There are few things that make you feel more grown-up than purchasing something called an “étagère” for your home - and despite its fancy-sounding French name, this open bookshelf may be one of the most practical furniture pieces you’ll ever own.

We’ve taken this Victorian-era design and given it a modern update that lets you organise and spruce up any room in your home. With functional shelving and hanging storage crafted from exquisite solid wood, it’s no wonder a Zinus étagère bookcase can make you feel like a smart and practical adult.

What Does Étagère Mean?

Etagère is used to describe furniture with open shelves to display what is stored there. This is commonly used for ornaments and decorative items, such as plants, flowers or photos, as well as for storing books, CDs or DVDs to make them more accessible.

This is a classic style for any furniture, and it’s seeing a resurgence as more people look for this openness in their home.

To show you how to think outside the box with your étagère bookcase, we’ve collaborated with design enthusiast, Angela Mueller.

Meet Angela

Born and raised in Minnesota, Angela is a homeschooling mom of four with a passion for creating neutral, naturalistic spaces in her Minneapolis home. We started by asking what was the key focus in all of her designs…

“It needs to be practical. If I am going to be stressed out having my kids in that room, it’s just not realistic or worth it,” Angela told us.

We couldn’t agree more. Given our shared love for functionality that doesn’t sacrifice beauty, we challenged Angela to put our Brock Etagère Bookcase to use in a variety of different spaces around her home. Yes, the Brock is crafted with richly finished solid wood and a striking steel frame that can instantly class up any room, but this tall and handsome shelf is also vastly useful.

Read on to see our favourite ways to use this versatile number.

One Étagère Bookshelf Used In Three Ways

More than just your average shelving, the Brock Etagère Bookcase is designed with hanging storage that lets you make use of both horizontal and vertical space. This key element is what makes it so handy in different settings throughout your home.

Angela agrees, and has picked out three places where the Brock can make an instant impression, showing how useful it is - and why no home is complete without one!

A Great Living Room Bookcase

For a living room bookcase, the Brock really stands out. Not only can it store and display your personal library, but decorative items and ornaments, like flowers, artwork, photos and hanging plants can also find a home here.

For Angela, it nestled perfectly into a corner of her bright and airy living room. “I love it styled with plants and books. I used the hanging bar for a hanging plant. You can easily add baskets to the shelves in here too—we like to put flash cards and small games in them!”

The Brock Makes An Excellent Entryway Bookcase

The Brock’s hanging storage also makes it a surprisingly useful entryway bookcase and offers options for a mudroom or porch. Consider it a central “hub” for all the things you need to run out the door with, like coats and jackets, keys, hats and rain boots - without bringing all that dirt into the house.

“I like using baskets on the shelves to keep hats and gloves, extra shoes, dog leashes, and any other accessories like sunglasses and car keys.” Most of all, we love how it suits Angela’s lifestyle as a handy spot to keep extra firewood!

The Étagère Style Suits A Bedroom Bookcase

In a bedroom or guestroom, this adaptable piece of furniture can be transformed into an extra closet. Hang your coats, dresses and button-ups on the right and arrange folded t-shirts or jeans on the left, and voilà! You’ve got an accessible, open wardrobe that can ease the burden on an overflowing closet, or serve as the perfect temporary spot for your houseguests to keep their clothes organised and wrinkle-free.

For Anglea, this bedroom bookcase adds both storage potential for extra odds and ends as well as decorative flair (especially when paired with our matching Foerer Canopy Bed)

An Étagère Bookcase For Anywhere In Your Home

Truthfully, you don’t have to limit yourself to one type of room to make an étagère bookcase, like the Brock, work for you. This one-of-a-kind shelving is also just as useful in your home office, multipurpose room, kitchen or dining area. When it comes to this multifunctional piece, the sky’s the limit!

Of all the bookcases you can choose for your home, the Brock Étagère Bookcase is the one we’d recommend to give you complete freedom as to what you’d want to do with it. For more ways to transform your home, visit our blog and discover more great ideas.