Small Built-in Bookcase

This bookcase was by no means hard to draw, or built. Just hard to make it work! Confused??

Okay let’s start at the beginning. My wife asked if I could make a small bookcase to fit in the back hallway and hold some of her books. Now these books are hardbound and about 6 inches deep, and the only space is between doors and is only 28 ½” of usable space. Now if I make a normal bookcase it will;
1. Stick out too far
2. Be in the way of the doorways.

If I make the bookcase small enough to just hold the books. It will:
1. Still be in the way of the doors.
2. Be VERY tipsy. (I know the cats will bump it and dump out all the books.)
3. Look like someone stuck a dumb bookcase where it shouldn’t be.

Now not wanting to admit defeat, I proceeded to think and visualize and think a bit more.

1. If I used the existing door moldings to fasten the sides to, I would not have to worry about tipping over.
2. If I brought the sides out slightly over 3” then went at a 45-degree angle the bookcase would not appear to stick out.
3. If I made the shelf’s 6 ¾”, they would hold the books and allow for ¾” upright supports to hold the front edge.
4. If I ran the shelves up to the existing doorframe top edge, it would gain space and “tie in”: better.
5. If I then ran a shelf across the top of the doors and around the corner, it would blend the bookcase into the “woodwork”. And add more support.
6. If I made some sort of a detail on the edges, the boards would appear smaller.

Even though some books ended up being larger than planned, the project worked out very well.

Used Poplar for entire project.

-- Paul from New England "No man is a failure who is enjoying life". William Feather