Relevant categories: Bookcases,Cabinets and Chests
( Above Photo: Georgian Mahogany Bookcase Library Interiors )
The library bookcase is a useful piece of furniture for storing books and other printed materials. It can be used at home and in a public library. The library bookcase is different from the bookshelf in the sense that the former encases books and sits on the floor.
Depending on the maker and user, library bookcases can be big or small. They might have adjustable or fixed shelves. In libraries, bookcases can be movable or permanently fixed on walls. At home, bookcases could be freestanding units.
Bookcases are differently designed. Even though all have enclosed backs, some could have glass doors to protect books from moisture and dust. From the transparent glass door, it’s possible to read the book spines.
( Above Photo: Victorian Library Bookcase Display Cabinet Mahogany 1840 )
Bookcases became popular soon after the development of technology to print books. The earliest library bookcases were made from oak. In England, the first bookcases were placed in Oxford University’s Bodleian Library around 1598.
While the earliest library bookshelves were basic constructions, the input of cabinet makers in the last part of the 18th century made these furniture pieces more elegant. Notable designers include Thomas Chippendale and Thomas Sheraton. Their bookcases were mostly glazed and with fretwork frames. Of the two designers, Sheraton made the most elegant bookcases in satinwood.
In France, 18th-century cabinetmakers created similarly elegant bookcases in rosewood, mahogany, satinwood, and exotic timbers. The small ornamental cases had marquetry inlays and gilded and chased bronze mountings.
The American John Danner invented a revolving bookcase in 1876. It featured the patented ‘pivot and post’ design, which made it possible to economize space. You could store up to 32 volumes of the encyclopedia and retrieve them in a flash.
( Above Photo: Wide Regency Open Bookcase - Mahogany Inlay Library Study )
After buying a library bookcase, you’ll need to choose how to use it. At home, you can repurpose a bookcase in the following ways:
Bookcase Headboard: In the bedroom, you can install a bookcase headroom for extra storage space. You would be able to store bits and pieces in the bookcase and use the top as a bed.
Bookcase Lockers: If you have things that you must keep concealed away from prying eyes, you can install lockers on a library bookcase. It is the best way of keeping things around your home organized.
Dress Up Closet: If you have an old library bookcase lying somewhere in your home, you can turn it into a cloth closet for you or your children. It’s one of the best ways to keep your clothes organized.
Kitchen Island: Did you know that you can turn a library bookcase into a kitchen island? With the many shelves, you’ll have loads of storage space for your kitchen items. It also gives your kitchen the farmhouse appeal when painted white.
Media Cabinet: If you have lots of technology items lying around the house, why don’t you store them on a library bookcase? As a media cabinet, a bookcase provides ample storage space.
The library bookcase has been around for years. Whether you buy a prized antique library bookcase or a modern one, you can put it to greater use. If you’re looking for a suitable library bookcase to buy, talk to us today!
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