Choosing a bookcase or wall shelf: what suits you?

Your book collection is growing, you have a few nice plants and somewhere there is still a box of photo frames you want to put out. A blank wall can then do much more. With a bookcase or a few wall shelves you give all those things a place and your room immediately feels cosier. But what do you choose: a cabinet that stands on the floor or shelves that hang on the wall? In this guide we list the differences and you will read how to choose the right model.

The difference in brief

Bookcase: stands on the floor and offers lots of vertical storage space. Ideal for a sizeable book collection, folders and storage boxes.
Wall shelf: hangs on the wall and keeps your floor clear. Perfect for photo frames, small plants, decoration and a selection of your favourite books.

Which type suits you?

Type	Suits	Our models
Ladder shelf	An airy look with room for books and decoration	Nikolai, 5 shelves, 172 cm high
Wide bookcase	A large book collection or heavy books	Jasmijn, up to 25 kg per shelf, Amira, 4 levels plus extra compartment
Narrow bookcase	A narrow corner or small room	Jai, 40 × 24 cm footprint
Cabinet with open and closed compartments	Displaying and storing away in one	Lisselot, 2 open compartments and 2 doors
Corner wall shelf	Making use of an empty corner	Artemis, 5 levels
Floating wall shelf	Photo frames, plants and accessories on the wall	Layla, Loreen, Stephanie, set of 2
Picture ledge with lip	A row of frames that stays in place	Lindy, 115 cm wide

When do you choose a bookcase?

Do you have lots of books, folders or storage boxes? Then a bookcase is the logical choice. You make use of the height of your room and have surprisingly much space on just a few square decimetres of floor.

Ladder shelf

A ladder shelf tapers towards the top and therefore looks light. The Nikolai has 5 spacious shelves in wood and metal with a black finish and is 172 cm high. It fits in the living room, study or bedroom and is ideal for a mix of books, baskets and decoration.

Wide bookcase for heavy books

Cookbooks, reference works and photo books are heavy. So check the load capacity per shelf stated on the product page. The Jasmijn has a 20 × 40 mm steel frame and shelves that hold up to 25 kg, with extra crossbars in the bottom level. The Amira bookshelf combines a vintage wood look with an iron frame and has 4 levels plus an extra compartment, with a load capacity of up to 10 kg per shelf.

Narrow bookcase

Little floor space? The Jai has 4 tiers on a 40 × 24 cm footprint and is 107 cm high. At 5.6 kg you can easily carry it to another room, and an anti-tip kit is included.

Open and closed in one

Do you want to display books and store other things away? The Lisselot storage cabinet has 2 open compartments and 2 shelves behind doors, with 15 mm thick shelves on a steel frame.

When do you choose a wall shelf?

Wall shelves are ideal if floor space is scarce, or if you mainly want to display a few nice things. They instantly make a bare wall personal.

Corner wall shelf: the Artemis has 5 levels with 20 cm between each shelf in a playful zigzag shape. At 20 × 20 × 127.5 cm it makes use of an empty corner. Available in white, black, brown and grey.
Industrial wall shelf: the Layla combines a shelf in a rustic wood look with a black metal frame, with a load capacity of up to 15 kg per shelf.
Modern with rounded ends: the Loreen is 45 cm wide and holds up to 15 kg per shelf. You can turn the shelves over for your own look.
For photo frames: the Stephanie is a set of 2 floating 60 cm shelves in high-gloss white. The Lindy has a slim lip at the front, so your frames stay in place.

What to look for

Dimensions: measure the wall and the floor space. With a bookcase, keep enough walking space free and check whether doors and windows can still open.
Load capacity: if you are putting heavy books on it, choose a model with a high load capacity per shelf and put the heaviest items at the bottom.
Depth: measure your largest books and compare that with the depth of the cabinet or shelf. For photo frames and small plants, a narrow wall shelf is often enough.
Your wall: you hang a wall shelf with screws and wall plugs. Check in advance whether your wall is concrete, brick or plasterboard, and use fixings that suit it.
Securing: secure a tall cabinet to the wall if an anti-tip kit or wall fixing is included. Especially if there are children or pets in the house.
Style: black metal with a wood look suits an industrial interior, white looks light and fresh.

Tips for styling your bookcase or shelf

Alternate rows of upright books with a horizontal stack. Put a small plant or a candle on top.
Leave some space on every shelf. A bookcase that is completely full quickly looks busy.
Use baskets or storage boxes on the bottom shelf for things you do not want to see.
Combine a bookcase with a few wall shelves in the same colour for a calm overall look.
Turn it into a reading corner with a cordless table lamp. Which one suits you, you can read in Choosing a cordless table lamp. You will find more decoration ideas among our home accessories.

Read also

View all bookcases and wall shelves. Ordered on a working day before 15:00, shipped today, shipping is free and you get free 30-day returns.

Choosing a bookcase or wall shelf: what suits your wall?