Friday, November 26, 2010

What I want to do in the parlor

Built-in bookcases, how-to courtesy of the ever-bountiful Popular Mechanics. Wouldn't something like this look really good? The only problem there is the 12-foot ceilings. If I take the shelving all the way up, I can't get to most of it, but if I don't, what do I do at the top?

There's also an excellent how-to for a standalone bookcase. Also, not a propos of bookcases but still useful, pro tips on crown molding. Thus concludes my Popular Mechanics link dump.

7 comments:

  1. Twelve feet of shelving would be intimidating, but--ladders! Rolling ladders. I know it's an enormous house, but I can't imagine having too much book storage. (Although the imaginary people in the picture do. You can see the wall color.)

    Mary Anne in Kentucky

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  2. The room isn't really big enough for a rolling ladder. (Yes, I thought of that.)

    When our books were last out of their boxes, I believe we had five Sauder-standard tall bookcases for them. I had to double-stack the paperbacks. If I build my own, I can build specifically dimensioned paperback shelving for the SF collection, and normal shelving for the rest.

    Alternatively, I'm considering putting some shelving in my office, same setup. I don't know yet. We're considering white shelving on the north side of the carriage house family room as a kind of separating wall, too.

    Sky's the limit. If we actually keep this place for a few years, it's really going to be a damn fine house.

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  3. Also, the imaginary people in the picture don't actually have very many books at all. I find that a little odd, don't you?

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  4. It certainly doesn't look natural, does it?

    Specifically dimensioned shelves sound great. I may get around to it one day. The built-in shelves in the living room are adjustable, but the built-ins-to-be in the office and hall were cut to save money, along with the garage and the third bathroom and completing the decks, and I'm using my old block and boards.

    Mary Anne in Kentucky

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  5. Don't forget that some new paperbacks (mostly for best-sellers, from what I've seen) are being published in a size a half-inch taller than the "standard" paperback. (They're also several bucks more expensive than old-style paperbacks, which gripes me.)

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  6. Ooh, good point, yes. I already have some variation due to a few paperbacks obtained in Europe, though, so some tolerance will be required in any case.

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  7. Mmmhmm and have you talked to the people who would be dusting the 12 foot tall shelves? My kitchen has drywall out above the top cabinets. (There's a name for that and I can't think of it.)

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