Tables Made Out Of Books
Categories: DIY: Done in a Day, Fun Stuff, Crafts & Projects, Design, etc
I love books. In fact, I'm the kind of person who has a hard time parting with books, even after I have read them and it is unlikely that I will read them again. Because of this literary love, I was thrilled when I found several projects that made tables out of books. While some of these creations are beyond the scope of the average D.I.Y.-er, others are totally doable. In either case, I was inspired by the concept of books as furniture.
Spotted on The Design Files blog was this amazing book counter at the Brunswick Bound bookstore in Melbourne, Australia. Architect Christie Petsinis, who helped the owners with the interior design of the store, conceived of the book counter.
This project from Design*Sponge is a side table made out of old books, leather belts and a wooden top. The full post has instructions for how you can create your own book table at home.
Another project you can make yourself comes from Abby Clawson Low, a former senior art director for Kate Spade, who now has her own design company HI + LOW. Abby re-imagined an IKEA Lack side table with books for Time Out New York. Abby told Time Out New York, "I love to buy books, and my husband loves to read them," says Low. "Naturally, all of our tables are stacked with books."
On the high end, via Design Boom, is a table designed by Richard Hutton and shown at Milan Design Week in 2008 and exhibited as part of a collection of seven pieces of furniture titled "Layers." The table's legs are stacks of books and a top of books laid flat.
On the other end of the spectrum is a stool made from another type of printed matter, which sold for a buck during Design for a Dollar: The Pratt student booth at the 2009 ICFF earlier this year. According to the Los Angeles Times, The Mag stool by Li-Rong Liao is composed of rolled, glued magazines.
Photo: The Design Files
Photo: Design*Sponge
Photo: Time Out New York
Photo: Design Boom
Photo: The Los Angeles Times
On the other end of the spectrum is a stool made from another type of printed matter, which sold for a buck during Design for a Dollar: The Pratt student booth at the 2009 ICFF earlier this year. According to the Los Angeles Times, The Mag stool by Li-Rong Liao is composed of rolled, glued magazines.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pamwalter 1-07-2010 @ 11:45AM
As a fellow bookophile, I love these also!
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Laura Fenton 1-07-2010 @ 5:03PM
Aren't they great? I can't get enough of these!
luann 1-19-2010 @ 4:21PM
wouldn't it be bibliophile?
Nouche 1-10-2010 @ 3:20PM
It is a wonder Idea how to make a table from all the extra books. And I love the display of the magazines.
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David Cook CPA 1-10-2010 @ 3:56PM
Most original idea I have seen in a long time. That big book counter would look GREAT in our office with a large jar of beans labeled "Counted" on one corner and another labeled "Uncounted" on the other. What a great conversaltion piece it would make for our 100 year old bookkeeping/cpa firm (WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD BOOKS). What fun!
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Autumn 1-11-2010 @ 12:12AM
I don't like them. How are you supposed to read these books without pulling about the furniture? I think it's a waste of books.
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Carole 1-24-2010 @ 12:55PM
I agree! And the designs that horrify me are the ones that require a post to be inserted through the interior books for stability! On the other hand, it does come closer to preserving the printed material that tossing them in the trash or burning them! I worry about the disappearance of print and everything being in an easily revised digital format!
Sonja 1-13-2010 @ 10:35PM
It's a good use for the many books people have around their homes that will never be read again.
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uh no! 1-15-2010 @ 5:04PM
u cant be serious. so tacky. it's like a homeless shack meets a lbrary alley
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Vandreyer 1-15-2010 @ 7:38PM
I have no books that I will never read again because I give what few I get rid of away to charities, friends, and book sales. I feel this is a totally self absorbed and disrespectful way to deal with books. There are plenty of people who would love to have a book you no longer want.
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Chris 1-17-2010 @ 11:47AM
Magazines yes.......book tables no.....a poor choice for books...
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Nolka 1-18-2010 @ 3:01PM
I think it's a great way to recycle. I have seen too many books thrown away because no one wanted them........ The counter is pretty nice. Just make sure you don't burry that ONE book, as it always seems to be, in the middle of it all. lol. I would suggest the reference books we pick up or text books will always be a good use, so these romance novels or fiction novels are one that can be reused creatively. I do have a question though. As probably many people do know when entering into a library, the smell of old, musty books will hit you. HOW do you take , esp. large quantity of books, such as the counter (and the books may just be on the outside holding up the counter, not completely filled.) how does one protect these books from becoming musty or mildewy in time, as well as from spills and other dirt? I usually donate my books, but know of some places who are stacked to the top with old books, and would like to show them this article, along with a long term solution to preserve them. who knows, someday, someone may want to go through that whole stack and read those. they do not have to be glued together. the weight of them on top of ech other and then perhaps a frame on the inside to lean them against will suffice.
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ANNA 1-23-2010 @ 8:33PM
I think this idea is one of the greatest I've seen yet for recycling. With everyone in the world trying to recycle so as not to add to the excess that we've created in our "disposable" world, I totally disagree with "Vandreyer". Have you been living in another society?
Business' dealing with the printed word are having trouble staying in business with everything you want to read on the internet, including daily newspapers, magazines, reference material, etc. I too am an avid book reader however I'm running into more and more people who don't read for pleasure. I salute these ideas
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tee 1-23-2010 @ 9:57AM
I have seen decorative boxes made from magazines..pages rolled up tight and glued together..so cool. I am not wild about the way the books look..kind of messy/cluttered, but still, a good idea if you like to keep the books you read that you really loved! I donate a lot each year.. I wouldn't put it in the living room..the den or bedroom, I might!
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ANNA 1-23-2010 @ 8:44PM
two things. this is a story about a "home" being sold. not politics, not Cher's ability, etc. Second, in reply to the education level of people, a grade level completed or achieved or a graduation of a certain number of years of schooling do not guarantee intelligence.
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capt.walka 1-29-2010 @ 10:16AM
If you'd like to see a real waste of books go to any landfill in any town in the USA. There are also enormous numbers of outdated reference/text books, damaged books, and just plain lousy books discarded by libraries & schools every day - otherwise they'd be swamped by them. Better to use unwanted books in a creative way like these folks have, like making furniture.
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