Ever wondered what’s on the bookshelf of some of your favourite creatives? What books they turn to in need of inspiration or reference? Whether they’re a messy Mary or a tidy Tina? Well look no further, because every week we invite someone from the creative industries to share with us not only a rundown of their favourite five books in the whole ruddy world, but also a real-life picture of the shelf on which these esteemed titles live.

We told our architect at our very first meeting that one of the most important elements was to integrate our books into the heart and soul of our home. He came up with a brilliant solution which we had never seen before, to build the shelves right into staircases (set into the wall) from top to bottom of house. So essentially "book spines" line the spine of our home. Amy Krouse Rosenthal Architectural Interventions

While many need light-filled rooms for inspiration, he wanted to avoid large windows opening onto a residential neighborhood and sought a cave-like atmosphere to disappear into his work. Subtle light was brought in by other means when the architect built a dome above his client’s desk (which Price describes as similar to the rotunda of the oracle’s temple at Delphi) and filled it with the books he uses the most. Davis whimsically calls the space his “Navajo kiva of knowledge.”

Early 17th Century. Of nearly square form, fitting into a slightly larger shaped and carved base and conforming upright frame with a rounded toprail with ox-nose bail handle to enable transportation, and with a pair of foliate-form spandrels where each upright arm meets the base, with two framed rectangular doors opening to the interior fitted with single shelf and a row of two drawers at the bottom, the front rectangular lockplate with square openings to receive the metal members attached to the interior shelf

What was so special about a chair that failing to buy it (even at an outrageous price) has haunted me ever since?

Well, this was no ordinary chair: it had clearly been made to order, probably during the Arts and Crafts period, for an eccentric Victorian Scottish gentleman who wanted a reading machine. I don't have any photographs of it, alas (this predated cameraphones: in fact, it predated both my first mobile phone and my first digital camera) but it was at heart a wood-framed armchair, with brocade seat and back padding (badly in need of restoration).

But that's not all. It was a recliner, with a deck-chair like prop behind the back (which was hinged), and a leg-rest (also padded) that could be pulled out from a drawer hidden under the seat, then angled to the user's desire. Being rather more inflexible than a modern recliner, the right arm-rest was cunningly hinged to open sideways, like a rear-hinged car door, to allow entry and egress. The left arm-rest supported an elaborate adjustable wood-and-brass book reading stand, clearly modelled on a music stand, with a small circular side-table on an arm (for the wee dram of single malt) and an oil lamp holder. My memory may be playing tricks, but I'm also fairly sure there was a magnifier. Oh, and did I mention the bookshelves built into the armrests and lower back (below the reclining section)?

• manufactured in furniture grade, plywood from Australian grown,
renewable plantation pine
• knife block | 10 slots for knives, steel, scissors and shears
• book shelf | 29cm L x 26cm W
• cheese board | 31cm x 23 cm bamboo
• overall dimensions | 63cm L x 26 cm W x 31cm H

Designer Sallie Trout built shelves in an inaccessible stairwell. She reaches them by using a bosun's chair that is fastened to a chain hoist hanging from the ceiling above.

Shelf-Pod is a private residence and study building, located in Osaka prefecture, Japan. The client owns an extensive collection of books on the subject of Islamic history, so he requested that we create this building with the maximum capacity for its storage and exhibition.

In order to satisfy this demand effectively, we designed a lattice structure made from 25mm thick laminated pine-board which serve as book-shelves. The dimensions of each shelf are as follows: 360mm height, 300mm width and 300mm depth. All of the architectural elements in this space (stairs, windows, desks, chairs, etc) have been designed on the basis of this shelf scale, with the aim of achieving geometrical harmony which is comparable to Islamic Architecture. This innovative structural system affords not only large amount of book storage, but the possibility of flexible floor level which can be delivered from every height of bookshelf. Each space for different activity rise up helically, giving the impression of exploring a wooden jungle gym.

The original image of this structure is derived from the Japanese woodcraft of Kumiko. The structural integrity against an earthquake is provided by a panel of plywood board nailed on the shelf. Initially, the horizontal resistant force guaranteed by the panels was examined in a real-scale model. Further to this, an analysis of the whole structure was performed in order to determine the placement of the windows and panels. The inter-locking laminated pine-board was manufactured precisely in advance and assembled on-site. Similarly, the pyramid-shaped roof was assembled on-site, from 12 pieces of prefabricated wooden roof panel. The completed roof has a thickness of only 230mm and sensitively covers the whole space like the dome of a Mosque.

In addition to its unique structure, the outer wall employs the construction techniques of a traditional Japanese storehouse Dozou. The bamboo net wall foundation layer was attached to the lattice structure and the clay and straw mixture was applied to the foundation by the trowel. Then the red cedar panels forms exterior wall. The interior clay wall was finished with white plaster. These techniques are in accordance with urban fireproofing specifications, as well as maintaining a suitably humid environment for the storage of books.

Designers Eva Alessandrini and Roberto Saporiti of the Italian furniture design firm Saporiti have created this beautiful bookcase system that allows you to spell custom words and phrases using modular bookcase letters. If you liked this, see also the Alphabet Bookshelf by Lincoln Kayiwa.

SUM is a wall mounted asymmetrical shelving system made in solid cherry with brass fixings. The shelves use the same four angles in different configurations to create three shapes of units. SUM comes as a set of three, with the individual shelves in three sizes, designed to fit together in an infinite number of ways. Each sized piece is different in shape, with three of the four sides featuring a groove that allows for flexible configuration. SUM can be built up to any size; depending on the wall or location it is placed in. The finish and quality of SUM is to the highest standard and features a refined joinery detail in the corners.

The most efficient way to build is vertically.
Building vertically saves space as it uses minimal ground square meters. When it comes to interior design, the same rule can be applied. By focusing on height rather than width, efficient storage designs can be created. However, high storage designs can create a new problem because the higher storage parts will be difficult to reach. My Staircase is a shelving unit that combines a bookshelf with a pullout stair system in the bottom three shelves. The shelving unit is 2.6 meters high and the top shelves are accessible by using the bottom shelves as steps for accessing the higher shelves.

Lighthouses were often time located in remote areas and as such had no access to city services such as libraries, opera houses, entertainment, etc. that most people enjoyed who lived in a town or city. As light keeping was a lonely profession in most cases supplies were brought to them by lighthouse tender ships. One of the items the tender supplied was a library box on each visit as pictured to the left. Library boxes were filled with books and switched from station to station to supply different reading materials to the families.

Archive I is a weight balance library,the readers chair is elevated in proportion to the amount of books in the shelves.
Archive II is a circular library for the nomad book collector, allowing the user to step inside, and walk away with half a ton of books.
Archive III is a censored book stand, the books close suddenly if anyone approaches the reading stand.

Slip Shelf: shelving unit and magazine rack.

Lookshelves is a place to look at bookshelves online. When I tell people about this project, they often point out that there are already lots of places to look at books online. I tell them, "This is true, but there are no places to look at bookshelves."
When I go to someone's house, I am immediately drawn to their bookshelves. I want to know what they read (or buy), how they display their books, what's well-thumbed and what's in the darkish corners. Lookshelves isn't exactly the same as thumbing through a friend's books or peering at a stranger's shelf ... But it is probably as close as you're going to get online.

Corner built in local materials of the school library. As if in response, such as ceilings and beams continued YAMANAMI different height, four in the mountains that form a single spread, and made a space in which natural入Ritaku children. Each mountain is a four-seater tables, Komoreru in one corner, and a large exhibition area of materials that form a place of different quality.
yamakoya is shelf like mountain for library.It also make 4 different small space where kids enjoy to stay.

Nobody builds bookshelves for book people. Commercial shelves are always too deep and high, which wastes a great deal of space. Below is the solution I came up with for shelving way too many books in way too little space.

He would know, having for 30 years carried a portable enigma, the drop-front of which opens a surprisingly clear window into the mind of its porter. This intriguing valise looks as if it should be handcuffed to his wrist and contain enriched uranium, the Dead Sea Scrolls or a kidney. But no — it holds books, and very neatly, as he has explained countless times to curious fellow travelers.

“Everyone always wants to know what it is, and where they can get one,” he said.

The case was first spotted 30 years ago on a baggage carousel at Kennedy Airport by Mr. Stoppard’s wife at the time, Miriam. Curious, she approached its owner, a young man who told her what it was, and that he had obtained it from the Manhattan luggage maker T. Anthony.
While the cases were still in production — T. Anthony stopped making them, along with other ocean-liner-era pieces like suitcase bars and traveling jewelry cases, in the early 1980s — Mr. Stoppard gave them to several friends as a gift.

The shelves are CNC cut in oak veneered plywood to the customers measurements. They are intended to be used throughout life as storage for personal belongings. On death, the shelves are dismantled and rebuilt as a coffin.

A few years later The Wernicke Co designed a bookcase, which consisted of different sized glass cabinet components. By stacking these components on top of and beside one another, you could create different wholes.

…the Circulating Books Section boasts a secret rotating bookcase. One side of the shelf is stocked with faux mystery books, the other side with current popular-fiction titles.

This custom-made bookshelf is made out of 12mm oak planks. Ninety six individual pieces have been handmade and marked to fit into the puzzle of the 4.0 x 2.5m wall. The shelving is designed as an expandable system, it is self-supporting and has no visible fittings so it can be dismantled and re-used.

A polar bear bookshelf, made of white laminated wood.

Here’s an interesting set of alternating-tread stairs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. They’re in a house renovated by Adam Jirkal, Jerry Kozaa and Tomáš Kalhous, located in Všenory, Czech Republic.

Limited by space, we melded the idea of a staircase with our client's desire for a library to form a 'library staircase' in which English oak stair treads and shelves are both completely lined with books.

Booxter is an application that helps you track your collections of books, music, movies and comics on your Mac.

Beautiful bookshelves, but somewhat impractical, and difficult to dust.

Awesome two-layered bookshelves.

Shelf bracket bookshelf

Bookshelf armchair

Atelier Bow-wow bookshelf desk enclosure.