Cube Bookcases: Hip to Be Square

A perfect, compact example of modern design philosophies in action, cube bookcases used alone or in groups offer endless storage possibilities. We've compiled a style-guide for this often overlooked decorative option.

Cube Bookcases
With their compact size and clean lines, cube bookcases are perfect shelving options for rooms short on space but big on style.

Cube bookcases, as their name implies, are simply squared shelf units stacked to create open cubes that hark back to architect Le Corbusier's striking geometric designs. One of the leaders in establishing modern architecture's form follows function philosophy in the mid-20th Century, Corbusier is noted for popularizing the use of modules, a standardized unit for practical use, such as a cube bookcase.

Many cube bookcases here at BookCasesGalore.com look as though they've been pulled straight from Corbusier's blueprints with their sleek, contemporary shapes, wood or laminate material, and bold-but-basic colors. Some cube bookcases have flat backs, while others are backless, making them smart accent pieces. Place them against brightly painted walls to make a confident statement.

While many of the cube bookcases you'll find here are about 15 inches wide, some are nearly 60 inches wide, and still others come with drawers or cabinet options. Those not in the market for a contemporary styled cube bookcase will find ideal counterparts in our softer cube bookcases with warm wood tones and woven wicker detail.

Try jutting several low-lying cube bookcases against each other under windows or along a wall as an unobtrusive storage component in rooms where the bookcases might not be a focal point. Taller, slimmer cube bookcases are ideal choices for filling narrow spaces between windows and walls or corners, and backless cube bookcases can function both as useful ledges, mounted wall storage, and room dividers in studio layouts.

And of course, keep in mind bookcases are not only for books. The dense, neat structures of cube bookcases serve flawlessly as homes for photographs, collectibles and small pieces of artwork in the living room or bedroom; for linens and soaps in the bathroom; and for awards, certificates and even computer hardware in the office.