Smith & Haines SmithHainesInc.com

Smith & Haines http://www.smithhainesinc.com/ Page 1

Integrate Your Bookcase Into Your Home

Purchasing a bookcase in Maryland can enhance the look of almost any room in your home. Manyhomeowners desire to install a bookcase in order to lend an air of sophistication to a particular room. Othersare a little more utilitarian, simply getting a bookcase to hold the books they love. Whatever reason you mayhave for installing a bookcase, it is a good idea to learn how the look of your home will change before youmake a purchase.

A natural-finish wooden bookcase usually appears in some shade of brown, and can present a heavypresence. For this reason, a bookcase that is not well placed can overwhelm the room where it sits. Abookcase does not necessarily need to be constructed with wood. Some beautiful modern bookcases aremade with glass and chrome, or other material choices. A glass bookcase in particular looks very light andattractive. You should choose your bookcase just the way you would choose any other piece of furniture tomake sure it looks good in the room.

A few common tips can help you integrate a bookcase into your home. One is to be careful when placing abookcase in a hallway. Even if you can still pass through the hallway without turning your body, it willpresent a somewhat claustrophobic look. Similarly, when placing a bookcase in the dining room, be sure toleave plenty of room to pull the chairs back without hitting the case.

One way to integrate a is to construct shelves that fit within a wall. This way, the bookcase takes up no floorspace and can accentuate the wall area. This installation should be performed carefully so that electricalconduits and water pipes that may be within the wall are not negatively impacted. A professional installationmay be the best strategy.

Another tip is to avoid filling your bookcase end-to-end with books. This can keep the bookcase room fromlooking like a lawyer?s office. Just turning a few books at an angle along the length of the shelf or leavingempty space can make a big improvement. Decorative book stops or other ornaments can also liven up thelook of a bookcase. Some homeowners actually purchase used books that they have no intention of reading,and sparsely fill some shelves along with other items to give a rustic look.

Alternate designs for a can also add beauty and interest to a room. Some bookshelves are designed in amodular free form like the shadowboxes that are so popular for displaying pictures. Others vary from a strictrectangular shape to create a focal point for the room. One classy style of bookcase is a cabinet with glassdoors. This emphasizes the look of the bookcase over the look of the books inside. It is an excellent way tomaintain a bookcase that is completely full of books. One important consideration for any detached bookshelfis to make sure it is secured against the wall. Filling a bookshelf with heavy books can set the center ofgravity high. Securing the bookcase to the wall behind is a good strategy for safety.

Use these ideas to help choose a bookcase that will look good in your home as well as provide a place foryour treasured books.

Document Tags: furniture repair, cabinetmaking