Is This Classic Bookshelf Style Officially “Dated”? Here’s What the Pros Say

There are some things in life that I assume never go out of style. A sleek mid-century leather chair. Frank Lloyd Wright homes. A gleaming marble countertop. Another one of those always-in-style items? Built-in bookshelves — or so I thought.

It turns out, some buyers are taking one look at built-in bookshelves and thinking, “Ugh, how early aughts can we get?!”

Real estate professionals are running into a situation where these built-in features, which were once a surefire selling point, are now yet another thing a potential buyer might want to rip out. And, if you’re like me and clutching your pearls wondering how this could possibly have happened, here’s what the experts have to say.

What do you think of when someone says built-in bookshelves? It might mean the wall of stately shelves flanking a fireplace — and there’s bad news for that classic style.

“The built-in bookcases on either side of a fireplace, whether it is in a living room or family room, are a home design feature that has fallen out of favor in recent years,” says Suzy Minken, licensed real estate salesperson with Compass in Short Hills, New Jersey.

More buyers today are looking for a fireplace that stands alone, with a minimalist surrounding that feels light and modern. Minken explains that while the fireplace is still the prominent feature, more people want to see it with stone or decorative molding adorning the entire wall — not a row of bookshelves surrounding it. The built-in look can be seen as heavy and cluttered rather than functional.

“Often there is a large TV that hangs above the fireplace. Today’s homebuyers prefer a home design that is more minimal, allowing them to “‘float the furniture’ in the middle of the room and gather around the TV and fireplace. It’s all about lifestyle,” says Minken.

Perhaps even more shocking are the buyers who are turning away from built-in bookshelves simply because they don’t have books. If you listen to everything on your phone or read on a Kindle, why do you need shelves for dozens of hardcover books?

“Lifestyle choices have evolved, with many people reading books in digital format or listening to books using Audible. Many of my millennial buyers are not looking for built-in bookcases to ‘surround themselves with books’ as was once fashionable,” says Minken.

Jeff Lichtenstein, owner and broker of Echo Fine Properties in West Palm Beach, Florida, adds that some buyers look at built-ins only as a prop for their video calls. “Some people still into books like to have their study on Zoom as a showpiece, but in homes that we are selling we are seeing less and less of it,” he explains.

If you’re looking at a house and you don’t have books, a wall of built-in bookshelves might seem like an added expense, particularly if you have to buy items to fill the shelves. It’s not shocking these buyers might see built-ins as something to rip out rather than celebrate.

Not only do tastes change through the years, so do lifestyles. Built-in bookshelves are often created with elements that go beyond the simple bookcases and extend into customized options that can quickly date themselves.

“A few years back I had a client on a listing appointment go over how much money he put into the built-ins with an entertainment system including pull-out CD shelves,” recalls Lichtenstein. While the seller saw this as a must-have feature, all Lichtenstein could think was, who is still collecting CDs?

I can only hope the same fate doesn’t happen to books.