Weve all dreamed of a sweeping wall of bookcases filled with literary classics and a rolling library ladder for reaching the top shelf, where your next perfect read is waiting. And while there are many ways to display your books and collections (like floating shelves, free-standing bookcases, or even as stacks on your coffee or bedside table), nothing comes close to the form-meets-function of well-appointed built-in bookshelves.So if youre a lover of books, a collector of trinkets, or have a more-is-more sensibility, youve come to the right place (there never seems to be enough space for those treasures that spark joy!). Traditionally built-in bookshelves have been confined to living rooms, family rooms, home offices, and studies, and, of course, libraries. But designers are getting more creative, with book nooks sneaking their way into unexpected and delightful places like dining rooms, at the end of hallways, and even bathrooms (you know you read in the bathtub!). So keep scrolling to see beautiful ideas for adding new a built-in bookcase to your home or upgrading the bookshelves you already have. That library ladder is calling. Here are even more design ideas for book lovers and trinket collectors alike:1Paint Your Woodwork a Pretty ColorStacy Zarin GoldbergIn this family room, designer Cameron Ruppert took a cozy stone space with wood beams and added style and function withwall-to-wall blue-painted bookcases with custom strawberry vine needlepoint panels. The space is outfitted with an antique trestle table and chairs that serves double-duty as a workspace or gathering spot for playing cards or board games.Get the Look:Bookcase Paint Color: Stone Blue by Farrow and BallRELATED: The Top 100 Paint Colors For Every Room in Your House2Work with Your ArchitectureMary Margaret SmithDesigner Mark D. Sikes dreamed up this happy little corner in a home in Birmingham. Working with the quirky slant of the roof, he embraced the shape of this room and added a happy assortment of books and trinkets. Spines arranged by color add to the happy spirit. RELATED: 70 Stylish Kids Room Ideas That Even Grownups Will LoveAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below3Think Beyond BooksAlpha SmootWhen temperatures drop in autumn, homeowner Justin Reis stacks firewood along the bottom of his living room built-ins, which are painted a deep navy that took three tries to get right. Get the Look:Wall and Bookcase Paint Color: Dark Navy by BehrRELATED: Tour More of This Connecticut Georgian Colonial That is an Old House Lovers Dream4Use Reclaimed WoodAnnie SchlechterReclaimed barn boards add cozy texture to the walls of this primary bedroom, which features built-in shelves and an antique Swedish desk topped with a collection of tramp art boxes.RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Buying and Using Reclaimed WoodAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Create a Multi-Use RoomMarta Xochilt PerezNo library? No problem. Inspired by Irish pubs they visited during their travels, Minnesota homeowners Jeff and Jill Murphy created what the family calls its Dibrary, a dining alcove lined with bookcases.Get the Look: Wall Paint Color:Deep Caviar by Benjamin MooreRELATED: See More of This Dream Cottage on Minnesotas Lake Pulaski6Create a Campy SpaceBrie WilliamsHomeowner Kelly Gray On Golden Pond as major style inspirations for her choices, such as this living rooms rattan chairs that have drink and magazine holders. The perfectly crammed built-in bookcases add to the campy spirit of the room. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below7Balance with a WindowBecky Luigart-StaynerHomeowner and Country Living Editor-in-Chief Rachel Barrett filled her original built-ins in the family room of this former hunting lodge with antique treasures. The symmetrical casing with the window on the right side of the room brings balance to the fireplace wall. Get the Look:Sofas: "Madeline" by Kathy Kuo HomeSconces: "Flea Market" lantern from Circa LightingVintage Books and Trophies: from Palladio Home & GardenRELATED: Tour more of this before and after former hunting lodge in Mississippi.8Keep It On ThemeMaura McEvoyHomeowner Carter Smith embraced the mystery of his coastal Maine cottage (and indulged his Scooby-Doo obsessed niece!) when he dreamed up a secret revolving-door bookcase that leads to a powder room. Keeping on theme, he filled the shelves with his collection of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries.RELATED: 26 Collectors Share Their Favorite Carefully Curated Finds From Books To Pie ServersAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below9Dont Overlook the KitchenAdam AlbrightThis inset, channel-back banquette off the kitchen created the perfect narrow space for a built-in shelving nook used for storing cookbooks and extra kitchen knick-knacks. Get the Look:Kitchen Wall Paint Color:Dark Night by Sherwin-WilliamsRELATED: Tour More of This Wisconsin Cabin That Feels Like Happy Hour10Try the Cocoon Effect Peter MurdockPainting your built-ins the same color as your walls and trim can make any room feel more modern and cozy. Bonus: The cocoon effect can really help your books and antiques sing. Here, a vibrant green paint color compliments the warm wood floors and antique desk. Get the Look:Room Paint Color:Arsenic by Farrow & BallRELATED: More green paint colors than will liven up your rooms.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below11Think Outside the BoxPaige RumoreIf were honest, one of lifes great joys is reading a book in the bath. Here, built-in bookshelves in a bold blueish-black hue keep books nearby for just the occasion. Tip: Drop-in, alcove, or undermount tubs like the one shown here are best suited for this look, as they provide a natural base for built-ins.RELATED: Dozens More Ideas to Help You Add Soul to Your Bathroom12Add a Library LadderAaron ColussiWhen the Wright family turned a welding factory into their family home, this library/music room was created to connect two larger sides. The dressed up the simple white built-in shelving with a brand-new rolling library ladder. The nestled-in piano dates back to 1914. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below13Go with Dark Paint for High ContrastRikki SnyderHomeowner Jeannette Fristoe takes a more is more approach to decorating. Here, dark black built-ins showcase a collection of creamy white books and patinaed silver under the careful watch of a flock of antique sheep. Get the Look:Bookcase Paint Color: Jet Black by Behr14Make it ModernJohn GruenIn this Massachusetts cabin, the homeowner set the scene with pickled knotty pine walls and simple bookcases. Filling the shelves with neutral books and objects helps the texture of the wood shine and the graphic tin B, part of an old gas station sign, pop.RELATED: Wood Walls Are Back! Heres Everything You Need to Know About Knotty Pine.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below15Use as a Bedside TableDavid A. LandSkip adding a nightstand to your bedroom and add a floor-to-ceiling bookcase or built-in bookshelf unit instead. Then tuck a comfy reading chair and side table in front to create a reading nook for when youre not quite ready for bedtime. RELATED: The Most Comfortable and Cozy Chairs for Reading16Add Game Room StorageBrie WilliamsBuilt-ins traditionally grace living rooms and libraries, but here they enhance a game room with much-need room for game storage. Additionally, the extra shelving makes room for more personal collections like the homeowners vintage National Geographic magazines, which provide a fun yellow punch.RELATED: See more vintage finds in this Georgia lake house.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below17Surround a WindowDavid A. LandA window can be a lovely anchor for a custom bookcase. The sunny view helps break up visual density and the space underneath the window can be turned into a upholstered window seat or small shelf depending on how deep the space.RELATED: 35+ Cozy Reading Nook Ideas for Whiling Away the Afternoon18Create a Bookshelf NookMarta Xochilt PerezInside this Minnesota lake cottage, a mantel shelf that spans the length of the wall creates clever storage against a wall of moss rock. Besides providing a perch for displaying art and decor, its also accented with a built-in bookcase nook that holds the homeowners large collection of vintage vinyl records and music equipment.Get the Look:Blanket: Wool Throw by Faribault MillRug: Braided Jute Hand Woven Rug by FHYGGERELATED: Tour More of this Dream Cottage on Minnesotas Lake Pulaski.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below19Tuck Them Into a CornerALI HARPERTucked in the corner of the family room, a built-in bookcasepainted the same color as the walls for a calming, cohesive feelholds the homeownerss collections of leather books, earthy pottery, and copper accents. An over-sized upholstered reading chair placed irreverently in front helps the space feel layered and inviting. RELATED: See More of This Dreamy Alabama River Cottage That Beckons You to Slow Down and Savor Every Minute.20Go Floor to CeilingALI HARPERIn this welcoming living room, the homeowners opted to skip lower cabinets and instead ran the built-in shelving from floor to ceiling allowing for even more space for books, artwork, and antiques. Get the Look:Wall, Millwork, and Ceiling Paint Color: Mouses Back by Farrow & BallRELATED: Tour More of This Charming Cottage That is Proof that the Best Things Come in Small Packages.Maribeth B JonesDesign DirectorMaribeth B Jones is the Design Director of Country Living where she creates seasonal content full of warmth and playfulness. When shes not wrangling chickens for a cover shoot you can find her collecting vintage oil portraits or flipping pancakes in her sunny, yellow kitchen with her two chatty daughters.