Instead of Throwing Away a Wood Cable Spool, I Turned It Into a Bookshelf
Instead of cutting the spool apart, I kept it intact. The surface was cleaned to remove dust, paint marks, and residue from outdoor storage. Rough edges were sanded to prevent splinters. The entire piece was painted to reduce contrast between the boards and create a single surface.
No new elements were added. The vertical boards stayed where they were. These boards already divide the interior space into equal sections. Each gap is wide enough to hold books upright without bending the covers or spines.
The round top remains flat and usable. The base stays in contact with the floor across its full diameter, which prevents tipping. The weight of the wood keeps the piece in place without anchors or fasteners.
The spool does not need instructions. Its shape sets the limits.
How the Bookshelf Works
Books slide into the open sections from any side. The height of the opening fits standard books without adjustment. Larger books sit closer to the base. Smaller books stack toward the center. There is no back panel, so books stay visible and reachable from every angle.
Because the piece is round, it does not belong to one wall. It can sit next to a sofa, between chairs, or in a corner without blocking movement. The footprint stays small compared to a standard bookshelf with the same capacity.
The top surface works at the same time. It holds a plant, a lamp, or a stack of objects. Nothing needs to be cleared to access the books. The two uses do not interfere with each other.
In the video, the piece rotates. This shows how access works across the full circle. No side is treated as the front.
The finished object functions as a low bookshelf and a table. It stores books without shelves. It holds objects without legs or frames added later. The spool keeps its original form, which means the result does not try to hide where it came from.
The transformation comes from restraint. The spool is not redesigned. It is recycled.
Instead of breaking the object down and rebuilding it, the existing form is used as a complete system. The vertical boards define storage. The round top defines surface. The base defines stability.
The result fits into a living space without asking for more space or more parts. It uses what was already there, exactly as it was built to work.