Woodsmith Waterfall Bookcase Plan

Most bookcases in our day and age stay mainly in the safe, practical lane of utility. All we’re looking for is a sturdy set of shelves to stow away treasured old books, games, and maybe display a few favored curios. As you see in the photos, this bookcase does all that in a style that makes plain boxes blush. The bloodline of this bookcase goes back to the third era of the Georgian period of design (which started with King George I). That time is often referred to as the “Golden Age'' of furniture making. The hallmarks of that era are captured in this fine interpretation in several ways. As you see here, the “waterfall” speaks to the treatment of the sides of the case. There are five tiers that widen as they go down the sides. The tiers are separated by scalloped profiles that make the transitions graceful. Beyond beauty, the sides being wider at the bottom removes those top-heavy anxious moments that lesser bookcases often suffer from. Also, you’ll note the edges of the sides, shelves, and top of the bookcase are laced with beaded edging. (A double bead on the thicker pieces while the thinner pieces are adorned with a single bead.) But the fine details don’t end there. There’s inlay on the upper stretcher and the drawer front to sink your teeth into. So, what are you waiting for?

We offer the Woodsmith Waterfall Bookcase plan as a downloadable PDF or a printed format that we ship to you.