Custom bookshelves · Dubai
Custom Bookshelves and Built-In Bookcases
Shelving made to the width and height of your wall, strong enough for a full collection, with cupboards where you need them.
Shelving that fits the wall, not the catalogue
Freestanding bookcases leave gaps at the sides and top, and their shelves often bow under heavy books. Custom bookshelves are built to the wall, fixed securely, and spaced for what you own: paperbacks, large art books, files, records or display pieces.
We build alcove shelving beside a column or between windows, full library walls, shelving around a window or door, and combined units with closed cupboards below. If the wall also needs a television, our TV units combine both.
Bookshelf styles
Three common starting points for custom bookshelves, each adjusted to the room.
Shelving with cupboards below
Open shelves above and closed cupboards at the base for toys, files or games. The cupboard tops become a useful surface.
Shelving around a TV or desk
Shelves framing a television, a desk or a window, so one wall does several jobs.
Library or study wall
Floor-to-ceiling shelving for a study or home office, with optional lighting and a ladder rail for the top shelves.
Images in this section are design illustrations to show the options, not photographs of completed projects.
Details that matter
Shelf strength
Books are heavy. We choose the shelf thickness and span so the shelves stay straight under load.
Adjustable or fixed
Adjustable shelves give flexibility, while fixed shelves add stiffness to wide units. Many bookcases combine both.
Fixing to the wall
Tall shelving is fixed to the wall so it cannot tip, which matters in homes with children.
Lighting
LED lighting under shelves or in vertical channels, planned with the power point at the drawing stage.
Materials and finishes
Choose a finish that matches the room’s doors and skirting, or one that stands out.
- Painted MDF. A clean colour finish, popular for white or coloured library walls.
- Wood veneer. Oak, walnut or other species for a warmer, traditional look.
- Laminate. Hard-wearing and easy to clean, suited to children’s rooms and playrooms.
- Solid timber details. Solid edges or mouldings where the shelves are handled most.
- Glass doors. Glazed doors on some sections to keep dust off books or display pieces.
Shelving we have refinished
A real job from our workshop: an existing wall of shelving, before and after we refinished it. New shelving is drawn and made to your wall.
Before: timber shelving wall
After: refinished in cream
How we make custom bookshelves
- Send the wall. A photograph of the wall and its width and height, and what you want to store.
- Measure. We check the wall, the floor level, sockets and skirting. The visit is free within Dubai.
- Drawing and fixed price. You approve the shelf layout and finish on a drawing with a written, fixed price.
- Build. The shelving is made in our Ras Al Khor workshop.
- Install. Our own team fits the bookcase, fixes it securely to the wall and cleans up.
Most projects take three to six weeks from the confirmed drawing.
What affects the price
Custom bookshelves are quoted after measuring. The main factors are:
- The width and height of the wall.
- The ratio of open shelving to cupboards and drawers.
- The finish: laminate, painted MDF or veneer.
- Glass doors, lighting or a ladder rail.
- Shaped details such as mouldings or arched openings.
Our custom furniture quote checklist explains what a complete quotation should include.
What to send for a quote
- A straight-on photograph of the wall, and one showing the room around it.
- The width and height of the wall.
- What you want to store or display.
- Your preferred finish, or a photo of a bookcase you like.
- Your building or community.
Send these on WhatsApp to +971 54 766 1410, by email to ba***************@***il.com, or through the contact page.
Custom bookshelf FAQs
How deep should bookshelves be?
It depends on what you store. Paperbacks need much less depth than large art books or files, so we set the depth from your collection.
Can you build shelving around a window or door?
Yes. We measure the opening carefully so the shelving frames it neatly.
Can you build shelving into an alcove?
Yes. Alcoves are rarely square, so we scribe the shelving to the walls for a tight fit.
Can bookshelves include a desk?
Yes. See also our study tables for desk options.
Are the shelves fixed to the wall?
Tall shelving is always fixed to the wall for safety.
Do you make freestanding bookcases?
Yes, as part of our custom furniture work, although built-in shelving makes better use of the wall.
Plan your bookshelves
Send a photograph and the width and height of the wall on WhatsApp, or use the form below. We will suggest a layout and arrange a free site visit.