We might be able to download a digital book with the click of a mouse, but at the end of the day there is something very reassuring about a home filled with books; they serve as a roadmap of sorts showing where we have been in our lives, both literally and figuratively. That said, having enough room to store books can sometimes be a challenge; here are a few creative solutions for corralling books in unexpected spots.
Above: Books stored piled high on a custom shelf in the reading area at the Barbican Foodhall.
Above: Built-in book shelves under the eaves of a sleeping loft in a Brussels house by Vanden Eackhoudt Freyf Architecture.
Above: The space between two beams serves as a tiny library integrated into the structure at the Independente Hostel in Lisbon, Portugal.
Above: A renovated barn in the Netherlands with cupboard built into the staircase wall and built in shelves for books. Designed by Dutch firm Studio Ina Matt.
Above: Looking to add an extension to a small Richmond Home, British firm Levitate Architecture and Design Studio added built-in book shelving above the kitchen.
Above: Interior designer Stéphane Quatresous added simple shelves to a plywood wall in this modern-meets-rustic attic studio in France, first spotted on discovered via French by Design; photo by Mads Mogensen.
Above: Levitate Architecture and Design Studio built this library for a client with an extensive book collection. The library staircase with English oak treads and shelves lined with books on three sides leads to a loft bedroom addition in the attic.
Above: A wall of books extending into the eaves with a sleeping space above as seen in the home of Portland, Oregon-based interior designer Jessica Hlegerson. Photograph by Lincoln Barbour.
Above: The interior walls of a simple garden shed in a London garden serve as shelving, via UK-based architecture firm Office Sian.
Have you got a creative solution for book storage? Let us know in the comments section below; we're always on the lookout for good ideas.
See more storage. check out our previous posts on Bookcases and Shelving.