A bookcase that fades behind the books

Books on show, a piece that steps back

The brief was clear: a piece both decorative and discreet, one that truly belongs to the aesthetic of the house. The space was to fill up with books, not with furniture: the whole upper part stays open, and it is the books that make the décor. I made the whole piece in three-ply panelThree-ply panel (known as panneau 3 plis in French): a solid wood panel made of three cross-bonded layers, here in spruce. The cross structure makes it very stable, and the grain is that of real wood. spruce, in two parts. The lower part is closed by doors, with behind each of them a mid-height shelf and a box unit. And for the handles, knobs all different from one another: a small detail that gives the front its character.

An irregular layout, right up to the sloping ceiling

The upper part rises to the ceiling: the uprights carry on up and follow the slope of the roof. I worked out the layoutLayout (known as calepinage in French): the precise drawing of how the parts of a piece are arranged. Here, the position of every upright and every shelf, settled before making. so that the spacings are all irregular, on both axes: the shelf heights as much as the widths between uprights. That is what makes it possible to store books of every size without losing space, and it breaks the monotony of a classic bookcase. In the centre, a closed compartment hides the electrical supply, brought in from the back of the piece: the light comes straight out of the front of the bookcase. As on all my projects, the arrangement was approved in 3D views before a single panel was cut.

At the end, rounded shelves that float

The right-hand part finishes with rounded shelves on invisible fixingsInvisible fixing: a fitting technique with no visible hardware. Here, a batten of the same species is set into the thickness of the shelf and blends in completely once the shelf is in place.. The horizontal rails carry on past the side panel and finish in a curve, holding a few decorative pieces. The effect is exactly what we were after: floating, light, airy. A shape elegant enough to be noticed, without ever imposing itself on the room.

The questions I often get asked

Is a three-ply panel as strong as a classic solid wood board? How much weight can a shelf on invisible fixings carry? Can a bookcase be built in under any sloping ceiling? Which species should you choose for a piece you look at every day?

I have practical answers to all of that, and two articles to dig further: Which wood species for a piece of furniture? and Wood-based panels: a cabinetmaker's complete guide. For your own case, call me: the quote is free. I speak English, so feel free to call or write in English.