To voracious readers, a full bookshelf or bookcase is a sign of a job well done. It's a badge of honor as much as it is an interior design decision, one that telegraphs literary prowess to all who stand in its presence. It's a place to display the stories and tales that mean the most to you, as well as a place to tie those stories into your home decor.
Or — or — you look at a bookshelf and see not a place for your books, but a spot for decor that adds a bit of your personality to a room. Sure, there might be books involved, but it's less about storing your favorite tomes and more about tying in the color of your rug or adding a bit of height to a candle or two.
For those deciding which kind or style of bookshelf or bookcase they'd like to buy, interior designer Andi Morse of Morse Design recommends you first 'measure the space for the area where the bookshelf will go to make sure you choose not only the correct width but also the correct height.' That, plus 'the way the room is built (flat ceilings vs. arched ceiling),' will help you narrow down what size and style of bookshelf you should purchase. 'I tend to like bookshelves that blend more in smaller spaces so the spaces don't feel cramped,' Andi continued. 'In larger rooms, it's more fun to get a show stopper of a piece.'
Whichever way you see it, we've spent hours and hours scouring the internet for the very best bookshelves and bookcases on the market so that your shopping decision — whether motivated by literary or stylistic pursuits — is even easier.
15 of the best bookshelves
Price: $1898
Size: 72"H, 28"W, 18"D
Why we love it: It's just so functional. You can use it to display your books and decor or hide away your blankets and seasonal candles when not in use. The arched ash wood silhouette (reminiscent of a circular bookshelf) is playful, as is the subtle addition of marble atop the drawers. If that weren't enough, the ash legs are removable and the shelves are adjustable.
Material/color options: White, Sage, Black, Pine
Average delivery timeline: 2-4 weeks from shipment date
Price: $999 (23% off)
Size: 36"L x 13"W x 65"H
Why we love it: Usually, the items in or on a bookshelf are the ones adding whimsy or design to what might otherwise seem just a boring fixture. In this case, the bookshelf itself is the art; everything else is just gravy. A show-stopping modern bookshelf!
Material/color options: White
Average delivery timeline: 2-4 weeks from shipment date
Price: $179.99 (14% off)
Size: 12"D x 24"W x 73"H
Why we love it: Modern home furniture brand Nathan James knows its craft, which is how you know you can depend on this wall-mounted ladder bookcase. Its shelves can carry 50lbs each, and the whole thing is said to take just 25 minutes to assemble. Given its small spatial footprint, this is just the perfect bookshelf for small spaces.
Material/color options: White, Black, Brown Walnut/Black, Dark Brown Nutmeg/Black, Dark Oak/Gold, Gray Oak Wood/White
Average delivery timeline: 3-5 days; 1-2 days with Prime
Price: $92
Why we love it: If you would prefer a freestanding ladder bookshelf, this 72" option from Home Depot is well-loved by consumers. It's solid wood, which is a design choice in and of itself, and can fit flush against the wall or out next to the couch; the choice is yours. We also particularly love how the size of each shelf gets smaller as you move up the ladder.
Size: 72"H, 24.75"W, 16"D
Shelf options: 4 shelves, 5 shelves
Height options: 60", 72"
Width options: 24", 24.75"
Color options: Espresso, Brown, Espresso New, Warm Brown, Warm Brown New, White, White New
Average delivery timeline: 3-5 business days
Price: $400
Why we love it: Modern design is the name of the game with this Target piece designed in collaboration with Studio McGee. For areas where a too-tall bookshelf just doesn't make sense, this comparatively low bookshelf would serve as a perfect place to stash your books and potted plants. Then throw a lamp on top.
Size: 60"W, 15"D, 57"H
Color options: Brown, Natural
Average delivery timeline: 3-5 business days
Price: $59 for three
Why we love it: Don't worry, it's not magic — these clear floating shelves are designed to look invisible so your books can remain the star of the show. They're also quite affordable if you'd rather not splurge on a full freestanding fixture. Chic and honestly a bit head-scratching (but in a good way!), this minimalist bookshelf is a fabulous pick.
Size: 5.5"L x 5.25"W x 5.5"H
Color options: Silver
Average delivery timeline: 5-8 business days
Price: $3136 (30% off)
Why we love it: How picture-perfect is this Glas Italia piece? It's so beautiful on its own, but just imagine how lovely it might look with a few colorful coffee table books and a plant or two. This show-stopping piece is easily a bookshelf that makes your living room look more expensive.
Size: 30"W x 14"D x 59"H
Color options: Blue
Average delivery timeline: 2-3 weeks
Price: $5785
Why we love it: Tap into those mid-century modern tendencies with this mid-sized mid-century modern bookcase we'd love to use as a vintage-looking end table. Situate it in your reading nook so your next literary adventure is never more than a cane-enclosed shelf away.
Size: 56¼" H 53½" W 17" D
Color options: Brown
Average delivery timeline: 18 weeks
Price: $3619
Why we love it: Who said shelving must be strictly horizontal? This modular bookcase plays with the traditional bookcase we all know and love by creating tiny modular pockets — both tall and wide — for books and trinkets. It's more of a display than it is totally functional, but that's half the fun.
Size: 39"L x 15"W x 81"H
Color options: Black
Average delivery timeline: 2 business days
Price: $1899
Why we love it: Simple. Classic. With a little twist. The honey-finished oak veneer here is quite traditional, but the arched accent adds a bit more design to the equation. It might look best to leave that area empty, but if you are hoping to use it, a bunch of blankets might complement the abstract space nicely.
Size: 35"W x 18"D x 84"H
Color options: Honey oak
Average delivery timeline: Ships in 2-3 weeks
Price: $108.99 (12% off)
Why we love it: An etagere or open-frame option is a great way to visually declutter your space. This freestanding and affordable bookshelf also has glass shelves and a nice matte finish, two design touches that make it even more sleek and minimalist.
Size: 72.2'' H X 32.7'' W X 11.9'' D
Color options: Black, Black/Gray, Gold
Average delivery timeline: ASAP
Price: $1599
Why we love it: Is that a curio cabinet or a bookcase? Maybe it's both! If visual decluttering sounded good to you, keep your trinkets and tomes behind the panels of this giant brass wire bookcase from CB2. It's not quite a corner bookshelf, but I do think it solves some of the same storage problems.
Sizing: 34"Wx18"Dx68.5"H
Color options: Brass, Black
Average delivery timeline: 7-14 business days
Price: $698.60 (30% off)
Why we love it: Finished with brass accents, this lucite shelf with mirrored shelves is full of elegance and textural contrast. We'd recommend keeping the decor itself simple and minimalist so as to not overpower the intrinsic luxury at play.
Sizing: 71"H, 16"W, 20"D
Color options: Gold
Average delivery timeline: 2-4 weeks from shipment date
Price: $2302
Why we love it: When you think about it, a modern bookshelf is almost like a sculpture, and this option from Lulu and Georgia plays with that concept very literally. Experiment with the styling by keeping your decor bits on the outside of the structural supports but your books in between.
Size: 48"W x 14"D x 69"H
Color options: Natural, Black
Average delivery timeline: 2-3 weeks
Price: $2045
Why we love it: We're so used to seeing wooden bookshelves or black bookshelves that sometimes we forget a bright color — like that of this red bookshelf — can work just as well. This powder-coated aluminum shelf is so bright and bold without being overbearing.
Size: 71" H 39½" W 13½" D
Size options: Low Wide, Low Double, High Double, High Single, High Triple, Low Triple, Low Single, High Double with Double Storage, High Single with Storage, High Single with Double Storage, Low Single with Storage
Color options: Red, Charcoal, Light Grey
Average delivery timeline: 1–3 weeks from shipment date
And while you're here, don't forget to try out my edit of the best green bookshelves, white bookshelves, and large bookshelves before logging off for the day.
How should I style a bookshelf?
Look to your personal taste! If you're more of a maximalist or color-lover, a pyramid of your most vibrant books would look fabulous. If you like to keep things neutral and clean, maybe all of those books have covers in the same color family. And if you love a mismatched feel, clump together whatever you've got— the trend is in the chaos.
'I like to mix in books as well as personal treasures,' Andi said of her preferred method. 'I think it looks so good and the eye tends to move around more when you use different materials in the bookshelves.'
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