13 Bookcase Ideas For Your Living Room

If you’re hunting for bookcase ideas for your living room, the secret is that your perfect “bookcase” might not actually be sold as one.

In This Article

1. The Bookcases We Actually Call Bookcases

2. Rattan Fronted Storage For Books And Bits

3. Sculptural Shelving That Doubles As Wall Art

4. Slim Tall Shelves For Small Spaces

5. Painted Sideboards As Cosy Country Bookcases

6. Modern Country Sideboards With Room To Hide More

7. Tall Painted Cupboards As Book Towers

8. Glass Fronted Sideboards As Mini Libraries

9. Curved Rattan Sideboards For Soft, Tactile Storage

10. Fluted Sliding Door Media Units As Libraries

11. Fluted Sideboards On Legs For Design-Led Storage

12. Drinks Cabinets That Secretly Store Your Favourite Reads

13. Long Low Oak Sideboards As Book Walls

We do have a few dedicated bookcases and shelving units, but most “bookcase living room” looks come from clever use of shelving, sideboards and tall cupboards that just happen to be brilliant at holding books. So instead of only looking for a unit with “bookcase” in the name, it helps to think about how you store, style and live with your books day to day.

Below, we’ll walk through different ways our shelving and sideboards, including our dedicated bookcases and shelves, can act as living room bookcases in disguise, along with ideas for the kind of room and reader they suit.

Why Your Best Bookcase Might Not Be Called A Bookcase

Start with how you actually use books in your living room.

If you love a wall of novels with spines on show, you’ll want plenty of open shelving. If you prefer a tidier look with only a few favourites out, closed doors and glazed fronts will keep things feeling calm. Many of our shelving units and sideboards have deep shelves inside, so they behave like bookcases even though they sit in other categories.

The trick is to see each piece as a mix of three things.

• Display space for books you love looking at.
• Hidden storage for paperbacks, games and bits you don’t want to dust.
• A surface on top for lamps, photos and a small “current reading” pile.

Once you look at shelving and sideboards through that lens, a lot more pieces become realistic bookcase ideas for your living room.

Our 13 Favourite Bookcase Ideas 

1. The Bookcases We Actually Call Bookcases

Let’s start with the obvious heroes: the pieces that are sold as bookcases and a bookshelf.

The Taunton wooden and rattan bookcase (in oak or black) blends modern craftsmanship with retro style. You get three open shelves above and two rattan-fronted doors below. The natural rattan and slim metal base give it a warm, chic look, while the mix of open and closed storage keeps it practical.

The Greenwich abstract wooden bookshelf takes a more sculptural approach. The shelves are different sizes and shapes, so it feels more like a piece of wall art than a rigid bookcase. It’s perfect if you want your book storage to be a focal point.

2. Rattan Fronted Storage For Books And Bits

Think of rattan fronted storage as the bookcase in disguise.

A design like the Taunton wooden and rattan bookcase or sideboard mixes open shelving and woven doors. You can line books and candles along the open shelves, then tuck chargers, magazines and not-so-pretty paperbacks behind the rattan fronts. The slim metal base keeps everything light, so it doesn’t feel like a heavy block in the room.

This works well in relaxed, boho or modern industrial spaces. If your living room already has plants, soft throws and natural textures, the rattan will slot in easily. It’s also a good idea for renters and families who want storage that can hide clutter fast before guests arrive, while still giving you somewhere to show off your favourite hardbacks.

3. Sculptural Shelving That Doubles As Wall Art

If you want your bookcase to feel like a design feature, sculptural shelving is a strong choice.

A piece like the Greenwich abstract wooden bookshelf uses different sized compartments instead of neat rows. That lets you style tall art books in one section, a trailing plant in another and a stack of paperbacks elsewhere. Your books become part of the display rather than a separate thing.

This style suits modern living rooms where you want a focal point behind a sofa or next to the TV. It also helps if you don’t own hundreds of books yet but want the ones you have to feel important. An abstract unit turns even a small collection into something intentional.

4. Slim Tall Shelves For Small Spaces

Not every living room has room for a big bookshelf. That’s where slim, ladder-style shelving comes in.

A tall, narrow unit like the Lostock tall shelving unit gives you a column of storage that uses height instead of depth. You can slide it beside a chimney breast, tuck it into a nook or park it behind a door that’s often open. Each shelf can hold books, baskets and small objects without taking much floor space.

This is a good match for small homes, flats and Scandi-inspired rooms. You get that quiet “stacked books and plants” look, but the open sides and slim legs stop the corner feeling cramped. If you’re short on space but still want a bookcase in your living room, a tall slim piece is one of the easiest wins.

5. Painted Sideboards As Cosy Country Bookcases

A compact painted sideboard is an underrated bookcase.

Pieces like the Harrogate painted two door sideboard are great “half-height” bookcases for living rooms that need storage under a window or along a shorter wall. Inside, shelves can hold books upright or in baskets. On top, you’ve got space for a lamp, a framed photo, a candle and the book you’re reading this week.

This kind of sideboard suits country-inspired and calm, neutral spaces. The painted base and wood top feel homely, and the lower height keeps the room feeling open. It’s also ideal if you like a few books on show but want most of the visual weight to sit lower in the room, not up by the ceiling.

6. Modern Country Sideboards With Room To Hide More

If you like that painted look but need more space, a larger modern country sideboard is the next step.

Sideboards from the Coniston range, for example, give you deeper shelves and extra drawers. You can line books up behind the doors, slip board games and puzzles in beside them, and keep chargers or stationery in the drawers. The oak-look top is big enough for table lamps and a couple of coffee table books stacked in small piles.

These work well along a wall in an open-plan space, where the dining and living areas flow into one another. You get a long run of hidden storage that acts like a book wall without showing every single spine. It’s a good idea if you share the room with little ones and want fewer paperbacks within reach of tiny hands.

7. Tall Painted Cupboards As Book Towers

A tall painted cupboard can act like a full-height book tower.

In a piece like the Coniston painted two door cupboard, the shelves at the top can hold books, baskets and boxes. The lower doors hide less tidy items such as paperwork or gaming bits. Because the cupboard uses vertical space, it leaves more floor free for sofas, coffee tables and play mats.

This suits living rooms that double up as multipurpose spaces. If you’re working from home in the same room that you relax in, a tall cupboard bookcase lets you keep reference books nearby while the less attractive stuff stays out of sight. It can also sit in a corner as a subtle room divider between a seating area and a small desk.

8. Glass Fronted Sideboards As Mini Libraries

Glass fronted sideboards create a little library with built-in dust protection.

A design like the Holcombe glass fronted sideboard lets you line up hardbacks, pretty paperbacks and decorative objects behind the glass. You still see the covers and spines, but the doors keep dust and tiny fingers away. The top surface works like a console table for lamps and art.

This idea suits more grown-up living rooms where you enjoy styling shelves as much as reading the books. It’s a nice way to display collections such as travel books, art titles and vintage finds. If you like pouring a drink in the living room, you can even mix books and barware on the same shelves for that “at-home bar and library” feel.

9. Curved Rattan Sideboards For Soft, Tactile Storage

Curved sideboards with rattan doors bring a softer, more relaxed mood.

Pieces like the Grace wooden two or three door sideboards use rounded corners and woven fronts. Inside, there are shelves for books, blankets and tech. Outside, the curves and rattan pattern take the hard edge off the wall and make the unit feel more like a piece of furniture than a block of storage.

This is especially nice in coastal, boho or neutral living rooms. If your space already has linen cushions, soft lighting and a mix of textures, a curved rattan “bookcase” carries that feel along the wall. Your books get a cosy home without the room feeling boxy.

10. Fluted Sliding Door Media Units As Libraries

Sliding door sideboards are perfect when you want books and media in one place.

A fluted sliding door design like the Copenhagen sideboard hides and reveals storage without needing space for doors to swing open. Inside, long shelves can hold books, vinyl, games and tech in neat rows. The sliding front has a ridged, “fluted” pattern, so it still looks interesting when everything’s closed.

This kind of piece doubles easily as a TV stand and library. Your screen can sit above, while the shelves behind the doors look after the rest of your kit. If your living room is on the tighter side, not having doors that open out into the room makes everyday life easier.

11. Fluted Sideboards On Legs For Design-Led Storage

If you like the fluted look but want a lighter shape, a fluted sideboard on legs is a good idea.

A design like the Flynn wooden fluted sideboard mixes ridged doors, rounded edges and a raised base. The legs lift the cabinet off the floor, which lets more of the flooring show and keeps the wall from feeling crowded. Inside, there’s plenty of space for books, candles, vases and glassware.

This suits mid-century inspired living rooms and spaces that lean a bit boutique hotel. You get a storage piece that feels design-led first and practical second, even though it quietly does the practical job very well. Your books live behind doors, the top becomes a stage for art and lighting, and the whole thing looks like you planned it that way from the start.

12. Drinks Cabinets That Secretly Store Your Favourite Reads

A tall drinks cabinet can act as a part-time library.

Something like the Beauden solid wood drinks cabinet has shelves for bottles and glassware, but it also has space for special edition books, photo albums and objects you want to keep safe. The carved doors and taller legs turn it into a statement piece, so it works best on its own in a corner rather than squeezed into a busy wall.

This is a fun bookcase idea for living rooms where you entertain. One shelf can hold cocktail glasses and a few spirits, another can hold the books you talk about with friends. It feels grown up and a bit unexpected, which is half the charm.

13. Long Low Oak Sideboards As Book Walls

If you have a longer wall to play with, a solid oak sideboard can become a low book wall.

A piece like the Oslo solid wood sideboard gives you a run of cupboards along the length of the room. Inside, shelves can take rows of books, files and board games. On top, you can stack coffee table books in piles with lamps and vases between them. The whole piece anchors the room and adds that “proper oak, forever furniture” feel.

This suits modern and pared-back living rooms that still want warmth. The long low shape keeps your eye-line clear, so the room feels open, while the wood grain stops it feeling cold. If you have a TV on the wall above, the sideboard becomes a strong base, with books and objects softening the look of the screen.

How To Choose The Right “Bookcase” For Your Living Room

With so many living room bookcase options, it helps to come back to a few simple questions.

First, how many books do you actually want to keep in the living room? If you own hundreds and want to see most of them, go for taller shelving, ladder units or glass fronted cabinets with more open display. If you read often but don’t like visual clutter, sideboards and cupboards that act as hidden bookcases are often a better fit.

Second, how do you use the space? If your living room doubles as a home office, a taller cupboard bookcase or long sideboard gives you storage for notebooks and files as well as novels. If it’s more of a family room, pieces with doors and drawers will help you pack toys and games away with the books.

Third, think about style and light. Rattan and curved doors soften relaxed schemes. Painted pieces suit country-inspired homes. Fluted fronts and black finishes feel more modern. In smaller or darker rooms, aim for lighter fronts and less contrast. In bigger or brighter rooms, you can be braver with deeper colours and heavier shapes.

Finally, remember that your bookcase living room look doesn’t need to match 100%. You can mix open shelving and closed storage across the room. The key is to repeat colours, shapes or textures two or three times so everything feels like part of the same story.