There’s no better feeling than picking a book from the shelf and curling up for an afternoon of reading. Bookends are a time-tested way to display the books you love and keep them organized, but it can be challenging to choose from many styles of bookends available.
Whether you need to keep textbooks organized on your desk or you want the perfect pair of bookends to complete your home library, there are plenty of stylish options to choose from, like Urban Industrial Craft’s Edison Bookend Lamp, which features a built-in retro Edison bulb to light up your book collection.
What to know before you buy bookends
Book size
Tall books like atlases or cookbooks stay up better with taller bookends, and your shelf design looks more proportional, too. Mass-market or other paperbacks look better with shorter bookends. Look for L-shaped bookends that sit underneath as well as next to books for maximum support.
Book weight
Lightweight paperbacks can be easily kept in place with smaller, lighter bookends. Hardcovers need the support of heavier bookends. It’s also important to keep the weight capacity of your bookshelves in mind. Overloading a shelf with too-heavy books plus stone or cast iron bookends can lead to a messy and expensive collapse.
Bookend aesthetic
Bookends are a great way to express your design style. Match farmhouse or transitional décor with concrete, antique brass or distressed wood. A more modern room is better suited to simple shapes in glass or metal. You can even bracket your books by genre, pairing your fantasy epics with stone or antique bookends and your sci-fi with geometric wire, glass or metal.
Bookend for every home library features
Selecting bookends requires finding the right balance between appearance and functionality. Bookends can be solely decorative, but they can also serve to divide up shelf space and protect your books.
Functionality vs. aesthetic
Maybe you have lots of paperbacks that need extra support to retain their shape, or maybe you’re looking for a cute decorative addition to your shelves. Just be certain you know which type you’re purchasing, because relying on purely decorative bookends to support heavy books can lead to damaged books and household items. Whether you’re shopping for appearance or performance, you can find bookends to meet your needs in almost any style: classical or industrial, nautical or fantasy, kitschy or minimalist.
L-shaped design
While some bookends rely on their own weight to keep books upright, others are designed with a horizontal arm that slides under books to use their own weight to keep them in place. L-shaped bookends also typically offer a greater range of heights from 6-12 inches.
Adjustability
Some L-shaped bookends can be made taller to accommodate larger books, while other styles feature an expanding accordion-like connection that holds bookends together.
Slip protection
Even the heftiest of bookends can benefit from non-slip foam or rubber feet to keep them from sliding. Some bookends include optional non-slip feet or come with them attached. You can add your own to most models if you’re concerned about sliding.
Materials
Wooden bookends give a room a casual and natural feel, while brass or gold finish adds elegance. Concrete and stone tend to be more expensive, but they can be relied on to hold most books in place. Simple sheet metal bookends are available in unique designs — or no designs at all, if you’re looking for an invisible way to keep your shelves organized.
Bookend for every home library cost
Low-profile metal bookends that prioritize function over design can be found for $15 or less. Bookends made from natural materials or incorporating design features like moving parts, magnets or sculpture can cost $30-$100.
Bookend for every home library FAQ
How can I tell how sturdy a bookend is?
A. Plastic and sheet metal bookends can’t always handle larger, heavier books, and while materials like metal, stone or concrete seem heavy enough to do the job, top-heavy designs or styles lacking non-slip feet won’t be sturdy enough for all types of books. If you need a lot of support from your bookends, look for a pair with a wide base, which provides a low center of gravity and more stability.
How big should bookends be?
A. For taller books, look for a height of at least 7 inches and either a wide, heavy base or an L-shaped design. Bookends for shorter paperbacks can be as short as 5 inches tall.
Which bookends for every home library should I get?
Best of the best bookends for every home library
Urban Industrial Craft Edison Bookend Lamp: available at Amazon
Our take: These customizable wooden bookends incorporate an Edison bulb for a charming vintage industrial touch that’s suited to steampunk fans and farmhouse-style enthusiasts alike.
What we like: Available in three different wood finishes and with an option for dimmable bulbs, these handmade bookends add distinctive quality to your shelves.
What we dislike: The comparatively lightweight construction is best for smaller, lighter books.
Best bang for your buck bookends for every home library
Shikaman BOOK Decorative Metal Bookends: available at Amazon
Our take: Equally at home in almost any décor style, these cute, low-profile metal bookends suit a variety of tastes.
What we like: They’re available in four colors, and their L-shaped design adds stability. Non-slip feet on the bottom keep books steady and protect furniture from scratching.
What we dislike: They might not be sturdy enough for taller books.
Honorable mention bookends for every home library
17 Stories Fossil Stone Zeus Non-Skid Bookends: available at Wayfair
Our take: Handcrafted from fossil-laden stone, these neutral-toned bookends complement design aesthetics ranging from traditional to modern minimalist.
What we like: At 5 pounds each, they’re sturdy enough to hold up heavier hardbacks. They come with felted bottoms so they won’t scratch your shelves.
What we dislike: The felt pads are white, which may stand out on darker bookshelves.
Laura Duerr is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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