I recently had a reader ask about these great bookshelves:

Helena Schaeder Söderberg’s home tour via Ish and Chi

While I know these ones are custom made, it’s a look a lot of us would like in our playrooms and nurseries.

For myself, I used IKEA’s picture ledges in M & L’s room:

They’re cheap, easy to install, and do the trick.  I love having their nicest books displayed (though there’s also a big basket full in the closet, and a basket full of board books in the living room, and a bag full of library books too…)  I think it not only adds colour and interest to the room (some children’s books are so beautifully designed) I think it encourages reading, too.  I keep M’s favourites on the bottom two shelves where he can reach them, and any special books up higher so that he can read hem with me.

Depending on your kid, though, it might be nice to have the dowel across the books to keep them from toppling down (ours rarely do, as long as we don’t overfill the shelves).  

Here are a few other solutions you could try for a similar look:

Bin There Done That book bins from Land of Nod (or you could try their Straight and Narrow book ledges)

Madison Book shelves from Pottery Barn Kids

I really like these sling shelves, though they’d take up a bit more floor space:

KidKraft Sling Bookcase from Sensory Edge

Here, Lillian “hacked” some IKEA BEKVAM spice racks to create shelves:

via IKEA Hackers

And the same look, painted:

via House to Home

I’ve seen rain gutters used as shoe shelves, but books could work too.  Painted, they almost look like crown moulding:

By Duane Cottrell

Sticking with the idea of using alternative supplies, you could look for plate racks:

Vertical Plate Rack from Ethan Allen

STENSORP plate rack from IKEA

Or drywall mud pans attached to the wall:

Drywall mud pan, Home Depot (They have a couple bright colours, or stainless steel, which could look cool!)

Or search for window planter boxes:

Imagine this Windowsill Planter from Canadian Tire spray painted to match your walls, or in a fun accent colour!

Or if you’re handy you could try to make your own, like Martha’s instructions:

Making Children’s Bookshelves from Martha Stewart Living

photo from Made by Girl via Babble

Still want more ideas?  Check out Babble’s article here with lots of different shelf configurations.