Can a white bookcase do justice to the wood it’s made from? Of course it can. I know I’m a wood aficionado, but that doesn’t mean that I have to see wood grain all the time. At the end of the day, I’m more concerned with what form wood can become. To become something special the construction needs to be sound, details need to be present, and it needs to have the touch of a true craftsmen. All these attributes can be present in something like a white bookcase. That is why I’m going to use this post dedicated to white bookcases, their styles, sizes, how to incorporate them into a room, construction, prices and brands.
White Bookcase Styles
Like any bookcase describing all the silhouettes of white bookcases is futile. The choices are limitless, but I will go over the most popular choices. The first and most crucial variable in choosing what style of bookcase to go with is the dimensions of the space it will be placed in. Be sure to pay close attention to details in the room that often get overlooked. Common overlooked details are ceiling height, the width of the door in which the product needs to be delivered through, and wall phone/cable/internet jacks and outlets on the wall where the white bookcase will be placed.
White Bookcase -just one look of many
Most of the new construction of homes feature vaulted ceilings. These wide open spaces are very comfortable to live in, but can be daunting to find furniture that will not be dwarfed in relation to the ample surroundings. Furniture needs to be in scale with the surroundings. Choosing a tall white bookcase would be ideal for a larger room. I will go over some styling tips in more detail later in this article. Some homes today still don’t have a great deal of usable square footage, but still feature the vaulted ceilings, this is a perfect scenario for a tall narrow white bookcase.
Another popular style in the white book case category is the antique white bookcase. Antiques are special because of several reasons. The first and I guess most obvious is the history behind the pieces. It’s fun learn the history of a piece of furniture in your home. Most of these antiques in white are from the french colonial period. The classic french country look is still very popular today. If you search for an antique white bookcase, be forewarned that most are not referring to the age of the bookcase, but rather the color hue of the white. Antique white bookcases will have a yellow to tan tint to the white making it a softer shade. This is in contrast to a true white that has high contrast to darker surroundings. Bookcase white can be many shades.
Another category is the small white bookcase. In many urban areas where space is at a premium, one needs to take care in selecting high capacity bookcases that don’t take up much room. A good small white bookcase possibly even a double sided white bookcase would be ideal for a compact space. I have also seen a white bookcase with drawers, theses are also nice because they can display and conceal items.
Related to the double sided idea I mentioned above, a bookcase can be combined with a headboard to make a very versatile piece of furniture. For readers in bed a white bookcase headboard could be just the ticket. A white bookcase headboard can be isolated just behind the bed and also situated where it extends wider than the width of the bed giving you more white shelving area for your books.
I have really been into Lacquer furniture lately. The real lacquer furniture takes a lot of time to make right, and when it is, it is stunning. A white lacquer bookcase is something that has the potential to be a family heirloom piece. There is just something to that high sheen and depth of the finish. A white lacquer bookcase can add a touch of luxury to any space.
A kids white bookcase is also a popular style. The white color seems to always work in their bedrooms. A childrens white bookcase is usually longer and shorter for the little ones to reach all their toys. Anther benefit of a kids white bookcase is how great their story books look in them, the colors really pop against the white background.
Common White Bookcase Sizes
The 72 white bookcase is a very popular size for living rooms. For those of us in the United States the 12″ increments in widths the 24″, 36″, 48″, 60″ and 72″ white bookcase are all big sellers. These white bookcases are usually just referred to the numbers versus the measurement, 12 24 36 48 60 and 72. As for height, there usually isn’t much available taller than 6′ tall. Other common heights for white bookshelves is 3′ and 5 feet. White bookcases in retail stores usually have 3, 5 and 7 white shelves. Most people like to have odd numbers in shelving counts so that there is a center shelf. It’s just more visually pleasing to display items on. The only exception to this rule is there is a 2 shelf white wooden bookcase.
White Bookcase Styling Tips
Bookcases white, bright and in style. A white bookcase is a very versatile piece of furniture that can work with many style tastes ranging from antique all the way to a contemporary white bookcase. It’s pretty easy to make a white case piece look great, but I do have some tips for you nonetheless.
Minimalism- One look I’m really liking lately is a super minimalistic monotone color story. Having whites, tans and wood tones is a great combination. Envision a nice lightly colored unfinished oak flooring with warm tan walls and a contrasting cube white bookcase to contrast. Fill that book case with color arranged classic books. The books are actually the accent color for the room.
High contrast- On the flip side, and also a great look is putting your white bookcase against a dark or saturated background. The white against a charcoal gray and a bright green grass arrangement in a white vase would look amazing. As for high saturation, you could put a white bookcase against a bright yellow wall, anchored with a black and white photo and a chair with a damask print.
White Bookcase Construction
This section is where white bookcases can get a bad wrap. Often times when you see painted wood furniture, the paint is put there to cover up bad workmanship. Although it can be a disguise, when it is it is easily recognizable if you know what to look for. The first thing you want to do is look at the corners, this is the easiest place to see the quality of construction. If there is loose joints or if there is any space at all between perpendicular boards, just move on, unless you are looking for a cheap white bookcase, which is fine. Some people are content switching out their furniture more often, so paying less is probably a good idea. The other thing to look for in a quality white bookcase is to take a close look and feel of the shelving. Many times to cut costs the shelves will be made of a cheaper material such as MDF. This will be imediately apparent once you run you hand over the shelf. You will know a solid white wood bookcase when you feel the wood and joints, don’t worry.
White Bookcase Prices
How much is a white bookcase? This is one of those answers you won’t like, but it’s an honest answer. There is no standard price. Really, it all has to do with the quality of the materials. I have see a white book case for under $100 and I have seen a white lacquer book case for $5000. It’s all about matching your space, the rest of your furniture and your budget needs. There is a ton on inventory of white bookshelves out there, so you will find the one that is right for you.
White Bookcase Brands
Again, many options here but I will give you some highlights. There is an Ikea white bookcase that you should be sure to check out. As with most of their products, they have great value, but may not end up in your home for ever due to lesser quality. They are still great and sometimes it’s fun to switch out your furniture more often. Other big box type furniture brands will surely have white bookcases. The usual suspects are Crate and Barrel (as well as their contemporary brand CB2), Room and Board, Pottery Barn, West Elm and Design within Reach (for those with deep pockets and high taste). Of course your regional chains and local retailers will all carry white bookcases due to their popularity. I like to find woodworkers for custom work, this way you can get exactly what you want in the highest quality.
White Bookcases Summarized
To recap, white bookcases are versatile pieces of furniture that are adaptable to many spaces, many people (including children), are readily available in any budget. Bottom line, a white bookcase is a high style, low risk investment for your home.
