6 things to do with bookcases (including storing books)
Leah A. Zeldes, Tribune Brand Publishing
“There are so many things you can do with bookcases,” said Syril Lebbad, a designer for Baer’s, a collection of fine furniture stores with 15
locations throughout Florida.
Bookcases come in all styles, and that’s the key to their versatility, said Lebbad, who is based in Fort Lauderdale. Those traditional, transitional and contemporary styles in many sizes, colors and finishes can solve numerous interior
design dilemmas.
Here are just a few of the possibilities:
Display cabinet: “A bookcase can work as an ?tag?re,” Lebbad said. Glass doors and lights turn a bookcase into a dust-free place to display knickknacks. “The trick is not to put so many things in them that no one piece stands out.”
She recommended curating large collections and rotating the pieces you highlight while storing the rest.
Storage cabinet: Many bookcases have solid doors available to cover some or all of the shelves, perfect for stashing things you don’t want in plain sight. For lighter items, you can also fill the bookshelves with baskets or attractive
storage boxes. A small bookcase in the bathroom can hold folded or rolled towels and baskets of toiletries as well as stacks of magazines and other reading materials.
Photo stand: Instead of hanging all your pictures on the wall, put them into easel frames and stand them on the shelves of a bookcase. They’ll be easy to add to or rearrange, and you don’t have to put holes in the wall — a good solution
for renters and snowbirds who take family photos with them when they move.
Room divider: Break up a large space with bookcases with finished backs or place pairs of bookcases placed back to back. Make sure freestanding bookcases are heavy and sturdy enough not to need a wall for support.
Entertainment center: Put one or two counter-height bookcases between two tall ones to hold electronic gear, CDs and DVDs, and hang a TV screen on the wall above the shorter bookcases. If you want a cleaner look, put all of the
electronics behind solid doors.
Bookshelves: And of course, you can put books in them. Brenda Clark, a Fort Myers-based Baer’s designer mentioned, “There are some really pretty library walls that have a functional ladder. People love those.”
Avoid stuffing those bookcases full, though. “When you completely fill a bookcase, it’s very heavy,” Lebbad said. “Leave room for air.”
Intersperse books with knickknacks, photos and handsome boxes, bowls or baskets that can also hold small items. Boxes can replace bookends — or use short stacks of books laid flat to hold up the upright volumes and break up the appearance of
all those straight spines.
For storage solutions large and small for any of your items, books or not, visit any Baers location for a wide selection and expert advice.