A friend is undertaking a project to build bookshelves around a door with a vaulted ceiling and asked if I could suggest pictures for inspiration. I found that most shelving units fall into two categories: bookshelves on a vaulted wall or bookshelves around a door. Only the occasional room has both elements. But my friend is extremely creative and very handy with a power saw so she can probably put the two concepts together and envision a finished product.
With vaulted ceilings the shelves can follow the lines of the ceiling as they do here or be flat topped to create a straight line across the wall. The glass bookcase in the center of this room could just as easily be a door for my friend’s project. Image: Lizette Marie Interior Design
The ceiling treatment on this shelf is slightly different than the one above creating a more visible stair step effect. Plus this unusual bookshelf has a built-in fish tank making it the most dramatic feature of the wall. Image: Mark Dutka
Alternatively, these bookshelves create the straight line across the room showcasing the vault above. Image: Ron Yeo, FAIA Architect
These bookcases also create a straight line but leave a high display space. Image: Cathy Schwabe Architecture
When encasing a doorway with bookshelves, the options are to have bookshelves built out in front of the wall or recessed into the wall. I love the little shelf above the door, just the right size for small books. Image: Bosworth Hoedemaker
Here the bookcases are recessed into the wall and the drywall acts as an interesting divider between shelving units. Image: Winslow Architecture & Urban Design
This room matches my friend’s stated requirements the best and it has the added coolness of a rolling ladder. Image: Visbeen Associates, Inc
All images today were courtesy of Houzz.com where you can search by room, by style, by feature, or by all three if you’re ambitious.
Enjoy,
JT
Susan Bennett
January 16th, 2012
The top three are just gorgeous. As an added bonus, I could use the ladder for a scarf hanger.
Marti
January 16th, 2012
Great pictures! I had seen the first two pictures before, but that last one is really nice. How cool would it be to have a ladder rail in the living room?