Create A Unique Hanging Bookshelf With TikTok's Easy DIY

Book lovers know that you can never have enough space for books. Whether they are piling up on the nightstand or busting out of your existing shelving, you will probably buy more. This means you need more room, and what better use of wall space, than adding some books to it?  TikTok user @reallyhangrybird recently unveiled a short tutorial on making a great book storage and display installation that puts the artfulness of book spines front and center. 

The DIY project involves only a wooden dowel fastened along the wall and some jute twine, making this an easy and inexpensive alternative to floating shelves or similar hanging racks, such as this one from Amazon that costs $60. Depending on the length of your dowel and the space allowed, you can create as large or small an installation as you like. Even better, it keeps books easy to find and immediately accessible, which makes it perfect for your stack of impending TBRs. 

To create this DIY book rack, begin with a wooden dowel the length you would like your book rack to be. Use curtain rod hardware or Command hooks to attach the dowel along the wall. Cut several varying lengths of twine and tie a simple knot at the bottom, looping and knotting them over the dowel so that they hang freely. To attach your books, simply run the twine down the spine and out the bottom. The books will be held aloft by the knot and braced against the wall, so they will hang securely in place until you remove them.

While this approach works well with books of all sizes and thicknesses, thinner paperback volumes may not stay in place or hold their shape as well as heftier books. To avoid damage to the covers and pages, @reallyhangrybird suggests adding buttons to the bottom over the knot, which will more evenly distribute weight to avoid crinkling, creasing, or ripping. 

Place your new book display above a sofa or along any large blank wall to add storage and create interest with an ever-evolving display of books. Add several dowels vertically along the wall to create an entire wall of books. This DIY works great as an alternative to cumbersome wood shelving in a narrow spot like a hallway or entryway that takes up less room. Create a cute reading nook in a corner with a favorite chair or hang it above a nightstand to keep future reading material within easy reach of the bed.

A TikTok user in the comments section of @reallyhangrybird's tutorial suggests swapping the twine for fishing line for a floating look, which could be combined with a clear plastic dowel for an even more transparent display. You can adjust the finish or variety of support and hanging materials according to your decor, such as using a branch with rustic rope or twine in a farmhouse space or a metal curtain rod with thin chains for a more industrial look. To add a pop of color, use yarn in your desired shade or string with beads for a cute accent.