 |
Contemporary Mahogany Bookshelves |
|
|
|
Contemporary Mahogany Bookshelves |
|
(Click any photo for a close-up view)
(Click any photo for a close-up view)
These mahogany bookshelves were designed to achieve a number of diverse goals in the client's home:
First and foremost, they needed to replace a set of old shelves which were literally sagging under the weight of the large number of books in the client's home office
Second, since space in the home was limited, it was suggested that the shelves be able to house a 42" plasma screen and home theater components, while hiding the associated wiring for the electronics and speakers
Finally, the design needed to achieve a very simple, contemporary look in order to blend seamlessly together with the other furnishings in the room
The photos above show the resulting bookshelf installation that came out of the design process. The shelves and vertical supports are all heavily proportioned (triple the thickness of an average bookshelf), both for visual weight in a large structure such as this wall unit and for the actual load bearing capacity of this heavy-duty design. The client wanted a darker, elegant wood so mahogany was selected for this project. I found a nice supply of ribbon-striped mahogany (in both solid wood and veneered ply), which gives the finished result a modest dynamic quality since the wood appearance changes from different viewing angles. To avoid detracting from the simplicity of the design and natural beauty of the mahogany, hidden methods of joinery have been selected so that no nails, screws, or other fastening hardware is visible.
The depth of each bookshelf section was progressively increased towards the center section, which not only produces a very intriguing aesthetic effect, but also results in the added depth needed to properly house the home theater electronics. The plasma screen is recessed into the front of the center bookshelf section so that it is flush with the face of the cabinetry. All wiring for the electronic components and surround sound speakers is routed through internal channels in the horizontal/vertical shelving components, which is made possible by the large sizes of these structural members.
During installation of these bookshelves, I cabled all the home theater components and then tuned the system for optimal performance in this modest-sized room. Overall, I'm pleased with the beautiful outcome of the shelving components, plus the manner in which the plasma screen draws the viewer's eye toward the center of the design.
11 feet (132") wide, 8' (96") tall, and varying depth shelves (12", 15", and 18").
For other bookshelf installations, please visit the Bookshelves & Built-Ins page. To take a look at more sophisticated home theater applications, see the Home Theater page. Since these bookshelves are part of a home office, you can view some of my other work on the Home Office page. Finally, to see other contemporary styled projects, please visit the Contemporary page.
Cabinet pricing is dependent on a wide variety of factors that can drastically alter the final cost. Cabinet quantities/sizes, material selection, construction methods, accessories, and finishes all impact the pricing. The mahogany bookshelves shown on this page cost approximately $4,200, including materials, labor, and installation, and home theater component wiring.