Libraries & Bookcases

Bookshelves do far more than store books. A well-composed library wall can make a room feel generous, lived-in and quietly intelligent – whether it holds novels, art books, objects or a curated record collection. At Make Bespoke Studio we design and deliver bespoke libraries and bookcase joinery for high-end homes, hotels and members’ clubs.

Where libraries and bookcases belong

Library joinery can be a quiet backdrop or the main event. We design bookcases and shelving for a wide range of spaces across residential and hospitality projects.

• Living rooms and snug spaces – Full-height library walls or more modest shelving units that frame fireplaces, TV walls or windows, often in conversation with nearby media or storage joinery.
• Studies and home offices – Bookcases that support focused work, integrating filing, display and reference storage as part of broader study schemes.
• Hallways, landings and circulation – Shelving recessed into corridors, stairwells and underused corners, turning transitional space into something more characterful.
• Bedrooms and children’s rooms – Softer library moments around window seats, desks or headboards, with a balance of books, display and closed storage for toys or personal items.

These applications often overlap with scopes such as Media Walls & TV Joinery, Home Offices & Study Joinery and Fitted Storage & Alcove Units, which we coordinate to create a coherent result.

Libraries in hospitality projects

In hotels, members’ clubs and amenity floors, library joinery often sets the tone for how people use a space – whether it feels like a parlour, a co-working lounge or a tucked-away reading room.

• Hotel lobbies and lounges – Bookcases and display walls that soften large volumes, create intimacy and offer a place for art, objects and curated book collections.
• Members’ clubs and amenity floors – Library walls that anchor lounges, work areas and bar spaces, sometimes integrating ladders, secret doors or concealed storage as part of Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery.
• Guestrooms and suites – Smaller bookcase moments around desks, window seats or headboards, often tied into coordinated Hotel Guestroom Joinery schemes.

These pieces typically sit alongside other Hospitality Joinery scopes such as Reception Desks & Lobby Joinery, Hospitality Bars & Back Counters and Spa & Wellness Joinery, sharing a common material and detailing language.

Composition, rhythm and proportion

Good library joinery feels calm even when it holds a lot. Much of that comes down to rhythm, proportion and the balance of open to closed storage.

• setting an overall grid that relates to the architecture – ceiling heights, window heads and door frames
• deciding where to use full-height bays, where to step down and where to introduce horizontals for display
• balancing open shelving with cupboards or drawers so that not everything is on show
• allowing for objects, art and personal pieces as well as books, so shelves never feel overstuffed

We align these decisions with the broader stylistic direction captured on Joinery Styles – whether the project calls for classic framed bookcases, clean contemporary lines or something more eclectic.

Integrated desks, bars and media

Libraries rarely exist in isolation. They often wrap around desks, bars, fireplaces or screens. We design these combinations so that function is fully supported without clutter.

• desks and workstations integrated into library walls as part of wider Home Offices & Study Joinery
• small bars or bottle displays built into bookcases, particularly in members’ club and residential entertaining spaces

These elements often share details with Home Bars & Back Bars and Hospitality Bars & Back Counters.

• media integration where a television or projector screen sits within or behind shelving, handled in coordination with Media Walls & TV Joinery

In each case we make sure cabling, ventilation and lighting are resolved at drawing stage, tying into our broader Bespoke Joinery process.

Materials, detailing and lighting

Materials and detailing can shift a library from clubby and cocooning to airy and minimal. We develop palettes that feel right for both the architecture and the way the space is used.

We draw from our Materials library – timbers, veneers, lacquers, metals and specialist glass – and align choices with the stylistic cues captured on Joinery Styles.

• timber and veneer bookcases ranging from pale oaks and ashes to deeper walnuts and stained finishes
• painted or lacquered shelving that either blends into the wall or acts as a subtle frame
• integrated lighting to highlight books and objects without creating glare or distracting hotspots
• careful edge details and hardware choices that feel good in the hand and stand up to regular use

Where library joinery wraps around corners or runs through several rooms, we pay close attention to junctions, bases and cornices so the whole composition reads as one continuous piece.

Relationship with panelling and architecture

In many projects, libraries and bookcases sit alongside or within architectural panelling and other fixed elements.

We often treat them as part of a broader Wall Panelling & Architectural Joinery strategy – sometimes letting shelves grow out of panelling, sometimes framing bookcases like large openings. Doorways, window seats and gallery walls can all be woven into the same language.

In period buildings we are careful to respect existing mouldings and proportions; in contemporary spaces we may use bookcases to introduce rhythm and a sense of depth.

Our process for library joinery

The process for library and bookcase joinery follows the structure of our wider

Bespoke Joinery work, with a particular focus on composition, storage planning and how pieces will be used over time.

1. Brief & inventory We start by understanding what needs to be stored or displayed – books, objects, art, records – and how frequently different items are used.
2. Room study and opportunities We review plans, sections and photos or visit site to identify the best walls, corners and recesses for joinery, including any underused circulation spaces.
3. Concept layouts and elevations We explore layout options and elevations, testing different rhythms of shelving, display and closed storage, often with simple 3D views for client presentations.
4. Technical design & detailing We produce detailed drawings, including shelf thicknesses and spacings, joinery construction, lighting integration, cable routes and coordination with other trades.
5. Materials and samples We propose material palettes and hardware, preparing samples to sit alongside other finishes in the project so that the library feels connected to adjacent scopes on Types of Joinery.
6. Production & installation Bookcases and library joinery are manufactured through our network of workshops and installed in coordination with the main contractor, with careful setting out to ensure everything aligns as drawn.

Connecting into the wider scheme

Library joinery is often one of several focal points in a project. We make sure it feels connected to nearby pieces and to the overall narrative of the scheme.

Decisions made here are carried through to related scopes such as Home Offices & Study Joinery, Media Walls & TV Joinery, Home Bars & Back Bars, Hotel Guestroom Joinery and Amenity & Members’ Club Joinery, using the structures set out on Types of Joinery and the stylistic language captured on Joinery Styles.

Next steps

If you are planning a library wall, bookcase or reading room, share your drawings, photographs and any inspirational imagery with us.