Among the domestic interiors featured in our current lookbook are a converted Belgian barn and a pine-lined house in Japan, as well as dwellings marked by staircases that include bookshelves.
Bookshelf staircases are an ingenious method to incorporate storage in, around, and beside steps, saving room in tiny homes. Architects and interior designers also employ these two-in-one pieces to make bold sculptural statements and bring unique character to a space.
Here are 4 examples of homes that employ bookshelf staircases to reduce clutter or add eccentric flair, ranging from a refurbished east London home to a modest Barcelona flat.
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1. Farleigh Road, UK, by Paolo Cossu Architects
Paolo Cossu Architects designed this east London property with a double-width wood staircase that also functions as a bookcase and a place to relax and read or converse. The reconstructed house was created in this manner to unite the top and lower ground floors, which had previously been partitioned into two different houses.
“We wanted to build a cross-level multi-functional area that felt linked and was part of a bigger permeable living environment,” architect James Kitson said. Paolo Cossu Architects’ refurbishment of a Victorian terrace in east London includes an extra-wide oak staircase that serves as furnishings. The Farleigh Road project entailed converting a four-story mansion that had previously been partitioned into two independent houses into a huge family residence.
2. Bookshelf House, France, by Andrea Mosca
Stepped bookshelves serve as stair bannisters, room separators, and general storage in architect Andrea Mosca’s refurbished house just outside of Paris. On the ground level, bold pouffe-style couches frame the characterful wooden units, which were supposed to seem like stacked boxes rather than flat shelves.
Stepped bookshelves assist to divide and characterise this property refurbished by Italian architect Andrea Mosca just outside of Paris. Mosca created the interior for a family of five who was smitten by a room-length bookcase at a friend’s house where they were living during the makeover.
3. Barcelona apartment, Spain, by Eva Cotman
In this Barcelona apartment refurbished by architect Eva Cotman, a mezzanine guest room and storage area are reached by a miniature geometric staircase that serves as a bookcase.
Every surface, including the spectacular staircase, exposed brick walls, and timber ceiling joists, was painted white to provide a blank, airy canvas for the tenants. “The heart of the home revolves around the library, which divides the dining room from the built-in closet while also connecting the kitchen, dining room, and living room,” Cotman noted.
4. London Home, UK, by Tamir Addadi Architecture
Tamir Addadi Architecture modified a penthouse in London’s Muswell Hill neighbourhood to feature steep white steps that also act as a cage-style bookcase. The structure’s painted wooden panels are interwoven with shelf rails that form discrete chambers for books, while a south-facing skylight illuminates the room from above.
Books can be housed in individual compartments alongside the steps, which were created by the addition of shelving rails fixed between painted wooden panels. A south-facing skylight was designed and installed for the new loft room to bring in additional natural light.
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