Orwin Wide Bookshelf

The Orwin Wide Bookshelf from Four Hands is an overscale oak bookcase built to hold a wall. Solid oak and thick oak veneer make up the frame, with chamfered edges along the shelves and outer legs that angle outward instead of standing square. Hinged cabinet doors with push latches close off part of the storage, and fixed shelves divide the open bays. Leg levelers sit underneath, and the whole piece can float in a room rather than sit against a wall.

The angled legs and beveled shelf edges give a flat-fronted case some movement, so it reads as furniture and not just a place to stack books. It comes in two finishes: a smoked black oak that deepens the grain to near-charcoal, and a lighter worn oak that keeps the wood warm and a little weathered. Both suit mid-century and contemporary rooms, and both hold their own beside upholstery in saturated colors or a wall of art.

Use it across the long wall of a living room, behind a sofa as a room divider, or in a study where books, ceramics and framed pieces need room to be shown. The closed sections are good for games, records, linens and anything better out of sight, while the open bays are for the objects you want to be seen. Shelf load is rated for books and decorative pieces, so heavier collections are best spread across several bays.