I’ve recently been looking for a new book shelf as I’m in great need of a place for my books. They are piling up everywhere and slowly taking over my room. I’m slightly worried that they will be the death of me by causing a tripping accident, but isn’t that the book lover’s dream to die a death at the hands of a book? No? Guess that’s just me then.
Anyway, book shelves! I was looking on Pinterest (the mother of all sites with the exception of Goodreads) and discovered there are so many kinds. There’s traditional, whimsical, practical, themed, big, small you name it. So I wanted to ask all of you, what kind of book shelf person are you?
Here’s a guide to help you decide:
Unique: You like the different, you like the intriguing. You want something that’s going to steal the focal point in the room. Your book shelf gets comments like: “I’ve never seen anything like that before”, “That’s one of a kind!” and “Did you get that from a dump?”
Whimsical: You like something fun, something that represents your creative side. This book shelf tends to say that you believe in the impossible. Your book shelf gets comments like: “What a fun way to display books”, “It makes me think of Alice and Wonderland” and “It feels magical”.
Traditional: You tend to go for a more classic look, a familiarity if you will. This book shelf does justice to the old-time libraries when gargoyles were rampant in the height of the gothic era. Your book shelf gets comments like: “What a majestic book shelf”, “It’s so elegant” and “Is that the first edition of Wuthering Heights on the top shelf?”
Practical: You tend to think reasonably, you want something easy to reach and well-organized and probably go as far to organize your books according to genre, author and color. Your book shelf gets comments like: “It looks very organized”, “I love the step stool you provided for convenience” and “Do you have OCD?”
Themed: You want to represent yourself in a more literal form. You want everyone to know what you love and you tend to be extremely passionate. Your book shelf gets comments like: “Wow, I can see you’re a big fan of ____”, “You must really like ____” and “You’re a bit obsessed with ____, aren’t you?”
Homemade: Forget spending your money, you’re a doer. You appreciate the value of things you build far more than things you buy. You like that warm look. Your book shelf gets comments like: “I wish I was as crafty as you”, “Wow, you can’t even tell its homemade” and “Awww, how sweet of you to display your son’s school project”.
I like to think I’m whimsical but knowing me I’d probably actually go for something practical.
So what kind of book shelf person are you? Share it below and happy reading!
This post has been added to Oh, Chrys and The Fiction Conniption‘s Let Discuss! meme. Check out other discussions that have been linked up this week here.
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swimlindsey.wordpress.com 
I tend to be a blend of both Traditional and Practical. I like to have my books be the centerpiece and while I love the Whimsical, it tends to detract from the books. 🙂
Very true about the whimiscal choice, my books would definitely get jealous if something was stealing their attention. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Reblogged this on Princess of the Light: Shining the Light For All and commented:
I tend to be a blend of both Traditional and Practical. I like to have my books be the centerpiece and while I love the Whimsical, it tends to detract from the books. 🙂
What kind of Book Shelf Person are you?
MRS N, the Author
I would definitely do a themed bookshelf. Probably a TARDIS one, like this: http://pinterest.com/pin/395964992207880929/ 😀
That is soooo cool! I love that and I like your choice, themed book shelves are fun and show personality. Thanks for reading! 🙂
TARDIS bookshelf?! Um, AMAZING! Love it! 😀
I’m definitely practical, but in my dreams I also want traditional. And I want one of my bookshelves to have a secret door hidden behind it! Muhahaha 😉
Good choice! A secret door is a must, otherwise it’s not really a decent book shelf! Thanks for reading! 🙂
Amen! As we should all tell billionaires, “If you don’t have a bookshelf with a secret passage behind it, you’re spending your money wrong.” 😛
I would absolutely LOVE to have a crazy bookshelf made out of something really cool, but I just don’t have the space for it in my bedroom. I’m definitely a Practical bookshelf person, though. I like everything organized and tidy. Awesome post!
Thanks and nothing wrong with practical, (I bet it’s the books favorite kind of book shelf). Thanks for reading! 🙂
As a graduate student, I can’t afford to have anything but practical shelves, but my dream house has a traditional library/reading room with beautiful built in bookshelves. And as much as I usually like the whimsical type shelves when I first see them, I don’t think I’d ever actually buy one.
I know. my eye automatically goes to a whimsical book shelf but I just don’t thing I could bring myself to buy one. Your dream house sounds like paradise to me! Thanks for reading! 🙂
I feel like I’m a mix between traditional and practical. I really want an old-timey bookshelf set,but I don’t have the money. As for organizing my books, I’m kinda practical, not all, but some of my books are alphabetized, to the point where I’m kinda OCD, it looks like something straight out of Barnes & Noble. And my books are all over the place too, I’ve tripped several times and have little mini heart attacks. lol!
I’m practical in the sense that I want my book shelf to hold as many books as it possibly can, but I’m not all organized. [Hangs head in shame] Traditional would be really beautiful! Thanks for reading! (That’s exactly what I have too, mini heart attacks, I swear they will be the death of me) 😉
omg I want them all… though I tend to be more practical my husband just made me one that would be unique… it’s like steps sort of going up the wall… I love it!
That sounds so cool! I wouldn’t have a problem with unique I just want a book shelf that can fit as many books as possible as they multiply by the dozen. 🙂
I want something like this: http://bring-all-the-books-to-the-yard.tumblr.com/post/42644148530/kateifer-littletaru-angel-kink
Oh My Goodness!!! That is so perfect and lovely and heavenly I just want it SO bad. The inside especially, I can see myself reading in that little hut forever. Great pick! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
If I had the space for a traditional style library in my room or even my house that would be a dream. I adore the Victorian Era gothic style especially if you mix it with a bit of modern to make it lighter and airy. http://images.nymag.com/homedesign/articles/2013/02/greatroom/images/5.jpg But given the realistic space I have to work with and my slight OCD I’m going to have to say practical.
That picture is absolutely gorgeous, I love the way the walls look in the sunlight, it really is a perfect mix of modern touches with Victorian Era. I’m practical too, nothing wrong with that, it seems to be the most popular choice by far.
Ohh wow I LOVE that one Lizzie, especially the spiral staircases leading up. 😀
I’d have to say practical style, purely because I’m a tad OCD as I arrange my books in height order, colour and author would be a bit much though aha
I’m practical too, it seems to be the more popular choice today. Nothing wrong with practical in fact I’m sure the books prefer practical too. 😉
I, too, am stuck with the practical, but I think the unique one is the coolest looking out of these pictures! I like the whimsical one but I think I’d get annoyed trying to stuff a book into one of the smaller compartments -.- lol
Great post, Lindsey! 🙂
Yeah I like the idea of whimsical but in the end I’d go practical purely for the reason that I want a shelf that can hold a large amount of books as I already have too many to count. The unique one is super cool, I just have no idea where to find one, I think you’d have to make it and I’m certainly not talented or creative enough to do that. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Oh I have no skill with creating a bookshelf that looks like the unique one either, but I did read a tutorial on how to make “floating” bookshelves once! I basically looks like your books are just suspended there on the wall – pretty cool! XD
I’ve seen those, they ARE really cool. But how would you choose books to transform into shelves? I don’t think I could do it.
If I had my druthers, I’d have a library akin to that of the Biltmore. But until then, I can only afford Ikea Extraordinaire. Sadness.
That is so gorgeous! I’m in love with the stair rails and the FIREPLACE. I really want a fireplace that big! I hope you get your dream library some day! Thanks for reading! 🙂
Sigh. I only have space for practical at the moment, though I love the look of traditional.
All I really want out of life is a huge bookshelf with one of those rolling ladders.
I don’t think that’s too much too ask for at all! 😉 Thanks for reading!
I love the unique and whimsical ones, I’d love to have them in my room 🙂
Yeah, both kinds would be really cool and fun. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Haha this is a cool post. My bookshelf is homemade but not by me! My friend was kind enough to pass it on when she got a new one which was really kind of her. At the current stage in my life my bookshelf has to be practical, but when I get my own house I want it to be more ‘unique’ and ‘traditional’ and I’m definitely going to have one of those doors that looks like a bookshelf which turns out to be a secret passage. There will of course be a ladder too for reaching the top shelves. 😉
I really need a new one at the moment, my shelves are double stacked and now I’ve had to start piling books on top of the bookshelf in the small amount of room between it and the ceiling. I’m drowning in books, hellllllppp!
Do you have a pinterest account Lindsey? 🙂
You’re post totally made me think there should be an emergency number for books. Need a book shelf pronto? You know who to call! Got a smudge on one of the pages? You know who to call! Your friend hasn’t returned that book you let them borrow over a month ago? You know who to call! (That would be epic)!
Yes I do, it’s under Lindsey Salazar! 🙂
Haha that’s so true!
Aha, I found you! I will return to your board again later for more snooping. 😉 I have to write my blog post. :S
I am definitely the practical one lol! I wish I could be the whimsical; it looks so cool. One day I shall get those cool bookshelves.
leigh-
I’m right there with ya! When I have a home big enough to fit a thousand book shelves then I’ll invest in whimsical but for now, it has to be practical. Thanks for reading! 🙂
I’m totally the practical one! I would love to think I’m the unique one because I really enjoy spicing up my living space with original pieces but gosh, the WORK. I mean, I can’t even assemble an Ikea bookcase myself, let alone those twisty pipe pieces.
Super cool post, Lindsey! Love the chevron pattern – it’s in two of my fave colors! 😀
I’m practical right there with ya! I love the idea of something fun and cool but I have no interest in actually making one so I’ll just settle with practical. As long as my books have a home I’m happy! 🙂
Thank you very much, I’m glad to know others like it. It took me so long to play with it there are just way too many options out there! 😉
Hey Lindsey! 🙂
I’m definitely Pratical, but perhaps also a blend between Handmade and Unique? Maybe not. What would you call the person who has no more space in the bookshelf and built book towers all over the flat? (book towers as a bedside table, etc.) Well, that’s me. So, not very organised either! Only for lack of space. 😉
I’m practical in that sense too. I’m not an organized person but I would want the book shelf that would hold the most amount of books as mine start to form into towers too! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
I’m a bit of a mixture. Practical, traditional and whimsical are a bit of my thing. I like to incorporate different styles if I can, although my bookshelves now are more.. traditional.
Mel@thedailyprophecy.
How cool! It would be awesome to mix these styles together especially the whimsical with traditional. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hmmn… Hahaha. Maybe I’d settle for the unique, practical and homemade book shelf person. But prior to that, I need to have the right space for it to be realized. Right now, I am only purchasing e-books because my mother is giving me the angry eye whenever she sees me buying physical books.
So maybe you have to include in your post here the Online Book Shelf Person. Haha.
Thoughts and Pens
You’re right, Online Book Shelf Person is definitely missing from the list! And I understand, if I had an e-reader I would definitely be taking advantage of that because books multiply by the dozens! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Haha cool! I never really try to evaluate what kind of book shelf person I am, because as long as it can fit my books, I’m all good! XD But I definitely am all for the whimsical, given the choice. It just seems so much more fun, and I think it’ll make stacking the shelves something to look forward to in a way (it never seems that way, for me!)
Haha very true! I love whimsical too as it simply adds that magical element to your books. But really I just want a book shelf that will hold the most amount of books possible for my never ending to-read list! Thanks for reading! 🙂
I love ALL of them but in my own home I have the practical type. The others (with the exception of traditional, which looks both too expensive and out of place in my more casual house) just never seem to hold enough books.
I agree and for that reason alone I’m a practical kind of gal. Thanks for reading! 🙂
I am definitely a practical shelfer although I covet the unique and whimsical shelves. I organize my books by genre, alphabetically by author’s last name, and by publication date for author’s who have published multiple books.
Wow you are definately an organized person! I bet the books love it and I wish I could be that way! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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I’m 100% traditional. Over the next ten years, I’m going to convert every inch of wall space of our house into bookspace.
My husband does not approve.
That sounds like PARADISE! I wish you luck in your venture and you’re husband will come around… eventually! 😉 Thanks for reading!
I’m definitely the homemade bookshelf. Both of the bookshelves I own are homemade, but I only made one of them. This is such a cool post!
That’s awesome, I wish I was handy enough to do that but even with directions my projects turn out to be abnormally shaped. I’m glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reading! 🙂
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I am traditional, with a side of practical, for sure! I cannot stand it when my books in a series aren’t all together in a nice little row, so that’s the practical side. But I don’t group my books any other way (not even by author), because then I would have to rearrange them on a constant basis because of my inability to ever stop buying books, haha.
I desperately want to own a library one day, and then I could really organise my books, and it would be awesome. I would even settle for a book room, haha. Here’s to hoping 😀
Yes, the never ending list of books we buy does affect things. I’m sure you’ll get your library someday (or book room) and it wil be beautiful! Thanks for reading! 🙂
I shall definitely take many a photo and post them on my blog if I ever do get my wish 😀
That’s okay, Lindsey!
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I love everything about this. I think I might have to have a different type of bookshelf in every room. I’d also like to think that I’m whimsical…But we really know that whatever can fit the most books is the one I’d go with…so it’d definitely be practical(: And if it’s arranged in rainbow order then that wouldn’t be bad either.