Waylon Bookshelf

A tall, open bookshelf from Four Hands, built from solid acacia in a warm brown finish. Five fixed shelves sit in a frame with no doors or backing panels, so the grain of the wood carries the whole look. The frame is joined with bore-and-dowel and butt joints, and leg levelers at the base keep it steady on a floor that isn't quite flat.

The silhouette is étagère-inspired, with the easy, natural feel of mid-century furniture. A rectangular section sits off to one side, which gives the shelf an offset shape instead of a plain stack of boxes. Buy a second and set it beside the first and the two form a mirrored pair. On its own it looks complete. The brown acacia sits comfortably with leather, brass, woven fibers and glazed ceramics.

Use it for books in the living room, or for the mix of vases, framed prints and trailing plants that a bookshelf tends to collect. Because the back is open and the piece can be floated, it also works as a light divider between a study corner and the rest of a room. The shelves are rated for a full run of hardcovers, so the heaviest volumes can go low and the objects up high.