The Best Bookend

Buying Guide

Bookends can help you decorate your shelves or surfaces while organizing your books at the same time. With so many options available, choosing the best bookends could be confusing. Fortunately, knowing what you want and need will help you make the best selection.

Consider how sturdy and robust your bookends should be. If you have several large or heavy books on your shelf, you will need heavy-duty bookends to keep them upright. Alternatively, if you want to organize a modest collection of paperback novels, standard bookends will likely be sufficient.

Bookends are available in a variety of materials. Thicker steel or iron bookends are useful for holding up big books. They can also blend nicely in a room with a modern or minimalist theme.

Other bookends are made from materials such as wood, ceramic, plastic, or natural stone. Some of these will be sturdier than others. However, if appearance is more of a concern than stability, look for a set that complements your decor. For instance, brightly colored natural stone bookends can add sparkle to your bedroom or office, while wooden bookends cut into animal shapes might be fun for a child’s room.

Ultimately, selecting a set of bookends that will organize your books vertically without fail is probably the most crucial consideration. However, choosing bookends that you find appealing and attractive is also significant. Since you will likely be living with them for many years to come, discovering a set that checks both of these boxes will result in money well spent.

• Consider the surface on which you plan to use bookends. If it is very smooth or slick, bookends with padding or bumpers meant to protect against scratching could cause the bookends (and the books they are supposed to hold up) to slip and fall.
• Although they were created to keep books organized in a vertical position, bookends can be used to hold other items, as well. For instance, you might use bookends to store CDs or records, DVDs, photo albums, or file folders on a shelf or desk.
• Collecting bookends can be a hobby that is both practical and interesting. If you maintain a large selection of books, a collection of attractive, decorative and unusual bookends could accessorize them nicely. As they have both functional and aesthetic worth, bookends can become more valuable over time. This is especially true for rare or unique designs.