help you make the most out of a tool you didn’t know you had, plus real examples of how they are being used to enhance bookshelves in projects around the globe. Head to the bookshelf section on Architonic for further inspiration and concrete product examples.

Library Ladders

Library ladders first gained real momentum in mid-1800s Victorian England. Unlike the designs we see today, these stool-like objects were usually made of solid, intricately carved wood with only a few steps and reserved for members of the aristocracy. Fast forward to present times, and there is a plethora of models to choose from. Depending on the size and accessibility of the bookshelf in question, options include a rolling ladder with guiding rails, a more static model that doubles as an accent piece, or a shorter, wooden step design that echoes the library ladder's 19th-century origins. As the below examples show, all of them elevate pre-existing bookshelf designs to new heights and add an eye-catching element to any room.