Bookcases

What is a bookcase and which wood should you choose

A bookcase is a vertical storage piece with shelves for books, decoration and personal belongings. The wood type determines both the look and the load-bearing capacity. Solid mango is sleek and even and carries the weight of a lot of books without difficulty. Reclaimed teak has character and a weathered, warm look that suits country and hotel chic interiors. Suar wood adds the most character with its marbling. Feel free to ask for advice in the showroom on which type suits your space.

Open or closed: which version suits you

An open bookcase shows off all your books and gives a light, airy look. A closed model with doors or glass panels protects the contents from dust and gives a calmer, tidier impression. If you want the best of both, choose a stacked cabinet that combines open compartments with doors or drawers. Models with shelves at the top and drawers at the bottom are practical if you want to store both books and smaller items.

Sizing advice and layout

Our bookcases have adjustable shelves, usually in steps of 3 to 5 cm, so you can adapt the layout flexibly to the height of your books. For large coffee table books, leave a compartment of roughly 35 cm; for paperbacks around 25 cm is enough. A cabinet 180 cm high and 90 cm wide with five shelves holds roughly 200 books, or around 25 books per linear metre of shelf space. That lets you estimate in advance how much space you need.

Care and stability

Solid wood stays beautiful with simple care: dust regularly and wipe up spills immediately. Top up the wood periodically with furniture oil to keep the colour deep. Lower models up to roughly 160 cm generally stand stably on their own. We fix taller bookcases to the wall for extra stability, which we would certainly recommend if there are children in the house. That way the cabinet stands safely, even when it is full.

Why buy a bookcase at Mokana, and made to measure

In our furniture store at Hogelandsingel 49 in Enschede you can experience the materials and models before you choose, which makes the decision a good deal easier. Many of our bookcases can also be ordered made to measure: a different size, layout or wood type, for example to fill a complete wall. The delivery time for made-to-measure work is generally 8 to 12 weeks. We deliver throughout the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, including assembly, and paying in instalments is possible.

What else goes well with a bookcase

A bookcase is rarely a solo act. Combine it with a sideboard or TV unit in the same wood type for a calm, coherent wall. An armchair with a good reading lamp beside it turns the corner by your bookcase into a real reading spot. If you choose decoration and accessories that match the tone of the wood, the cabinet really does come into its own as the centrepiece of the room.