I bought these bookshelves to create an attractive "wall of books" for a very small living room. I specifically chose this product because there was a narrower shelf that matches that would fit in a corner next to a window, completing the wall and creating balance. My number one prerequisite was that the shelves had to be deep enough to hold large children's books and photo storage boxes, and sturdy enough not to break under the weight of an adventurous small child.