There’s something about these gray winter months that make the comforts of a good book even more precious. With the snow, rain, wind, and slush, who wouldn’t want to curl up indoors with a thrilling story and their own imagination for company? If you haven’t yet gone over to the dark side and saddled up with a Kindle or its ilk – or even if you have – treat those bindings right by displaying them in any of these palatial storage units.
1. Bid adieu to those commoner wobbly cases from Ikea. Maybe I’ve seen one too many episodes of The Tudors, but there’s something undeniably royal about these four 19th-century handmade box-shelves from VandM.com dealer East Market Street Antiques. With shapes recalling chess pieces, crowns, or even houses, these boxes can be stacked, staggered, or hung to your own liking to bring out the prince or princess in any title. Gently worn and with a primitive feel, these would also add a charming touch to any retail display. VandM.com through East Market Street Antiques, (845) 758-9000;
2. Is your bedside table a revolving door for magazines, thrillers, and pulp fiction? Give pushovers and heavy-hitters alike a proper home with this cast-iron revolving bookcase from VandM.com dealer Found Objects of Industry. A grain-painted found base supports adjustable-height shelves that top off at five feet four inches so that whichever poison you pick, it’ll be well within reach. VandM.com through Found Objects of Industry, (610) 944-1711;
3. If you’ve ever considered renting a small studio apartment to accommodate your ever-growing library, then these steel shelves from VandM.com dealer Cleveland Art will save you some serious cash. Measuring just shy of six feet high and four feet wide, this mammoth unit sports a vintage cart and baskets. In theory, the unit could be pushed or pulled around, but my guess is you’ll stuff it plum full with weighty art tomes and your grandfather’s old set of encyclopedias. VandM.com through Cleveland Art, (310) 940-4134;
4. Since books are the bread and butter of winter comforts, where better to stash them than this antique walnut bread shelf from VandM.com dealer R.T. Facts. Salvaged from a 19th-century boulangerie in France, its height and width of over three feet makes it the perfect size for placing in an entry or living area or even as an unusual bedside table. Admitting to a bit of character-lending wear, the gently shiny top panel can be lifted for easier shelf access. VandM.com through R.T. Facts, (860) 927-1700;
5. This is one for the classics. Offered by VandM.com dealer Albert Joseph Gallery, the unit’s simple yet elegant silhouette in clear-lacquered elm speaks to its original use as a scholar’s bookcase in Shanxi, China in the 1890’s. The original worn plum lacquer gets preserved under its new topcoat, adding a subtle depth and rustic beauty. Its over six-foot-tall, three-foot-wide frame puts any library front and center. Fill it with your favorites and let the books do the talking. VandM.com through Albert Joseph Gallery, (908) 502-5018.
