Custom bookcase

A custom bookcase gives your books, vinyl and favourite finds a permanent home, from the floor right up to the ceiling. Whether you dream of an open bookcase around a door, a bookcase under a sloping roof or an open niche in your wall unit: you decide every centimetre. 📚

Design your custom bookcase
Custom bookcase under a sloping roof in Lorenzo Walnut, with open shelves and closed cupboards in the attic
Custom walnut book wall around a passage between the living room and kitchen

The benefits of a custom bookcase

A standard bookcase almost always leaves a gap beside or above it. A custom bookcase fills your wall completely and instantly feels built-in. That way, you turn an empty wall into a real book wall with character.

  • Fits to the centimetre, even in alcoves, under stairs and against sloping walls
  • From a low bookcase to a book wall that reaches the ceiling
  • Open shelves, doors and drawers you can combine freely
  • Colour and handles matched to your interior

Every wall becomes a book wall

Awkward spots are exactly where a custom bookcase makes the difference.

  • Floor-to-ceiling bookcase around a door in a blue colour

    Up to the ceiling

    A bookcase up to the ceiling makes use of the full height of your wall. Keep what you need less often at the top and what you reach for every day at the bottom.

  • Custom walnut bookcase following the sloping wall of an attic

    Under a sloping roof

    In the attic, your bookcase neatly follows the sloping wall. That turns the awkward spot under the roof into a reading nook. Looking for a solution for a corner? Take a look at our custom corner cabinets.

  • Open custom walnut bookcase above a passage, with books and a hanging plant

    Around a door or passage

    Let your bookcase run around and above a door. The space above the door becomes extra storage space. There is also room for your books under the stairs.

White custom wall unit with two open niches in a wood finish and a low cabinet with a top

Open niche cabinet: open shelves in your wall unit

Not everything has to sit behind a door. With an open niche cabinet, you build open compartments into your cabinet or wall unit. That way, you combine closed storage with a place to display your books, plants and favourite things. ✹

  • One or more open niches, at the height you choose
  • In the same colour as your fronts or as a contrast
  • Perfect in a wall unit in the living room, bedroom or children's room

Open niche cabinet or open bookcase?

An open bookcase consists entirely of open shelves. An open niche cabinet is a closed cabinet with a few open compartments, ideal if you mainly want storage but would still like to display something beautiful. Prefer a full wall? Put together your own wall unit.

Custom storage cabinet in Sunset and Dusty Coral in a children's room, with doors, drawers and an open bookcase on the side

Open, closed or both?

With a custom bookcase, you don't have to choose between displaying and storing.

  • Open bookcase: all shelves open, your books take centre stage.
  • Bookcase with doors: calm and sleek, with handles of your choice or push to open.
  • The golden combination: closed cupboards or drawers at the bottom and open shelves above. Our favourite! 💛
Custom floor-to-ceiling book wall in Silver Blue around a passage, with open shelves and drawers at the bottom

The ideal dimensions for your bookcase

The right depth and shelf spacing depend on what you want to store. Keep these guidelines in mind:

  • For novels and paperbacks, a shallow bookcase of 20 to 25 cm is enough.
  • A depth of around 30 cm suits most books and decorations.
  • Art books, photo books and vinyl need a depth of 35 cm or more, with some extra space between the shelves.
  • Keep what you use every day at eye level and store the rest in the top compartments.

Tip: would you like to use our measuring service? An expert will gladly visit you at home, measure everything and give you professional interior advice.

Laptop showing the Maatkasten Online 3D configurator for designing your custom bookcase

Design your own bookcase in 3D

Get started now and design your bookcase online. Choose the dimensions, the number of compartments, open or closed modules, your colour and your handles. You see the result straight away, as well as what your design costs.

Design your bookcase
Maatkasten Online cabinet delivered in boxes for self-assembly

Installing your bookcase yourself? It's easier than you think!

Thanks to our smart assembly system with Minifix connectors, anyone can put their bookcase together with ease. Whether you are an experienced DIYer or not, our clear instructions will have your book wall up in no time.

Maatkasten Online showroom in Sint-Martens-Latem

Come and experience your bookcase in our showrooms

How sturdy are the shelves, what does Lorenzo Walnut look like in real life and which handles suit your interior? Come and discover it in our showrooms in Antwerp and Sint-Martens-Latem. Our interior experts are happy to think along with you about your book wall.

Discover the showrooms
Maatkasten Online measurement guarantee

We stand behind your measurements

Measuring for your custom bookcase yourself? Our measurement guarantee lets you order without worries. You only pay the delivery costs.

Discover the measurement guarantee

Frequently asked questions about the custom bookcase

  • How deep should a bookcase be?

    For most books, a depth of around 30 cm is enough. If you mainly have novels and paperbacks, a shallow bookcase of 20 to 25 cm is often sufficient. If you keep art books, large photo books or vinyl records, choose 35 cm or more. With a custom bookcase, you decide the depth yourself.

  • What is an open niche cabinet?

    An open niche cabinet is a cabinet or wall unit with one or more open compartments without a door. You place books, plants or decorations in those open niches, while the rest of your cabinet remains closed storage. That way, you combine storing and displaying in one piece of furniture.

  • Can I have a bookcase made up to the ceiling?

    Yes. Because your bookcase is made to measure, you can let it run all the way up to the ceiling. That way, you use the full height of your wall and get a sleek book wall without a dust edge on top.

  • Can a bookcase fit under a sloping roof or around a door?

    Definitely! A custom bookcase follows the sloping wall of your attic or runs around and above a door or passage. That way, even space that would otherwise be lost becomes a place for your books.

  • Can I combine open shelves with doors or drawers?

    Yes, you can freely combine open shelves, doors and drawers in one cabinet. Many customers choose closed cupboards at the bottom and open shelves above. That way, clutter disappears from view and your favourite books stay on display.

  • Can I assemble my bookcase myself?

    Yes. With our smart assembly system with Minifix connectors, you can easily put your bookcase together yourself, even if you are not an experienced DIYer.

  • Can someone come and measure for my bookcase?

    Yes, with our measuring service an expert visits you at home to measure everything and give you advice. Prefer to measure yourself? Then you can order without worries thanks to our measurement guarantee.

  • How much does a custom bookcase cost?

    The price depends on the dimensions, the number of compartments, doors and drawers, the colour and the handles. In our 3D tool, you put your bookcase together and immediately see what your design costs.

  • Is your question not listed?

    No stress! Chances are you'll find the answer in the frequently asked questions.

    Still not entirely clear? Customer service is ready to help!