Does the Modern Home Need a Bookcase?
The next time youre on a train, bus or plane, just glance around for anyone reading. Chances are the majority are using tablets, laptops or even phones. With more and more people preferring virtual reading material, why would the modern home require a bookcase?
Aesthetically Pleasing
There is nothing quite like the look of a beautifully stocked bookcase, with vintage and contemporary hardbacks adorning each shelf. You can pick up old, leather-bound books at auctions and second-hand book stores. Old atlases are particularly interesting, as are books with colour plates of works of art. They are almost akin to objet dart and deserve pride of place in your bookcase. An innovative and fun idea would be to cover your books with bright covers and arrange them in an appealing pattern, like a Mondrian painting.
Your Books Speak Volumes about You
When guests come into your home, they may peruse your books and make a judgement about you, however undeserved. If your shelves are covered in Jackie Collins and pulp fiction, you may be seen as less intellectual than if you owned works by René Descartes and Jean-Paul Sartre. The books you cant bear to part with tell a story about you, from your earliest childhood favourite by Roald Dahl, to the latest travelogue by Michael Palin. Your bookcase is like a collage of your treasured memories.
Multi-purpose
Although the primary function of a bookcase is to house reading matter, it is also a very useful piece of furniture to display photographs, objet dart, DVDs or even your golf trophies. And the bookcase can do more than store things; you can anchor one side to a wall near a corner to create a lovely reading nook. By using two larger pieces, you can anchor each one to opposite walls, producing an original and attractive room divide. You could even have one in your bedroom to store your shoes.
A Beautiful Piece of Furniture
However its utilised, by choosing carefully, your bookcase can be a gorgeous piece of furniture in its own right. Solid wood is a sensible choice, as it should last for years, developing a wonderful patina over time. Oak is a particularly beautiful and warm hard wood, and a