Don’t Shop in the Petite Section

Does your apartment only shop in the petite section? Just because you live in a vertically-challenged space, don’t pigeon hole yourself into decorating with petite-sized furnishings. Make a grand gesture towards the petite stature of your place and add a tall library ladder to your decor! It can actually draw the eye upward and create the illusion of added height to a cramped space.

Try This Ladder On For Size

I used this library ladder from Ikea in my friend Beth’s snug New York City living room.  It was a very affordable $50 and measures a little over 7-feet and is only 15-inches-wide. It is narrow enough to  squeeze it into the tight corners of a petite home. The ladder really plays up the height of the room and the bookcase. And, although Ikea no longer carries this product, here is an alternative that may work for you.

Affordable Library Ladder Option

The wooden library ladder from World Market is very affordable, but you must add a safety bar across the top shelf of the bookcase for the ladder to lean securely on. If space is at a premium, attach the safety bar along the top shelf so the ladder can lean more upright, at less of an angle,  taking up less floor space.

Look, There’s More

For more chic and clever ways to boost a bookshelf’s storage potential,  click here.