Bookshelf/Front Room Update...

Mounting the bookshelves has begun. The included images show the very first spacer/strapping mounted (the excitement is almost palpable) and the first foundation box in place. These will bring the cases up 9 inches off the ground to the lower box. There will be a shallow shelf (1 inch thick and about 4-5 inches deep) before the upper shelf box.

The bottom boxes are designed for folios and the like, the upper for various smaller tomes. The fascia boards are going to be 1 inch thick, to support the SIX FOOT glass doors that will eventually cover the upper shelves (with matching smaller ones below). We will be rebuilding the mantle as well (which is currently a "modern" (and ugly) 1950s rebuild). It will eventually tie the two spans of shelves together *and* have a shelf integrated into it for 12mo and smaller volumes (the fireplace is non-functional).

Finally, there will be an 8 inch stepped crown. This will come "out" from the shelves so we can sink lights in the crown that will wash each section of the bookshelves. It should be nice if and when it is ever completed.

I spent a bit of the morning at the shop of the woodworker doing this project. As you may recall, we have a friend renting our first floor who, as the fates would have it, is also a wildly talented woodworker and artist (in wood and other material)...pictures of some of his other work should follow. As I've said previously, he does amazing things with wood...our shelves are basically a weekend project. The strapping in the first image is a good example of why working with Brian is such fun.

With any rational carpenter, any strapping like this would be picked up from a lumber yard as Grade C (structurally sound, but not necessarily pretty). Just before we left the shop, Brian remembered we would need some strapping/spacers to bring the shelves off the wall. He went over the the racks of rough boards (6 to 24 inches wide, 1+ to 3 inches thick...he buys lumber "by the tree") and picked a nice 8 foot poplar board. We then ran it through the planer a few times to bring it to 1 inch thick and then the joiner to true the sides...then ripped it into 2.5 inch wide boards. Maybe it is just me...but it was so much more pleasing experientially than going to Home Despot and picking up crappy strapping.

The other images show: a laser line showing where the top of the "shelf" between the upper and lower shelf boxes will be (laser levels are extremely cool); the first foundation "box"; one of the lower cases on said first foundation (please picture fascia boards and baseboard molding).

Progress is being made. Updates to follow.