Do you love to read? If you are like me, it is a major part of your life, and you have books all over your home. Maybe they are on traditional bookshelves or in cases. Perhaps you stack them on tables, or just leave them anywhere they will fit. You might have even have had to resort to all three in wake of your book fetish, leaving you with no space and a cluttered interior design. You wouldn’t be the only one to have this problem.

But don’t switch exclusively to ebooks just yet. You can actually find some great ways to use those books for design purposes, while saving space. Here are 10 amazing ideas for how to decorate and store your books, all at once.

1. Droopy Shelf

Made by Jill Davis Design, this is a fascinating shelf. While it looks unstable, bending down at the end where the books go, it is designed to bend without allowing the items to fall over. The trick is to put a larger book on the end to stabilize the rest. The shelves come in different colors, and can be stacked in a way that they droop all the way down in steps on the wall.

2. Crochet Shelves

These ultra thin shelves are extremely interesting. They work by installing close and flat to the wall. The poly-coated steel has been given a pattern that is made to emulate the lace doilies crocheted in the past. They are rather delicate looking, but strong enough to hold a fair number of books while offering a nice, classic decor.

3. Cell Shelf

This interesting design creates a series of cells that move in a distinct, bent pattern to lean back against the wall. It looks a bit like a caterpillar, from a distance, and despite the slightly small size of the holes, they can hold a rather large number of books. There are several sizes available, as well as painted or unpainted (natural wood).

4. Book & Shelf

An interesting project by Yoshitaka’s firm Bach, they were asked to create the ultimate in customized book storage. So, they made this great little set called “Book & Shelf”. Instead of just being a basic container for any book, it comes completely custom made to fit the books and catalogs it holds.

5. Bookseat

One of my favorites, this is a two-part bench that was made with a bookshelf in the center to hold a rather large number of volumes. Notice the way it is set up to allow you to find the book of choice as easily as with any bookshelf. It looks rather comfortable, as well as stylish, and I could see this utilized beautifully into the design of a modernized library. As well as a welcome addition to any home hoping to save space.

6. Filing Tree

Laurie Beckerman is well known for her modern and (literally) designs. One of her cooler ideas was the Filing Tree, a bookcase set on wheels with “branches going off on either side to hold books within the multi-layered design. The diamonds in the center can also be used to keep more books, and the whole thing can be slid from room to room without emptying.

7. Split

This one is just crazy. There is no specific design, making it customizable entirely by the choice of the home owner. It is just a series of hanging, stackable boxes that can be bent into different shapes. From there, you fill them up and just leave them in any design you want.

8. Bookworm

In the world of ultra modern furniture, it doesn’t get much better than this. Ron Arad designed a piece that is not only visually striking and functional, but a little weird, as well. The “worm” has both inner and outer stops to balance books in a way that keeps them sturdy, but look much less so. The deep red color makes it a bold choice for any home, but it could be a lovely addition to many different decor schemes.

9. Book Bookcase

This Into That is a wonderfully eco-friendly concept projects where items are upcycled into new, functional pieces. This is a bookshelf actually made out of a set of old books. It is rather pretty, and obviously sturdy enough to hold a lot. Just think of what you could do with that old encyclopedia set that no longer gets any use, thanks to Wikipedia…

10. Wisdom Tree

One of the more ambitious and impressive book holders I have seen, this one can take as many as a hundred volumes in its “branches”. It is very cool looking and definitely an eye catcher. It was created by Jordan Mila Barcelona, which is often inspired by nature and the unique way that things move and grow.

Conclusion

If these 10 examples don’t inspire you to use your books as a decorating option, maybe the thought of a more traditional look will. Just imagine large, oak bookcases lining the walls, with leather bound volumes, and smaller ones holding paper backs. It is a gorgeous sight, is it not?

Annie is the frugal and lifestyle blogger for Life Insurance Finder, the free online tool based in Australia.

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