French doors that open to a balcony and a view of rooftops make the small room feel more expansive, but it's the sleek and precise design of the bookcases themselves that keeps the space from feeling claustrophobic. The narrow wood gives them a lighter, airier look. Extending the lines of the built-ins all the way to the ceiling makes the shelves look even more svelte. Plus, the shelves need to be on the short side. Shorter shelves have several advantages, Racki says.
Short spans are very strong, and the openings are nice for art objects, too.
The books can't fall over if you take one out. In this design, each cubbyhole is almost a perfect cube, one foot square and 13 inches deep. The strength and stability of the shelves come from their interlocking construction. Narrow channels called rabbets in the plywood backing hold the vertical boards in place. The horizontal shelves are notched to fit snugly and brace the verticals.