Built in bookshelf help needed

13 years ago

I accidentally posted this in the kitchen forum, but I am reposting here. Sorry to anyone who sees it in both places :)

I am thinking about doing a two-toned color scheme for built in bookshelves in a conservatory/library. Kind-of, but not quite, like the picture posted below (which I borrowed from somewhere that I am sure I should give credit too but which I can no longer find the original of?)

I am doing a bookshelf w/ library ladder in a conservatory and also a window seat in the same room that will match the bookshelf, etc. and I am trying to decide on a color scheme. I can't decide if doing a two-tone like this would be pretty or too busy?

The room is off the foyer, which has an inset tile mural with this border:

{{!gwi}}
and stone impressions blue and yellow-ish tiles alternating in a checkerboard pattern in the center of the tile mural. If I was to do the two tone, I'd probably try to do that blue w/ the yellow color highlighting the cabinet details. But the picture above had a third color in it, and I don't know if I'd want a third color or what I'd do w/ it. I also don't want things to be too busy and I don't know what color I'd make the library ladder if I did the blue and yellow. The floors are oak, if that helps.

Also, the ceilings are very tall two story ceilings. I originally wanted the shelves to go all the way to the peak, but when I went over there yesterday, it looked WAY too high so now we are thinking to make the shelves only go about 3 feet up the ladder and then finish off w/ crown, which will leave a gap between the vaulted ceiling and the top of the bookshelves. Do you guys think that will look alright or is it going to look silly not to take the bookshelves all the way to the ceiling?

This is how high the ceiling is:

(bookshelves are on the opposite wall of the large window, window seat is in the smaller window).

Inspiration picture:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

forhgtv
13 years ago
I had a similar room in a past home and took the bookcase all the way up at the suggestion of my cabinet maker. I was happy with the way it looked, but I hated getting up there to dust.
beaglesdoitbetter1
Original Author
13 years ago
I don't suppose you'd have a picture? I can't seem to find ANY online that have peak ceilings that high w/ bookshelves going all the way up? I don't mind the dust issue, I want to do whatever looks better aesthetically.
Related Discussions
need built-in bookshelf suggestions
Q
Comments (9)
I put my cookbooks 2 deep in my end cabinets and it drives me crazy. I put the ones I use most in front but when I have to get the ones behind it means I have to pull 2-3 out in front to really see and get the one I want. Maybe shelves would be different as long as there's enough height b/t the, but I don't have a lot of height so can't grab it and pull it over the top of the other books once I remove 1 and see the one I want. Unless the one in back is thinner than the one in front I can't just pull it out straight, I have to remove 2 in front to pull 1 out from the back row. But I really don't want to stick my crockpot behind either b/c then I'd have to pull *everything* out to get it! I'd put the cookbooks on shallow shelves (maybe a wall cabinet? I had one built into the island at old house and thought it was a big waste of space without a deep cabinet on other side, but now I miss the convenience of having cookbooks and phone books 1 deep) in the kitchen and leave the deep storage for big things. I think I have to purge my cookbook collection and find a place for the ones I use often, put the rest in another room.
...See More
Renovate custom built in bookshelf to hold a tv?
Q
Comments (4)
Newer TVs are relatively wide compared to height, while older cabinets often are more vertically oriented. If its wide enough to hold the TV you should be able to use it, but the max screen size might be smaller than you prefer. You also need to get the AC power and cable connection to the TV, and you may want to wire it into a separate sound system. Is there a reasonable way to get the wiring installed without changing the cabinet too much? In general, today's AV systems create a maze of wires to work with, and its nice if you can hide them. If you can run the wiring into the base cabinet and then drill a hole to run wire up from there to the center cabinet and the TV that may be a good choice. Bruce
...See More
Bookshelf Advice Needed
Q
Comments (12)
There are a lot of "it depends" answers given how open-ended your question is, and only you can set those parameters. It depends on what kind of tools you want to use, and how much you want to use each one. I could figure out a way to build a pretty solid bookshelf using only a circular saw and a drill because I hate using a table saw. But if, like many here, your table saw is like your third hand, then your options expand. In addition, do you want to be messing with glue and edging on plywood? Solid wood is far simpler. It depends on what kind of wood you like. Personally I have very strong taste in wood and would pick based on what I like of what's available - wander the aisles at the lumberyard. And some woods are stronger than others, so the decision about what wood to use is connected to your preferred construction method. Warning: some are also heavier! You are definitely looking at a substantial span there, and I too would worry about sag whether you use plywood or solid. The various bookshelves I have that aren't sagging (I didn't build them - and they're no where near your span) either have the shelves nailed to the backing (from behind - this is surprisingly effective even when the backing is only quarter-inch ply - or are at least 3/4 inch thick solid wood. If I have my physics right, foot-wide boards will be stiffer than narrower ones too. But by the way, I find narrower bookshelves far more useful; very few books need a foot of depth. But your dimensions are a bit questionable in more ways than one. This is going to be a honking big piece of furniture that I wouldn't be able to navigate into some of the rooms in my house, much less set up in them. It would solve both your sag issue and their mobility to make two smaller units instead of one big one. Even if it's perfect for you at the proposed size, moving it or selling it will be torture - think transportation. Make two narrower units and they'll fit in any hatchback. The piece you're proposing will only fit in a truck. But whatever size you make, if you stick with that height, make sure you devise a way of fastening your unit(s) to the wall. KarinL
...See More
Need bookshelf design for wall en route to dining room
Q
Comments (17)
Boxerpups, I needed those images. Thanks so much! Isn't it amazing how a simple image can clarify so many things? Am reminded about the architect Sarah Susanka's comment that bookshelves are like wonderful wallpaper. I hope that my cookbook collection and the other items I need to store on shelves will function in that way. Was on a road trip to a wedding recently and had lots of time to make sketches. I have a better idea of my bookcase options now, but hadn't been able to picture the moldings and such. These images are very helpful. The red-painted shelf units with the curved trim are so intriguing. Wonder how they suspend those long shelves? Or did they make a vow to only store lightweight stuff? The images of various same-width multiple shelf units are extremely helpful; You're a painted cabinetry gal, aren't you? I am trying to imagine them in oak instead of paint. These regular soldier-like niches are likely what we'll end up doing. The over-the-door shelf is something I had considered but DH vetoed. Now that he's sat with me looking at your images, it's back in consideration again. I am supposedly working on the denoument of this project's planning but am still dithering about cabinet glass for my kitchen so I went to a local glass company to talk. They said they make lots of glass doors for labs, businesses, etc. I think that they would help me with sliding glass doors for bookshelf if I want them. They are in the custom glass etching business so they can even temper and etch decorative (textured) glass, which would allow me to get a strong, textured, opaque effect for lower shelves that may accumulate junky stuff. It would be expensive, but extremely distinctive. (This added to my dithering and got me off track, again.) [Confession time: Problem is further compounded by seeing an antique piece that would work in that space also. Unfortunately, when he was working on wallboard phase, DH refused to wallboard the back side of the bookcase space when it would have been easiest to do it, claiming that it would be redundant work. So there are literally a number of holes into the inside of the wall on the back of the bookcase niche to contend with if I win the piece at auction. Am in another quandry. Best solution: stay out of auctions and antique shops and estate sales.] ___ Leel: would love to learn more about the steel shelves you have used. Sources?
...See More
regina_phalange
13 years ago
It sounds amazing!
liriodendron
13 years ago
If you have the books for it, I'd do it. But I wouldn't if the bookshelves are primarily intended as decorative space. Also, I think it would look less busy if you have some book groups, like in the inspiration picture on the shelves above the ladder rail, that have matching spines.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting the (in)famous books-by-the-yard decorative fraud. And I'm not among the anti-"clutter", get-rid-of-so-many-books crowd, either. I live with more 10,000 of them and they are everywhere in my house on shelves that span from skirting board to cornice molding. But your inspiration photo appears to have one densely booked-up wall while adjacent ones are normal. That mitigates the overall effect in an attractive, not overwhelming way, at least for ordinary, less book-obssessed households than mine.

Two other things (besides the dusting issue): a) the thought of books in a conservatory makes me a little nervous because of the potentially damaging moisture issues, and b) windows that large will expose the books to a lot of very damaging UV light. Not a good thing for books with any intrinsic value. You could cover each book with a library-quality mylar jacket, but that would only delay, not eliminate, long-term UV damage to the covers and DJs. My most valuable books are kept in a room with relatively low external light and I make a point of not leaving the lights on in that room except when I am in there using it.

But if you are, like me, intent on living with your books on a daily basis then have them where ever they can fit. And more shelves offer the possibility of more book purchases, so there's nothing discouraging about that!

L
southerngalinnyc
13 years ago
Hi Beagles
I am having a bit of a tough time visualizing your change. How high are the top of the windows in your photo of the space? I love your inspiration photo with the books and shelves up to the ceiling but it does look as if the height may be too much and if you have shelves above both windows it may get tricky with the ladder.

I you go with the painted accents, I would assume you would just use it on base paneling where you may have lower cabinets with doors. I tend to like the simplicity of all wood in a library as it feels more relaxing to me, but I am a bit less adventurous with color.

I pulled these links from houzz which may give you a better idea bout the height factor for multiple wall library or color in the smaller space.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/custom-cherry-library-wallpaper-leaded-glass-cabinet-doors-rolling-ladder-traditional-living-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~57948-cherry-library--wallpaper--leaded-glass-cabinet-doors--rolling-ladder-traditional-living-room-
I don't love all the wood in this next one, but it does have a high vaulted ceiling...

https://www.houzz.com/photos/woodland-point-carriage-house-living-room-rustic-living-room-bridgeport-phvw-vp~74397-Point-Carriage-House-Living-Room-traditional-living-room-
https://www.houzz.com/photos/rysso-peters-traditional-living-room-phoenix-phvw-vp~117748-Peters-traditional-living-room-phoenix
palimpsest
13 years ago
How high in your picture would be 3 feet above the ladder?
beaglesdoitbetter1
Original Author
13 years ago
liriodendron- Right now, I probably don't have the books to fill all the shelves. But over time, I will, and these are definitely all intended for books. They won't be valuable ones though, so the issues w/ moisture, etc. shouldn't be a problem. We're not first edition collectors or anything, I just like to read. There will probably be a lot of Maeve Bincheys and Wally Lambs and Nick Hornbys, not so much w/ the classics.

southerngalinnyc- I'm not exactly sure how high those windows are, I would have to measure at the house. My best guess is about 8-9 feet high. Also, the shelves are not going above both windows. We have one wall of shelving which is directly opposite the front window. There will be a window seat in the side panel. I just don't have a picture of the room from that angle on here. I would do the bookcases and the main part of the window seat in the yellow, and then I would stain the library ladder w/ the blue and do the accents on the window seat blue. Those houzz pictures were very helpful, thank you! I love the last picture, which is the more colored one. We definitely want a painted/colored stain- we're not doing any "wood" look shelves on any of the cabinets in the house.

Palimpsest, three feet from the top of the ladder puts us about 2 feet from the peak- so we'd have two feet on the top w/o anything.

Built in bookshelf help needed

Comments (7)

forhgtv

beaglesdoitbetter1
Original Author

Related Discussions

regina_phalange

liriodendron

southerngalinnyc

palimpsest

beaglesdoitbetter1
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Built in bookshelf help needed

Comments (7)

forhgtv

beaglesdoitbetter1Original Author

Related Discussions

regina_phalange

liriodendron

southerngalinnyc

palimpsest

beaglesdoitbetter1Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

beaglesdoitbetter1
Original Author

beaglesdoitbetter1
Original Author