DIY Invisible Floating Bookshelves
We’ve covered the invisible floating bookshelf concept before, but if you liked the idea but weren’t keen on ruining a book in the process, weblog May December Home’s got you covered.
In fact, there’s nothing special to their guide apart from the fact that they don’t affix the required L-bracket to the inside of the bottom book. Instead, they just bought sufficiently large brackets and figured that the limited visibility of the brackets wasn’t that big of a deal; having seen the results, we’d be inclined to agree.
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@envador: Yep, I thought the same.
Also, what if you wanted to read the 2nd bottom book? Surely the whole point of a shelf is that you don't need to stack vertically. I can do that on the floor/desk/unused exercise equipment.
Andy Cairns
@James Henline: Thanks!
Andy Cairns
@tylerf: After that sternly worded post about Auto-Bans last week, flames should be the least of your worries.
Tachyon0118
The invisible bookshelf idea looks messy to me. Unless all the books are the same size, it just looks like clutter on the wall. Maybe it's my OCD kicking in!
@Andy Cairns:
On the prefabbed one there is a tiny shelf right below the edge of the bottom cover, in essence hugging the bottom cover of the book. Keeps that part from dropping down.
James Henline
@Wewtaco: do you believe in magic?
I built one. The books kept sliding off so many times, they now live on the floor beneath the 'invisible' shelf.
Oh god, I am so gunna get flamed for this, I scrolled past the first sentance *whistles*
tylerf
[lifehacker.com]
and
[lifehacker.com]
From last year...
tylerf
I swear something like this was already posted on Lifehacker only months ago...
Though could be a different style..
tylerf
@Andy Cairns: I was wondering the same thing...
Wewtaco
@psionix: I can spend HOURS in the container store
macgruber
I don't understand how the bottom cover doesn't hang down.
Andy Cairns
The Container Store sells the conceal book shelves for less than the manufacturer Umbra does.
$9.99 for the small one [www.containerstore.com]
12.99 for the big one
[www.containerstore.com]
as opposed to $10.50 & $14, respectively.
Full disclosure: I work for the Container Store.
psionix
This is *very* cool! I've been looking into invisible bookshelves, since I've run out of bookcase space, and this looks perfect!
horizontal books looks messy, like the stack of books i have on the ground mounted to a wall. An invisible shelf with vertical standing books will look nice.
laughingisfree
*so
Jarek James
@laughingisfree: invent one do i can buy it
Jarek James
Hung at the correct height the following may appear "invisible" and is more vertical than others:
[www.ikea.com]
centralasian
@macgruber:
Try to contain your enthusiasm or you might blow your lid.
@ironyforme: tilt the bracket up so it's more of a V than an L... as long as it's at or below eyelevel, you won't see the bottom of the little peg that holds the cover closed (I assume it looks something like an upside-down F)
@pkl007: I believe in magnets. ;-) And that's the way I'd do it.
PuckeL
That $10.50 bookshelf is $10.50 in both CAD and USD. =O
josephers
@envador: +1
I'm going to have to disagree that this is an "attractive way to put your books on display."
On the other hand, it might just be that that picture isn't particularly flattering.
I have invisible bookshelves in my ipod touch. Tis called Stanza.
chingchongchang
@envador: I am pretty OCD as well; but, for some strange reason, this doesn't bother me. I don't access most books on a daily basis, so taking the time to lift a few books from the one I need wouldn't be too much of a hassle. Overall, I think it is a pretty cool idea. I am trying to figure out a way to use it with record albums. Obviously, it would work for CDs and DVDs with no problem.
hackley01
Any suggestions for prefab ones that can be used above eye level?
jkadin
Neat idea that I would like to try on my DVD colllection.
AndrewShark
Very simple but could add a nice look sitting above your desk or on your wall. For somebody like me, with a small workspace, I could use something like this.
It looks like I'll be paying a visit to the store to buy some L-brackets this weekend! May December has some pretty cool stuff on her blog.
Could always use "War & Peace" as the bottom book.
Hollow it out and you could have a bracket strong enough to sit on! ;-)
CoHPhasor
i bet you could conceal the large bracket by putting a smaller bracket under it. then Slide the large bracket in and the small bracket would hold the back cover up. It would involve using 2 brackets, but would not damage the book just your walls...
Less Herger
Interesting, this EXACT same solution appears on p 31 of the April/May 2009 ReadyMade magazine. I think someone got inspired, but didn't give proper credit. :) LOL!
The shelf seems fairly thin. Why not just rest the ON TOP of the shelf? Voila!
Sean Du Plessis