My wariness of decorative items — as mentioned in my last post — extends to books, which might be an unusual stance for someone with a master’s degree in Library & Information Science. But, having worked in three libraries, an illuminated manuscripts gallery and a rare books shop, I agree with the first law of library science (though I’m not sure it’s enforceable in any jurisdiction): Books are for use. Sure, they’re pretty, but without use, there is little inherit value. I got all preachy about this before our last move and streamlined our collection, trying to keep only the books that we love, would want to read or reference again, or would want to be able to loan to someone else. Maybe I’ll hoard books in the future when we’re homeowners, but as frequently-moving renters, a smaller library makes sense. Books are heavy, man.
Here’s what the bookcases looked like the last time you saw them:
And here’s what the bookcases look like these days:
I swapped out some houseplants, got a new stereo and moved the booze to a bar stand. I tried to style it up a bit, which isn’t my strong suit, but I’m really happy with the current look.
Sloane Leaning Bookcase – Crate & Barrel
HEKTAR – IKEA
Big Jambox – Jawbone
Rugby Stripe Bin – The Container Store
It seems like the EcoLogic Pots may no longer be manufactured, which is too bad because they’re awesome looking. I have them scattered throughout our apartment. Chicagoans can find them at Gethsemane; they’re pretty expensive on Amazon.
We’ve had these bookshelves for five years and they’ve held up really well. They’re available only in brown now; some similar white options are:
- Linea Leaning Bookcase – The Container Store
- Studio Wall Shelf – Pottery Barn
- White Five-tier Leaning Ladder Shelf – Overstock
The striped bin is perfect for hiding ugly board games and whatever else we want to toss in there, and the HEKTAR spotlights cast a really nice light in the evenings.
The Big Jambox was a splurge and well worth it. It’s plenty loud for our apartment and it connects wirelessly via Bluetooth with my iPhone and iMac and Jarrod’s iPad mini. It has a super long battery life, so we can move it to the kitchen or backyard for hours without a power cord.
See that electrical outlet on the floor to the right of the bookcase? That is some crazy stupid luck. I don’t know why it was placed there originally, but the location couldn’t be more ideal for this arrangement. All of the cords are hidden neatly behind the bookshelf.
Read any good books lately? Or read Emily Henderson’s blog and been driven crazy by the fact she doesn’t spell “cord” correctly?
Project Palermo 
I like books but agree if they are longer pertinent they need to go. Your design is interesting.
Thanks!
This is adorable! Love how neatly stacked all your items on the book case are! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading!
I love your bookcase. It really brings the space to life.
Thanks – good luck with your own bookcase project!
I hope to be able to show you the results soon.
Reblogged this on The Wonder of Yarrow House and commented:
I am reblogging this site because I love what she did with the space. Those of you that have been in my library know what I’m about to do next. I have been finding it hard to find bookcases that fit my space at an affordable price and I believe this ideal will go along way.
How did you hide the cords exactly? Are they affixed to the back of the bookcase all the way down to the floor? Is duct tape involved?!?! I’ve never been able to hide cords effectively with open shelving like this; what’s your secret?!
3M Command cord clips is where it’s at! I’ll do a follow-up post with pictures.
girl, you have some ROCKIN’ plants! plus, great overall look!
Aren’t those plants great? One more reason why the abundant natural light is my favorite feature of this apartment.
Your comment on Emily Henderson cracks me up. It is amazing how few bloggers check their grammar and spelling. My favorite was one that described Tahiti as “lushes”. It took me a moment to figure out what she meant.
P.s. Your bookshelf looks great.
Too funny. To be fair, I’m sure that Tahiti, like all countries, has its fair share of lushes.
Like the creepy DIY-blog reader that I am, I have just read your entire blog. Love your tone and decorating style: Finally, someone else who isn’t enamored with tchotchkes!
Keep up the great work!
Thanks for slogging through all my posts! So happy your enjoyed it.
Awesome Bookcases!!! I love your blog!
Thanks!