by Furnishly | Dec 15, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
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A bookcase is pretty much essential for many people, whether used to organize your endless “to be read” catalog or displaying a couple of picturesque hardbacks. Tennis pro Serena Williams, seems to have gone with the latter.
In an Instagram post uploaded at the start of Dec., the sports star posed for a series of super cute photos while wearing matching animal print pajamas with her daughter, Alexis. The duo took the snaps while standing in front of a sleek-looking bookcase that certainly seems more of a piece of contemporary artwork than just your standard set of shelves.
“Good morning. Make today your best day. What is your morning like?” she wrote in the caption.
The black floor-to-ceiling wood case is definitely the focal point of the room, adding depth to otherwise all-white walls. On each of the five shelves, there’s a slanted divider that gives the bookcase an edge, giving the item a double purpose as it’s as stylish as it is practical.
On the case, Williams has gone for a minimalist look, allowing the unique design to speak for itself. Displaying various-sized hardbacks and a crystal ornament, the bookcase serves as an elegant statement piece that gives the room a sophisticated finish.
Elsewhere in the space, there’s an abstract print hanging on the wall and a pair of striped stools. Overall, Williams has opted for a monochromatic color palette.
If you’re in the market for a new bookcase, take a leaf out of Williams’ book and go for a black wood style. Black wood will complement any space or aesthetic well, allowing the case to become a main feature of the room. Wayfair’s Offutt standard bookcase (pictured above) is a classic style that’s ideal for smaller spaces, while the Okane Geometric bookcase is sure to make a dramatic statement.
Got your bookcase? Below, some of Apartment Therapy’s book content to inspire your next read:
by Furnishly | Oct 5, 2021 | Design Inspiration
When displayed with thoughtfulness and care, books can become a powerful decorative element in their own right – and your carefully curated collection deserves a worthy stage. We’ve scoured the web for bookcases that are both practical and beautiful, sure to flatter your decor theme while keeping your favorite volumes organized in style. These selections range from sturdy mid-century bookcases to streamlined contemporary etageres, each one available for sale online right now. Complete your cozy reading nook or build an impressive home library with ideas from this handy compilation.
by Furnishly | Sep 22, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
Ballard Designs
$79.00
For a little something extra, look no further than these graceful gilded shelves. Featuring an elegant shape, glass surface, and gold-leaf frame, they’re a glam way to spotlight small pieces of art or candles. Choose from a small, medium, or large size, or splurge on all three for a darling, dynamic display.
by Furnishly | Jul 29, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Name: Aisling Kelly, my husband Philip Mc Cabe and our three children Donagh, Iarla, and Síofra
Location: Kilkenny City, Ireland
Size: 2500 square feet
Type of Home: Semi-detached, four-bedroom house built in 2005
Years lived in: 6 years, owned
The summer of 2014 was an exceptionally hot summer. I was heavily pregnant with our first child and we had just moved into a new rental house, which I loved. Out of the blue Phil suggested going to see this house. Truthfully I had no interest in going to see it as we had just moved. But Phil convinced me and I went to see it. The house had only ever been rented so it needed a lot of TLC; it was dark and dingy but had oodles of potential. We placed a bid on a Friday and to our complete surprise went “sale agreed” the following Tuesday. Our son was born two weeks later. New baby, new home. We simultaneously became first-time parents and serial renovators. Six years on, we’re still renovating and attempting to parent!
I am a primary school teacher who took the scenic route to teaching and enjoys the creative side of life. I set up an Instagram interiors page @saimhin_so while on maternity leave as an experiment. I am hugely inspired by other people’s creativity. I have since become immersed in the whole interiors world and it isn’t going away. I would love to pursue this passion further, I just haven’t figured out how yet.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: My style is ever evolving. I love blending the old with the new and experimenting with color and scale. I like to clash and play with pattern. Stripes and plants are very prominent within our home. I use texture to add depth and interest. Finding unique one-off pieces brings me great joy.
Inspiration: The smallest little thing can inspire me. Nature, music, photos, films, friends, travel, fashion, Pinterest, and of course, Instagram.
Favorite Element: My favorite spot in our home is sitting on our mustard couch looking through the book shelves and out into the garden. We recently painted the bookshelves a dark burgundy color called “Couture,” the same color as the walls, doors, and ceiling. It has added so much to the room; we should have done it years ago. Even though our home is close to a busy road, our garden is peaceful and full of bird song. It is overlooked by a mature beech tree and so the light and shadows adapt and change throughout the day.
Biggest Challenge: My favorite room and also the most challenging room to get right, was our living room. It’s been a work in progress and we’re still working on it. When we viewed the house there was a double bed in it! It had two sets of double doors in it, creating a natural corridor through the room, which was cold and uninviting. We gradually set about changing it. First we painted the fireplace black using black board paint. We then got the bookshelves made. We painted one set of double doors “Couture” and they then disappeared into the wall. These doors are permanently locked now so the space works better. We removed the other doors as are they were no longer necessary. We removed the old laminate floor and ran parquet throughout the bottom floor. More recently, we painted the ceiling and the bookshelves.
I have trawled the internet looking for one-off unique pieces for this room. I found an amazing pre-loved rug during lockdown. I also sourced a Noguchi-style coffee table for the room. My mother gave us beautiful black and white photographs of my grandparents, which originally came from her family home. The Guatemalan masks I dragged home from my travels through Central America are hanging on the wall. A beautiful painting from local artist Eoghan O’Driscoll also appears in the room, a birthday present from Phil.
Proudest DIY: Of all the DIYs we have done I would have to say I’m most proud of our upcycled kitchen. We had looked into ripping it out and starting again and then I saw an amazing kitchen upcycle on Instagram and was completely inspired. We decided to attempt our own. We first primed all the units and then painted them a dark navy color called “Petrol.” We changed the handles to neater brass ones. We got the black laminate counter tops painted white using epoxy resin. We removed the wall-mounted cupboards and replaced them with open shelving. More recently we ran the parquet into the kitchen and we gave the island a mini makeover using wood moldings. It’s been a labor of love. Minimum budget, maximum effort, and totally worth it! I’m a firm believer in reusing and recycling where possible.
Biggest Indulgence: I had been looking for a vintage tan leather club chair for an eternity. They are becoming harder and harder to find. Eventually I contacted an old friend, Joy Thorpe, who deals in antiques and all things beautiful. Within a couple of weeks she had sourced the most magnificent 1940s French worn, torn, and wonderful club chair for me. My parents very kindly gave it to me as a gift my fortieth birthday. It’s a forever piece and I could not love it more. Much like vintage clothing I like to imagine where it’s been and the history associated with it. It’s what makes vintage special.
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? Our home is an estate house so it’s exactly the same as the house next door and the one next door to that. We had nothing to do with the original design but I hope we have managed to create something unique to us on the inside. I think a home should speak to who you are and where you’ve come from. Many of the books on the shelves are from our own family homes or from a time when we travelled separately or together to wonderful places. There’s the un-tunable piano that I gave to Phil as a Christmas present or the fabulous mismatched tea cups Phil’s aunt gave to us a wedding present. The mural I painted on my daughter’s wall during the first lockdown or the stairs and landing we worked on together. Every lamp, light fitting, wall color, floor covering, cushion, chair, switch, and socket has been considered and thought about. It’s still a work in progress but an enjoyable one.
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? The beautiful paintings by Eoghan O’Driscoll or the fabulous print by John Pedder, which Phil’s family kindly gave me as a birthday present. The fireside chair we bought in the charity shop and got reupholstered or the headboard we made and stapled together ourselves (to suggest we reupholstered it would be a stretch!) All the unique Irish pottery that adorns our shelves, which were wedding presents from friends and family. The piano (that cost more to get delivered than the piano itself), the Ercol chairs, the old school desk. Most items in our home have a story or narrative that makes them special to us.
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: We had little to no storage when we moved in, which was a real struggle. By far the best storage solution in this home is the birch ply wardrobe/ shelving unit we got made for the boy’s room. It is floor-to-ceiling height and almost four meters wide. It houses all the stuff and makes the room easy to tidy quickly. The boys love it. Together with a gifted carpenter called Nigel we designed it exactly how we wanted it. There are two little cubby holes along the side of it, which are a nice design feature.
What’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? I’m no expert but I have learned a lot in six years. Be brave. Be patient. Don’t compromise. Anything is possible.
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
by Furnishly | Jun 28, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
Name: Elisabeth Riksen
Location: Grünerløkka — Oslo, Norway
Size: 818 square feet
Type of Home: Factory apartment
Years lived in: 1 year, owned
I’ve been lucky enough to live in some great houses and apartments but had a long-time dream of living in a loft or factory apartment. A space with that indescribable wow-factor, preferably with an industrial vibe, plus more room for art, books, and everything else that I love and collect. Having made my stir-crazy-from-WFH-in-my-kitchen-during-a-pandemic mind up to go for it I literally listed, showed, sold, viewed, purchased, and moved in within 12 weeks in the summer of 2020.
I impulsively stopped by this space on my way to a viewing in the building next door and fell head over heels. It just felt so right! Working from home, with lockdown after lockdown, I have spent an unprecedented amount of time at home and am so thankful for the joy and energy this space continues to give me. I love the neighbourhood with its mix of independent shops and markets, restaurant, cafés, and bustling bars and concert venues, plus the quiet residential streets, riverside walks, parks, and squares. Also I adore that I have an operational chocolate factory next door.
I have almost 100 plants, and probably 1000 books. I love music and work with music PR. I have worked in the Norwegian and international music industry for most of my adult life but couldn’t carry a tune or play an instrument even if my life depended on it. I sold 90% of my record collection before moving here and it feels strange, but also liberating, that it no longer defines my interior as it has done previously.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Scandinavian minimalism done wrong. I aspire to a light, orderly, and neutral space with pared down design. And then, without really noticing, fill it up with art, books, plants and, well, stuff. It looks semi-cluttered, but there is order in the madness and if you open closets, drawers, and cupboards you’ll see I run a tight ship.
Inspiration: Homes with a distinctive character where you can tell something about who lives there, whether it’s minimal or maximal, neutral or bright, modern or classic. I find real homes in magazines, online, and on Instagram — especially “house tours” such as on Apartment Therapy — very inspirational, as I much prefer that to something overly styled and trendy. I love variety and personality and find a lot of inspiration and pleasure in seeing homes that are very different to mine!
Favorite Element: Apart from the sense of space the double height living space gives, most definitely the bespoke bookcase in the living room! I really like how you can’t see it until you’ve walked almost all the way through the apartment as otherwise it would’ve defined the space instantly, plus because the “grand reveal” is so fun. Even people who have seen photos are wowed by it.
Biggest Challenge: The apartment was very pared down when I viewed it. Super cool, but not at all practical with the almost totally open plan solution. The entry with hardly any storage leading almost directly into the galley kitchen and through to the living room, plus a bedroom with no storage, and the open mezzanine area. I needed for it to be a practical home and home office with plenty of both out-of-view and on-display storage. Also, the acoustics were abysmal. And there were lockdowns. And I was on a budget. When it turned out that the ceiling spotlights in the bathroom were a fire hazard that needed to be addressed promptly, that naturally ate up the chunk of money I had set aside for more fun things. So some things were put on hold while I found alternative solutions for others.
Proudest DIY: I did a bit of painting, repurposing, and some assembling, including the huge white metal sideboard constructed from six small IKEA lockers that hold a massive amount of overspill from the entry and kitchen both. They fit together so perfectly I should’ve realized they meant for this to be a hack, but I felt very clever at the time. However, I am probably most proud of the 5’10” by 3’11” picture on the living room wall. It is a photo of my horse that I took myself and had printed in a shop where they make advertising banners. I stapled the fabric to oak trim that I got cheap from a carpentry store, then somehow managed to cut the trim to size with the tools I had available and screwed the whole thing directly onto the wall. Even though I know someone professional would have done a more perfect job I really like how it looks, how it improved the acoustics, and that it only cost me around $80 USD altogether. That includes a couple of dollars to the swear jar.
Biggest Indulgence: 818 not-very-practical square feet all to myself! And, of course, the massive custom bookcase in the living room. That is something that I have dreamt of since I was a child and wanted to live in a library. Even if I drew up the design and had a lot of input, I can’t take credit for the superb work of craftsman Tore Bjørnstad of Feiring, Norway. His company Deja Wood works mainly with reclaimed wood, hence the name, and he combined the creative with the practical perfectly. By creating modules in his studio, he saved me a lot of money both because of the material he could use, and how it was both easier and quicker to assemble once he was on site.
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? The mezzanine loft style apartment is located in one of several old factories built in an U-shaped complex in the 1890s. These were repurposed around 2005, adding a huge communal backyard and massive rooftop terrace. The apartments in this building are all slightly different in layout, most with very high ceilings or double height spaces. They are accessed by covered walkways that double as balconies. Despite the fairly generous size my apartment is essentially a one bed, one bath. Where I live, currently work and — when the time comes again — entertain.
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? I am happy with having purchased very few brand-new pieces. Thumbs up from a financial and environmental aspect. But also, I have collected things that I love over time, and am so happy that almost everything has found a place. That being said, my go to for affordable design, practical storage, and heaps of inspiration is IKEA. I have pieces from there that I have owned since the eighties and will normally check if I can get stuff second hand before going to the store.
I did a quick count of brand-new stuff and came to roughly 10 items including the bookshelves, valet stand, bed with storage, living room rug, desk, wall-mounted TV, and three lamps. This if you count the metal lockers as one and disregard small storage bits and bobs and frames that are mostly picked up from IKEA. The apartment is filled with furniture and items I have had for years, decades even, others are bought new or second hand with this space in mind. I needed to trade my lovely tan leather couch in for something smaller and am very happy I experimented with colour by getting the third-hand white leather couch. It’s vintage IKEA, only cost me $75 USD including having someone pick it up for me.
And I absolutely love the look and comfort of the pre-loved Arne Jacobsen chairs that were all sourced over time, including one made in 1973 that was gifted to me. The eight have only cost me a bit more in total than two brand new ones would have.
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: Have realistic expectations and embrace what you love in combination with how you live. Being tidy and organized is key, but if you’re not make sure you have plenty of out-of-sight storage. A combo of purpose-built, smart, and cheap (hello IKEA) storage does the trick for me. Also any furniture that does double duty by having storage is a winner.
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Make it personal!
Build your home like you would an art collection: over time and by getting things that speak to you. When you love every single piece, it somehow always ends up working as a whole. Also, when it isn’t totally fashionable or on trend, neither does it end up being totally unfashionable or dated. Adding just a few custom or vintage pieces, some original art, and a statement plant or two that you like the look of will transform a generic space. And if you think scented candles are expensive, I recommend moving next door to a chocolate factory!
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
