33 Creative Bookshelf Designs

If you don’t read books and don’t care about the bookshelves, don’t be too quick to close this article. Just think about it. What impression does a room full of books make? That’s right! It will immediately make you look smarter!

Make sure to put some smart books about topics you barely understand like quantum physics, advanced mathematics or neuroscience. Then decorate the book display with some antique looking weird sciency things you’ve found in a thrift store (a figurine of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles won’t do this time, sorry). If in need, consult this list of gorgeus bookshelf ideas. Of course, you might run into a problem if some smart ass tries to chit chat about something you have in your bookcase. Don’t worry, just fake a phone call and when you finish, no one will ever remember the topic.

Now that we agree that it’s essential to have a library, let’s take a look at some of the most creative bookshelf designs out there.

Which one of these book racks would you put at your house?

1. The Invisible Book Shelf

Creative bookshelf design with books arranged to appear floating, next to a sleek desk lamp and wooden table.

Hand holding a floating bookshelf designed like an open book, attached to a wall.

“This book shelf, which holds up to 15 pounds of books, screws directly into a wall stud and presto – you have an invisible book shelf! The maximum stack height is 16-Inches. All hardware is included so all you need is a screwdriver. The Conceal Book Shelf, which has already won design awards, is innovative, inspirational and imaginative.” (Designer: Miron Lior) (buy)

2. Industrial Corner Pipe Shelf

Creative bookshelf design made of black pipes against a textured brick wall, displaying various colorful books.

Creative bookshelf design using industrial pipes on a rustic door background.

“The Corner Industrial Bookshelf is a great conversation piece turning heavy iron piping into a modern urban look that will add a sense of history and character to any space.” (Designer: KKatz)

3. Cutshelves

Creative bookshelf design in corner with pink curved shelves, filled with books in modern room.

Creative bookshelf design with illuminated shelves in a dark room, featuring books and modern decor.

This unique solution lets you find your favorite book at night without waking up the whole family. (Designer: Tembolat Gugkaev)

4. Malagana: Equilibrium Bookcase

Creative bookshelf design featuring stacked tilted cubes on a fluffy rug with colorful pillows.

Creative bookshelf designs featuring stacked, leaning wooden cubes.

Creative bookshelf design featuring tilted shelves, next to a modern black chair and a small side table under a staircase.

“With its cantilevered modules stacked upon each other at a single angled point, Equilibrium is a unique furniture piece that immediately catches attention by creating a sense of amusement and surprise. While its compartments seem to float in the air, Equilibrium can hold over 120 Lbs of weight and its different modules allow to keep books and magazines organized in a natural tilted position that eliminates the need for bookends.” (Designer: Alejandro Gomez)

5. Handmade Stacked Teacup Shelve

Creative bookshelf shaped like stacked cups, with colorful interior shelves holding various books.

Creative bookshelf design with colorful, cup-shaped shelves stacked vertically.

A cup of tea and a good read do go together well, which makes it easy to fall in love and crave this stacked teacup bookshelf. (Designer: Scott Blackwell)

6. Has been Read / Will be Read

Creative bookshelf design with white lettering and an orange chair against a concrete wall.

Creative bookshelf design spelling "Will Be Read" with books arranged creatively on a minimalist wall shelf.

“Simple way of organizing your books as “has been read” and “will be read”. When we look at an ordinary book shelves we just see a boring stack of books which all books get lost in each other. Even when we buy a new book and plan to read it later, after a short time it gets forgotten in this book chaos. Aim of “TarGetBooks” design is based on this point.” Designer: Mebrure Oral

7. Booktree

Creative bookshelf designs resembling tree branches with books displayed on wooden shelves.

Child reaching for books on a tree-shaped bookshelf design against a white wall.

Child reading near creative bookshelf designs shaped like trees.

If you’re the romantic type and long for summer afternoon readings out in the park, the Booktree shelves will help you recapture the feeling. (Designer: Kostas Syrtariotis)

8. Bookworm Shelf

Creative bookshelf design featuring a sleek, spiral wall-mounted shelf with book holders.

Creative bookshelf design with curved shape, holding books, wine bottles, and a vase.

Creative bookshelf design featuring a spiral shape with red shelves.

“The Kartell Bookworm Shelf designed by Ron Arad combines an artist’s creativity with a great company’s technology. A careful analysis of extrusion technology has allowed the creation of a curvy bookcase which assumes any desired shape, without compromising strength and functionality, a bookcase design of industrial scale that can rightfully be considered the world’s most daring and revolutionary.” (Designer: Ron Arad) (buy)

9. Check

Creative bookshelf designs with checkmark-shaped wooden shelves holding books on a white wall.

Creative bookshelf design featuring large checkmarks with a woman reading a book.

“The object that shows the meaning and importance of a book through the V–shape, that is often used in checking, is used as the bookshelf where we can hold up the books.” (Designer: Jongho Park)

10. K Workstation

Creative bookshelf design with integrated workspace, featuring colorful books, a computer, and a red chair.

Creative bookshelf design with integrated desk and red chair, showcasing colorful books and modern style.

“K Workstation incorporates Bamboo laminated plywood for creating efficient space managing working space. The folding curved shape creates shelving and desk space within one working unit. K Workstation could be manufactured each segments for easy fabrication process and transportation, yet it could be configured with multiple possibilities.” (Designer: MisoSoupDesign)

11. Bookseat

Creative bookshelf design with a curved wooden structure and storage for books.

Creative bookshelf design resembling a wooden chair with books neatly arranged along its curves.

“The Bookseat is a simple bookcase that playfully curves and becomes a seat. The creative design is a response to the advent of multifunctional spaces in today’s urban living. Noted as one of the “ten must sees” at Toronto International Design Show 2008, and awarded for best Design at Montreal’s International Design Show, SIDIM, 2008.” (Designer: fishbol)

12. Kulma Bookshelf

Creative bookshelf design in a corner with a wooden frame holding three books.

Creative bookshelf design featuring a minimalist wooden frame holding spice jars.

“Kulma, corner in Finnish, is a shelf to be hanged either in a positive or a negative corner of a room. The idea is to utilize and highlight both the space within the shelf and the corner surrounding the shelf.” (Designer: Martina Carpelan)

13. Letterkast

Creative bookshelf design with letters forming a unique shelving structure against a brick wall.

Alphabet-shaped bookshelf design with books placed creatively within the letters.

What better describes reading and writing in the most basic way, if not … a bunch of letters? A witty and stylish bookshelf is designed by Pieter de Leeuw.

14. CTline

Creative bookshelf design with layered, abstract white panels on a wall.

Creative bookshelf design with irregular, modern white shelves displaying various books on a minimalist wall.

From a particular angle, this construction looks nothing like a bookshelf, but rather a minimalistic art installation. As the shelves are constructed diagonally, you can see the books from one side only. (Designer: Victor Vasilev)

15. Tatic

Creative bookshelf design with integrated chair and colorful striped upholstery.

Creative bookshelf design featuring an integrated, striped armchair with slanted shelves filled with books.

Creative bookshelf design with angled shelves and a striped cushion on top.

This original combination of an armchair and a bookshelf allows you to reach for a new book even without getting up. (Designer: Tembolat Gugkaev)

16. Read Your Bookcase

Creative bookshelf design with letter-shaped shelves forming the phrase "Read Your Book Case.

Creative bookshelf design with varied compartments filled with colorful books against a concrete wall.

Creative bookshelf design featuring a grid pattern on a concrete wall.

Creative bookshelf design featuring bold typography in a sunlit room.

Nominated as the Selected Design in the Young & Design 2010, this stylish bookshelf will always work as a good reminder to read what you have put in ti. (Designers: Eva Alessandrini & Roberto Saporiti)

17. Shelf Life Unit or Room Divider

Creative bookshelf design with asymmetrical shelves and modern white framework.

Creative bookshelf design with irregular shelves and integrated chair in a minimalist style.

“Shelving unit or room divider in lacquered LDF (low density MDF) with removable chair and side table. Shelflife’s striking angular appearance belies a practical functionality. Angular shelves prevent books from toppling, while the chair and table provide a convenient place to browse the collection.” (Designer: Charles Trevelyan)

18. Equation Bookshelf

Creative bookshelf design resembling curly brackets with books and a small frame.

“Equation Bookshelf is a simple idea of to divide things in priority order, put together the books that you need immediately or more important between (parentheses)! Set others between [square brackets] and {braces}.” (Designer: Marcos Breder)

19. Dream Bookshelf

Cloud-shaped bookshelf design holding books, mounted on a modern living room wall.

Creative bookshelf design in a modern living room with a white sofa and potted plant.

“Daydreaming is an indulgence most of us never grow out of, but plenty of us don’t set aside much time for. Stay inspired and remind yourself to dream with Dripta Roy’s Dream Bookshelf. Straight out of comic mags and up on your wall, this bubble will hold the tales you treasure the most and showcase the trinkets you cherish.” (Designer: Dripta Roy)

20. Ousama Bookshelf

Puzzle-shaped creative bookshelf design in a modern living room.

Creative bookshelf design with puzzle-shaped shelves, accompanied by a blurred statue in the foreground.

“Ousama bookshelf is another design by Dripta Roy to create some fun in the consumer’s life.” (Designer: Dripta Roy)

21. Wha Cabinet

Creative bookshelf shaped like a question mark next to a beige sofa.

Creative bookshelf design with colorful shelves next to a modern sofa.

If only a little light bulb would turn on every time we have a question in our heads… Well, it does, when we have this question mark in our room! (Designer: Tembolat Gugkaev)

22. The Cat-Library

Creative bookshelf design featuring books and two black cats playfully interacting on the shelves.

Creative bookshelf design with a unique, geometric pattern of wooden cubes in light wood.

“100% Cat-Friendly Modular Bookshelf. The modules are not painted, not oiled, which after observation seems to seduce cats more. Paint has a tendency to make “the stairs” slippery for cat paws. The shelf exist with two kinds of cat-baskets, one called hi-top (for bigger cats) and another one called lo-top (for smaller cats) which is the one on the picture here-left.” (Designer: Corentin Dombrecht)

23. Tectonic Bookcase

Creative bookshelf design featuring tilted shelves with books and small potted plants.

24. Second And a Half Dimension Shelves

Creative bookshelf design with colorful hexagonal modules for storage.

Creative bookshelf design featuring colorful geometric cubes on a wall above a desk with various objects.

Creative bookshelf design with colorful, hexagonal compartments holding books, plants, and rolled papers.

(Designer: Bjørn Jørund Blikstad)

25. Skateboard Shelf

Creative bookshelf design using skateboards as shelves with various items displayed.

“Skateboard shelf is a piece of furniture that every skateboard lover would tell your that is awesome. Perfect for students and kids, it provides substantial storage space for books, display and even skateboard paraphernalia.” (link)

26. Movement Bookcase

Creative bookshelf design featuring books with playful, human-like legs and arms on a white background.

Creative bookshelf design with playful book holders resembling stick figures climbing a wall.

“A bookcase that embraces your books.” (Designer: Sungmin Hong)

27. Modular Shelving Unit: ‘Vjunok/Bindweed’ Series

Creative bookshelf design resembling a tree with green branches on the wall.

Creative bookshelf design featuring wavy orange shelves against a white wall.

Creative bookshelf design with a modern, wavy structure and decorative branch pattern.

(Designer: Maria Yasko)

28. Milky Lake & Waterfall

Creative bookshelf design featuring mountain peaks with snow caps and a red star accent on a light blue background.

Creative bookshelf design shaped like mountain peaks with small red boats.

Fun melting bookshelves for a kid’s room. (Designers: Maria Yasko &Igor Marisko)

29. Bookshelf Staircase

Creative bookshelf design integrated into a staircase, showcasing innovative use of space for book storage.

Creative bookshelf design with colorful books displayed on uniquely shaped wooden shelves.

“London-based Levitate Architects came up with this ingenious solution to a book storage problem and created a loft-like bedroom nestled under the roof of the top-floor apartment.” (Designer: Levitate Architects)

30. Pulseline

Heartbeat-themed creative bookshelf design on a dark wall.

Creative bookshelf design with a black zigzag pattern and green edges on a white background.

Creative bookshelf design resembling a zigzag pattern, holding books and small decor items.

“The source of inspiration is obviously from the well-known shape of a heartbeat. The shelf works both as wall art and as an object to display some magazines and smaller items you like. The edge is painted with a florescent paint that glows in UV light to emphasize the silhouette. ” (Designer: Måns Salomonsen)

31. Yule Bookshelf

Creative bookshelf design resembling a tree, with a modern chair underneath.

Creative bookshelf design integrated into a tree-shaped column in a modern living room.

Creative bookshelf design with a unique Y-shape between two twin beds, featuring a decorative teapot on the top shelf.

“Wooden bookshelf thought for who needs to add new shelves but has no more free space along the walls.It can be placed everywhere in the room and fixed to the ceiling.Yule optimizes the room at the top and allows you to walk above.” (Designer: Claudia Bignoli)

32. Console Bookshelves

Creative bookshelf design featuring a mannequin lounging in a pink and black shelving unit with books.

A perfect bookshelf and bench combination. Just pick a favorite book and  lay down in a comfortable position. (Designer: Stanislav Katz)

33. Book Rack in Wenge

Creative bookshelf design with books hanging on strings against a wall.

Creative bookshelf design with vertical black slats suspended on strings, holding books against a white wall.

“The book rack comes in solid Wenge, with a set of 12 pins/bookmarks. The pins are detached and can be moved around the back piece to meet your needs at each time. The books rest on a small wooden plate so the pages stay intact. The plates can be moved back and forth on the bottom of the book to control the height of which the book hangs, making it possible to line different sized books up in a straight line.” (Designers: Agusta Magnusdottir & Gustav Johannsson)

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