Friday's Vegan Accessory: Large Bookshelves

Building off of the last Friday vegan accessory I posted (over two weeks ago) about wall-mounted bookshelves, here are some "floor-mounted" bookshelves. I have stacks and stacks of books. Finding shelf space for them is often a problem. I selected the following bookshelves because each features many separated units perfect for visually categorizing books, each may be used as a room divider, and each is large.

First, and most economical, is Ikea's Expedit bookshelf (pictured left in the walnut finish). My friend has this bookshelf in black and currently is using it as a room divider. Ikea's website claims that it must be attached to the wall at some point, but my friend says that it is sturdy even on carpet. The bookshelf is deep enough so that my friend can set it up with books on both sides of it such that there are two rows of books in each cubby, which, obviously, enhances its desirability as a room divider. The bookshelf comes in black, white, and a light tan wood color in addition to the walnut. The pictured version is $199; find it here. Ikea also makes the bookshelf in smaller versions, such as this slightly smaller version ($159) and this much smaller version ($89.99). As with most Ikea products, the Expedit collection pairs with other storage items, such as bins and drawers for the individual cubbies, and attachable desk units.

Second, on the less economical side, is Generate's Quad bookshelf (pictured right). This bookshelf also can function as a room divider, although the areas where there is "interior" might not look as nice on the other side. I think the orientation of the cubbies is this bookshelf's best feature. It comes in the pictured white with lime interior, black with lime interior, black with white interior, white with black interior, ash brown with white interior, and walnut with interior. The pictured version is $999; find it here. The bookshelf is also available in two other configurations which are both an extra $750.

Third, continuing on the less economical side, is Smart Furniture's customizable bookshelves. I have pictured (left) the six foot wide staircase bookshelf. Smart Furniture allows customers to mix and match bookshelf parts to create the perfect storage unit for your space. The pictured staircase bookshelf is $530; it comes in the pictured black, cherry, espresso, maple, pearwood, and white; find it here.

I also like Smart Furniture's five foot wide pyramid bookshelf (pictured right), which, if you have the space, I think would look great beside a larger bookshelf used as a room divider, perhaps positioned at a bit of an angle. It would also look great in the corner of a room set a bit out from the wall, again on an angle as to the wall. It comes in the above colors which will allow easy matching with other furniture. The pyramid bookshelf is $249; find it here.

Finally, on the least economical side, is Brave Space's Stagger bookshelf (pictured left). Obviously, the best feature of this bookshelf is the asymmetrical staggered shelving. It also is great as a room divider. Based on the dimensions, I think that, like the Ikea bookshelf, this bookshelf is deep enough to double stack books so that a row of books can face out on either side if the bookshelf is used as a room divider. Also, the bookshelf is made from bamboo; very cool. It is a completely unaffordable $3,975; find it here.

Friday's Vegan Accessory: Wall-Mounted Bookshelves

My book collection is a bit out of control -- in stacks on the floor, etc. -- and the walls of my apartment are rather bare, so I have been thinking about how to remedy both situations at once. The best solution I have found so far is the bookworm shelf (pictured on wall with chair underneath). Truthfully, my friend who is obsessed with the MOMA catalogue and store found it; I simply appropriated the idea. The bookworm is a flexible bookshelf that can be constructed in various curvy shapes to decorate your walls. Approximately 20 pounds can be stored between each of the seven bookend supports. Made from batch-dyed fire-retardant PVC. The bookworm shelf is $425; find it here.

A more economical option, but very similar, is the "Lovely Rita" wall shelf (pictured right with two side by side of wall). As noted by Smart Furniture, the Rita wall shelf "can exist as a single wall shelf or can be fitted side-by-side with a series of modules to form an arrangement of curvy shelves snaking across your wall." The shelf is available in the pictured black, bright red, a deep blue, and white. Unfortunately, the website doesn't say how many pounds of books the shelf can hold. Each shelf is $285; find it here.

A much, much more economical option is the conceal bookshelf (pictured left as though on wall), also found via the MOMA store. This metal shelf mounts on the wall and then attaches to the bottom flap of one book (I think it must be a hard-back book). Each shelf accommodates up to fifteen pounds (about three law school textbooks or ten regular books) and can be stacked up to sixteen inches. If you have certain favorite prolific authors, I think it would be interesting to stack their books in different towers all over the walls. Each shelf is $15 at MOMA. Alternatively, each shelf is $11 at Smart Furniture; find the same shelf for less here.

Finally, something a bit similar, is the "Flybrary Bookshelf" (pictured right as though on wall). This metal mounted shelf hangs your books on metal strips to create the surface of the shelf. I think for maximum effect, all your hung books should be hard-back. Also, I'm not sure if I like the idea of sticking a piece of metal through all my books; though, it might be nice to combine the Flybrary shelf with the Conceal shelf to create contrast as to the orientation of the books magically floating on your wall. Each shelf holds up to 20 pounds. The Flybrary bookshelf is $30; find it here via Smart Furniture.