Contemporary Bookcase | Popular Woodworking

Fresh, clean lines, simple, strong construction, and a design you can modify to fit any room.

The credo of many great 20th century architects was “Form Follows Function.” And for this bookcase, it certainly does. The strong shelves are supported in a straightforward fashion by equally strong uprights. No decoration, no superfluous details, not even a back to mar its perfect geometry.

For you, the woodworker, this bookcase has beauty of a different kind. The joinery is amazingly simple: Long threaded rods are concealed inside the pieces and tie the whole bookcase together. There are no angles to cut, no mortises, no traditional joinery of any kind. And finishing is a breeze because all the parts are finished separately before they’re put together. You can buy all of the wood and hardware at a home center.

For tools you’ll need a tablesaw, dado blade, jigsaw,…