Nursery Bookshelf Ideas With Cute And Playful Designs

Right now you’re probably what’s so special about a nursery bookshelf anyway. Although at its core it’s still just a simple, regular shelf, there are a few small details and characteristics which may or may not interfere with that.

Nursery Bookshelf Ideas

For example, a nursery bookshelf tends to be smaller than other types of shelves or to have a design more similar to a sort of tray rather than a shelf so it can prevent items from falling off. There are a few more details that you might find interesting so check out these cool images for more inspiration.

29 Simple DIY Nursery Bookshelves

Shallow display ledges for pictures and books

Kids bookshelf plans

There’s not a lot you can display on a nursery shelf and usually these things hold baby books or framed photos. A shelf doesn’t have to be very wide to hold this type of items so it can be pretty small in size. It would, however, be nice to have an edge so the books and picture frames can stand up straight and not fall off. We find these shelves from projectnursery to be perfect in that sense.

Something cute for the reading corner

Something cute for the reading corner

Let’s assume for now that you’ve already decided how big you want the shelves to be and how they should look like in terms of design. You should focus on where you want to install them. In order to do that, think of how and when you’ll be using them. This nursery featured on Apartmenttherapy has this cozy reading corner with a comfy armchair, an ottoman, a side table, a table lamp and two bookshelves placed at the perfect height.

Symmetrical corner shelves with grooves

Symmetrical corner shelves with grooves

Corners are really great for placing shelves in as well. Room corners usually remain furniture-free which basically makes them dead spaces but not unless you can find a way to put them to good use. For example, you could install two or three small shelves there for things like children’s books and small toys. You could let yourself be inspired by this design that we found on pinterest.

The perfect shelves for awkward wall sections

The perfect shelves for awkward wall sections

What we love about shelves is that they can pretty much be installed anywhere. For example, these nursery bookshelves sit between the door and the window, on a wall that couldn’t really hold anything else. We also love that toy box that’s sitting under the shelves. Find more cool ideas like this one on 100layercakelet.

Low shelves that toddlers can easily reach

Low shelves that toddlers can easily reach

Generally, we think that a nursery bookshelf shouldn’t be installed too high on a wall. It should sit low so kids can reach it. Maybe they’re babies now but they’ll become toddlers soon enough and this design idea will start to make sense.

Simple library wall for baby books

Simple library wall for baby books

Put together several bookshelves and you’ll have a library wall. That’s right, a lovely little library wall for the nursery which can include a bunch of cute baby books with stories and pictures. If you’re interested in the idea, check out projectnursery to find out how to put together this feature and how to customize it and make it look pretty.

Minimalist cubby bookcase with open shelves

Minimalist cubby bookcase with open shelves

Like we mentioned before, there are several different types of shelves to choose from. For example, this Scandinavian-style nursery featured on Maxandduke has a cute cubby unit under the window which has six open modules and in addition to that there are also these two intersecting square shelves up on the wall.

Multipurpose shelves integrated into a storage unit

Multipurpose shelves integrated into a storage unit

The bookshelves in the case of this nursery which was featured on Christiazevedo as well are integrated into a storage unit which also has drawers at the bottom and closed storage space on the left side. It’s a practical and space-efficient combo.

Small freestanding bookcase paired with a comfy reading spot

Small freestanding bookcase paired with a comfy reading spot

This little nursery bookshelf unit is really cute too. It’s small and low enough to also serve as a side table and it sits right next to the armchair and ottoman so reaching to the side to grab a book is super easy when sitting down with the baby.

Open shelves built right into the wall

Open shelves built right into the wall

What about these nursery bookshelves? They’re built right into the wall, like a secret doorway. The design and the idea are ingenious, fun and pretty cool as well and not just for nurseries but for living rooms, home offices and other spaces too. This too is an idea that comes from Lindaeylesdesign.

Adorable cloud shelves made from scratch

Adorable cloud shelves made from scratch

These two cloud bookshelves are super cute too and the best thing about them is that you can craft them yourself from scratch. You can find detailed instructions along with a list of tools and materials that you’ll need for the project on howtonestforless. Have fun personalizing the shelves in any way that you like.

Modular shelves made of repurposed wood crates

Modular shelves made of repurposed wood crates

Speaking of easy DIY projects, check out these nursery bookshelves that we found on craftinessisnotoptional. They’re actually pretty versatile and they’d look nice in a living room or entryway as well. You can make something similar out of reclaimed wooden crates.

Arrow shelves with built-in bookends

Arrow shelves with built-in bookends

These arrow shelves featured on cupofjo also seem like something that could be made from scratch. It’s actualy just a matter of making a few cuts at the right angles and them assembling the pieces together.

A multicolored shelf tower made of crates

A multicolored shelf tower made of crates

Bright colors could make nursery rooms look cheerful and playful but they shouldn’t overwhelm the space so keeping most of the decor simple and neutral and adding a few funky accents like these shelves seems like a good idea. These are actually wood crates, each painted a different color. It’s something that we found on crazylittleprojects.

Magnificent tree-shaped bookcase that can look awesome anywhere

Magnificent tree-shaped bookcase that can look awesome anywhere

Tree bookshelves are cool no matter where you put them. The design can be stylized based on the type of environment and the surrounding decor. A nursery room could be decorated with a small but cute and playful-looking tree bookshelf much like the one that we found on 100layercakelet.

Monogram bookcase for a personal décor

Monogram bookcase for a personal décor

Monogram bookshelves are another cool option and a great way to personalize a nursery room wall. Although it’s not the simplest of DIY projects, you could still craft something like this yourself. Some letters are easier than others so perhaps you’re lucky in this sense. Check out the details on homestoriesatoz.

Freestanding mini bookcase with a rustic-industrial design

Freestanding mini bookcase with a rustic-industrial design

Next, a set of nursery bookshelves with a design that’s simple, a bit rustic and with just a hint of industrial charm. We found a tutorial for this project on cherishedbliss and this is what you need if you want to craft your own version of the shelves: a drill, a sander or sandpaper, a table saw, a miter saw, a nailer, some plywood, wood boards, a metal pipe, screws, nails and wood glue. You can find the instructions in the tutorial.

Bookcase with toy storage compartment and a chalkboard back panel

Bookcase with toy storage compartment and a chalkboard back panel

We also found this really cool idea for a toy storage unit with shelves and a chalkboard back panel. The project is described in detail on beckhamandbelle. Of course, you can adjust the proportions and the design in any way that you like. You could add more bookshelves or paint them a different color for example. Also, chalk paint actually comes in several different colors so maybe you’d like to use this detail to make the design unique.

Mini school bus-themed bookshelf

Mini school bus-themed bookshelf

This school bus nursery bookshelf is one of the cutest things on our list. Also, believe it or not, it’s a fairly easy and cool DIY project. There’s a tutorial for it on beckhamandbelle. The list of materials required includes a wood board, some scrap wood for the wheels, wood glue, sandpaper, yellow paint, black paint and a dowel for the bus lights (you could also use something else instead so be creative – some of those felt pads you put on chair legs could work or perhaps you could just paint these on).

Simple wood shelves with cute pom-pom garlands

Simple wood shelves with cute pom-pom garlands

At the end of the day, no matter what type of shelves you choose, it’s always fun and nice to find a way to personalize their design and to make them special. Perhaps you could paint them in a funky color or perhaps you could decorate them with a felt ball garland like this one featured on thepicketfenceprojects. We love the colors used here and the way in which they complement the shelves and the overall decor theme chosen for the room.

Accessible bookshelf ledges

Accessible bookshelf ledges

There’s many advantages to opting for this sort of bookshelf ledges instead of a more traditional type of shelf in the case of the nursery room. For example, with the ledges the books are always on display and kids can see the cover without having to actively search a book. It makes the contents of the shelves more available and more appealing. Check out theturquoisehome if you want to see how these particular bookshelves are built.

Wooden spice racks repurposed into shelves

Wooden spice racks repurposed into shelves

Although these are in fact IKEA spice racks they actually work really well as nursery shelves because they’re very similar to a lot of bookshelf ledges we looked at before. They’re small and they’re really great for books, pictures and other things that you want to put on display. Check out grayhousestudio to learn more about the transformation.

Dresser drawer bookshelves

Dresser drawer bookshelves

Making bookshelves out of repurposed items is a great idea and definitely one worth exploring if you happen to have some old furniture lying around. These cute nursery shelves featured on addisonmeadowslane are made from drawers that used to be part of an old dresser. The drawers were cut, painted and decorated and they’re very practical as nursery shelves because they can each hold a lot of books.

Old frames turned into display shelves

Old frames turned into display shelves

Another cool idea is to repurpose a bunch of old frames into some cute and stylish wall shelves. The frames can be of different shapes and sizes and it doesn’t really matter if they have an ugly finish as long as they’re structurally sound. The tutorial from shanty-2-chic guides you though the entire process and shows you how the frames can be turned into stylish shelves using minimal tools and supplies.

Modular crate bookcase with a cute design

Modular crate bookcase with a cute design

By now you probably already know that wooden crates an excellent resource if you want to make modular storage units or bookcases. They can arranged in all sorts of different configurations and they can even look nice in a nursery room. Be sure to paint them in a lovely color to match the theme of the room. For more details about this sort of project head over to lovecreatecelebrate.

A little tabletop bookcase made of recycled wood

A little tabletop bookcase made of recycled wood

This bookcase is really small which also makes it look super cute and very versatile too. This can be something that you can keep on your desk and use as an organizer, something to display on a wall or it can be a cute addition to a nursery room where it can sit directly on the floor so toddlers can easily reach it. Check out southerninlaw to see how it was made.

Sling bookshelf makeover

Kids bookshelf plans

Instead of building a bookcase from scratch another option is to use an existing bookcase, bookshelf or, in this case, a sling bookshelf and to give it a makeover. Don’t let the dated and ugly appearance of a piece of furniture deter you. As long as it’s still in good shape from a functional and structural point of view a makeover can always change the elements that you don’t like about it. Check out the transformation of this nursery bookcase on practicallyfunctional for more details.

A farmhouse-style rolling bookcase

A farmhouse-style rolling bookcase

A bookcase that looks something like this could also fit beautifully in a nursery room. The farmhouse-style finish and the wood in general are great for adding warmth to a room. Also, this design features caster wheels which make the bookcase easy to move around. Check out the project on cherishedbliss for more information about it.

Hanging book pockets

Hanging book pockets

A lovely and interesting bookshelf design that could look nice in a nursery but not only can also be found on tableandhearth. This is a project that is made from scratch using just a few simple materials such as wooden dowels, rope, fabric and a few cute buttons. It’s also a design that can be customized if for example you want to change the color palette.