What are Bookcase Headboards?

One of the popular decorating and storage options of the middle of the 20th century, bookcase headboards are still around and available in more styles than ever. Providing a simple shelf that is ideal for books, alarm clocks, and other items that tend to clutter a bedside table, the bookcase headboard is a functional furniture addition, and can also be a very attractive addition to the bedroom.

During the 1950’s and 1960’s, bookcase headboards tended to be constructed with very simple lines. Most models featured a shelf area that covered the middle two thirds of the headboard. One each side of the open shelf, a section that included a sliding door allowed for storage of items that the homeowner did not wish to display. Because the shelves on bookcase headboards were often deep enough to house hardback books, this created a second top shelf that was ideal for placing small table lamps on each side, allowing ample light for reading in bed.

Over time, this simplistic design was augmented with additional features. Later versions of bookcase headboards added additional cubbies to the headboard, providing additional storage space for books, framed pictures, and other items. Some headboards sported a mirrored backing that was tall enough to eliminate the need for some sort of wall art over the bed. Newer versions of bookcase headboards were created with kids in mind, opting for a modular design that not only created bookshelves along the top of the pillow line, but also included a set of bookcase modules that created storage space on each side of the mattress and box springs.

Today, bookcase headboards remain a viable option for many living spaces. Bookcase headboards can be a wonderful way of infusing a small space with some additional storage, as well as helping to create an attractive focal point in the bedroom. Prices for bookcase headboards often depend on the complexity of the design, the type of materials used to create the piece, and the size of the headboard.