Where to Buy a Corner Bookcase?

Quite often I find myself wondering where I am going to store the massive book collection I own. I was an English Literature major in college and have always held the

opinion that it is better to purchase a book than it is to rent a book. I like to own what I read and that has left me with a surplus of books that I don’t have much room for. If this happens to you as well, it might be time to start thinking about buying a new bookcase. Might I suggest purchasing a corner bookcase?

Corner bookcases are compact and they fit neatly into most rooms. They go well with any décor and you can usually fit a lot of books in them. The smaller ones are pretty nice to

use as end or night tables and you can get away with putting up some potted plants or something on some of the fancier versions.

The problem is, the corner bookcase is a bit hard to find sometimes. It’s easy to find just any old bookcase but if you want that perfect bookcase you’ll have to dig a little bit. I’ve compiled a sample list of some of the places you can go to buy really nice looking corner bookcases (and other sorts of bookcases) without breaking your wallet in half.

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There are three primary paths to take in purchasing a corner bookcase. These are:

1.    Online 2.    Retail Stores 3.    Private Dealers

All three have their own strengths and weaknesses but there are some tricks to finding exactly what you want. Allow me to explain:

Online: The internet is an infinite marketplace sometimes. You can find just about anything if you’re willing to work hard enough at it and a corner bookcase isn’t that rare of an item to find. There are three main websites that I go to first when shopping for a corner bookcase, they don’t really require a ranking because they are all pretty good:

•    Craigslist

Craigslist is a great spot to check out if you’re looking for used furniture. It’s a locally oriented social website where people in your area can post listings about stuff they are trying to sell. My friends and I have had great success finding and selling a ton of furniture through craigslist. I’ve found couches, beds, desks, lamps, bookcases… you name it. If you’re city is big enough, there is probably someone trying to sell what you are looking for.

•    Amazon.com

Amazon is a general outlet store. It sells everything from furniture to video games and all of their stuff ranges in quality from top of the line to bottom of the barrel. They have some really nice bookcases on there right now as I’m writing this and you can find some in all different shapes and sizes. The only problem with Amazon is that you have to have the bookcase shipped to you. It . . . → Read More: Where to Buy a Corner Bookcase?

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What’s in our Corner Bookcase? Discussion: Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Every month or so here at the Corner Bookcase we will be taking an in-depth look into some of the literature found in our personal corner bookcases. There are so many books out there to talk about so we’re just going to close our eyes and choose one at random, read it, and then discuss it.

This month we’ve selected Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles. It actually works out wonderfully because a new blockbuster movie starring Robert Downy Jr is coming out soon based on the character of Sherlock Holmes. The movie version won’t be much like the novel I’m sure, but its certainly worth a look.

Anyway, on with the discussion:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in his novel The Hound of the Baskervilles sets up the protagonist of the story, Sherlock Holmes as the ideal personality for modern Victorian men. The ideology Holmes was created to represent is a simple one: science is good. Doyle achieves this representation through not only the characterization and attitude of Holmes the character himself but also through contrasting characters and ideas found in the work.

Holmes first and foremost is represented as a man of science. Within the very first fifteen or so pages of the story Doyle is careful to place Holmes into circumstances that display his scientific prominence. “I had hardly expected so dolichocephalic a skull or such a well-marked supra-orbital development”(Doyle, 16) Doyle uses the scientific language of the period to boast Holme’s expertise.

Aside from the depiction of Holme’s character Doyle also employs another technique to cement Sherlock as the ideal modern man; he contrasts him with a lesser mindset. The entire novel is set up to compare and contrast the modern world against the feudal world. Holmes, a modern man by all accounts, is sent into a dark and mystical Moor to solve a crime.

Every character lacking modernity gives in to the fallacy that the murder was caused by a magical hound of lore. However, in contrast to them, Holmes is able to use tools of modernity (scientific deduction and observation) to solve the crime and save the people of the uncivilized society.

Holmes is a clear representation of the modern ideology. Use science as much as possible, it is the superior mode of thinking and can be used to aid those who have fallen behind the times.

Doyle’s novel is full of binaries. However, all of them are linked by one major belief system of the Victorian era. This belief is in the redemptive power of the imperialist. The major symbolic contrast in The Hound of the Baskervilles is held between the imperialist and the savage, modern thought against the mystic. The idea that the colonizer is actually helping a colonized people by jumping into their culture and attempting to fast forward their civilizations into the future can be found in almost every element of the novel.

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. . . → Read More: What’s in our Corner Bookcase? Discussion: Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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What to Do with Your Old Corner Bookcase?

Nothing lasts forever, not even corner bookcases. Eventually you’re going to want to get rid of your old bookcase and replace it with a nicer one. Maybe you’re moving to a bigger place and the one you have doesn’t match what you’re design plans are or maybe you’ve collected even more books than you thought you would and have outgrown the bookcase you own. Whatever the reason, you have a new bookcase and need to get rid of the old one. What can you do?

Before you do anything it would be a good idea to think of other uses your old bookcase can provide. I’ve used many of my old bookcases as TV stands and they work great because you can then use the shelves for DVD storage. Old furniture shouldn’t go to waste, there are too many other uses for it.

But, if you simply must get rid of it, there are a few things you can do with your old unwanted bookcases. You could throw them away… but this one is not a very good option. Why throw a way such a useful piece of furniture? You could turn it into something else or store something other than books in it. That might be a reasonable solution but if you don’t have the space in your place for a secondary bookcase, well, it might not work out too well. The best way to go about getting rid of your old bookcase is to sell it to someone else.

When you sell your corner bookcase you’ll not only free up the space but you’ll get something out of it also. If it’s a bookcase that you built yourself you’ll be able to say proudly that someone wanted to buy a piece of furniture that you made and even if you didn’t make it you’ll feel good about the wad of new cash in your pocket.

But where do you start? How can you sell this worn out piece of furniture? If you don’t want it, who will? Trust me, someone will. There are some precautions you can take though if you’re willing to take the time.

Before listing your bookcase anywhere for sale, it might be a good idea to polish it up a bit. Make it look nice by sanding down the rough spots and refinishing it. Maybe choose a new paint color or stain it a different shade of brown. There are all sorts of things you can do to make a bookcase look fresh and new again. Once you’ve got it ready to put up for sale, you should decide where you want to sell it.

Just like when you first purchased your corner bookcase there were many retail outlets to choose from, well now there are many seller outlets to choose from as well. Here are some examples:

Online

Selling stuff online is great. There are tons of sites out there just waiting for you to throw up some old stuff of yours . . . → Read More: What to Do with Your Old Corner Bookcase?

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Decorating Your Corner Bookcase

Well, you’ve purchased or built a corner bookcase of your own and you’re ready to make it look amazing. A carefully decorated bookcase can add style and character to any room but it is important not too go over board.

A bookcase should stand out but it should also be subtle enough to not stick out like a sore thumb. The idea is to present your books in a refined, dignified, cool manner. Don’t decorate your book case in opposition to the rest of your room, make sure that it blends nicely with the original décor.

Here are some ideas on decorating your particular bookcase. These are some concepts that I have been toying with and they are also some that I have implemented in my own home at times. Test out a bunch of different options and see what works best for you. No matter what I say, we all have different eyes and perceive beauty differently. What might look fantastic to you will not necessarily be someone else’s cup of tea. Keep that in mind as we proceed.

Outside the Bookcase:

What exactly do I mean by outside the bookcase? Well, I’m talking about the paint job, color, and style of the bookcase as well as what you can put on top or below the bookcase. Many people overlook the potential of the top part of the bookcase and tend to just store random junk and knick knacks up there but you could do so much more.

Think about putting a potted plant, maybe one that kind of drapes down its leaves over a portion of the shelving. It will create a nice looking canopy effect and give your room a little more green flare.

You can also spruce up the bookcase by contrasting colors. If you have a dark brown or chestnut stain job you could put on top of it a white linen or doilies pattern. It might make your room look like a 17th century living room but if that’s the look you want to achieve it would be a perfect touch.

One can never go wrong with putting family portraits or other pictures up there on the top of a bookcase either. Try mixing and matching different frame combinations and angle the pictures so that they are easy to see.

Cupcake Gumball Machine

Inside the Bookcase:

Bookcases are not necessarily just for books. Even though a vast collection of books can make a bookcase look elegant and scholarly, adding a touch of something else here and there makes it look nice too.

When I was in high school I used to sit some antique gum ball machines next to some of the books on my shelf. I also had some model figurines that I mixed in there as well. You always want to fill the bookcase mostly with books but on one or two of the shelves you can put a focus point knick knack . . . → Read More: Decorating Your Corner Bookcase

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How to Build a Corner Bookcase?

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So you’re interested in building a cute little corner bookcase of your own, eh? Well, you’ve come to the right place my friend. Let me give you some quick but helpful tips that will get you started in the process of constructing your own one of a kind corner bookcase. You’ll feel good once you’ve finished and it’s a great piece to show off to friends (if you do a good job that is) and it’s not as difficult as it sounds.

First let me say that it would be prudent to speak directly to an expert artisan or carpenter before beginning any sort of job like this. This is one of the few simple woodworking projects but unless you are an expert yourself, there is always something a master can teach you. So, be safe and seek additional assistance.

Let’s begin by spelling out some of the necessary tools and supplies you’ll need to acquire before embarking on this hobby corner bookcase project.

Minimum Tools Required:

•    Hammer and Nails (nail size depends on the thickness of the wood) •    Screwdrivers and some Screws/Brads (flat head and Phillips would be ideal) •    Power drill with assorted drill bits

Minimum Supplies Required: •    At least 3 pieces of lumber •    Some L brackets •    Plywood or a similar thin hardwood •    Wood stain or paint •    Sand Paper

Once you’ve gone out and purchased all of those supplies at your local hardware store it is time to start thinking about placement and design. There are many varieties of corner bookcases and all of them when made by hand will have a charming homemade look that will be hard to find anywhere else. If it is your first time building one of these bookcases I would recommend starting with something small and simple. That way you can get the hang of the construction work and create much nicer pieces in the future.

Some example styles are: 29 corner bookcase•    29” Corner Bookcase: this is a nice one for beginnings. It is small and compact and it has a simple covered design with just one shelf in the middle.

corner_bookcase_cabinet_2•    Angel Front Base Bookcase Cabinet: a bit more complicated but similar to the basic 29” corner bookcase. This one adds a few more shelves and also a glass door in front.

wireframe corner bookcase•    Wireframe corner bookcase: these are modern concept corner bookcases. Very minimalist as the shelves is wide open and exposed. Nice for those rooms with tight corners.

Now that you’ve selected your style you can decide which corner in your house would be the prime location for your one of a kind corner bookcase. I like to put my corner bookcase in the bedroom or the den. . . . → Read More: How to Build a Corner Bookcase?

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