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The Goods

Jazz Up Your Shelves With These Unique Bookends on Etsy

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Ashley Holstrom

Staff Writer

Ashley Holstrom helps make books at Sourcebooks. She lives near Chicago with her cat named after Hemingway and her bookshelves organized by color. Newsletter: Crooked Reads. Twitter: @alholstrom.

Bookends are more than just random items to keep your freestanding books from falling over. They’re also pieces of art, little sculptures, to keep your books company while also holding them upright. So you should absolutely up your decor game with these unique bookends that can be found on Etsy.

I have an embarrassing amount of bookends — most of which are just stacked around my library because my bookshelves are too full to accessorize. Unicorns? Check. Ampersands? Obviously. Metal blocks in various colors? Yep. And when I receive more bookends as gifts, I’m not even mad. It’s just an excuse to find somewhere else around the house to store some freestanding books. As decor, of course. 

But that doesn’t mean I’m not imagining my life without these gorgeously unique bookends. Whether you love pieces that are chic, minimalist, rustic, artistic, or utilitarian, we surely have something for you in this collection. A word of caution: Some of these are an investment, not a frivolous purchase.

Unique Bookends on Etsy

Image of concrete vase bookends

Do some double duty with these $40 concrete vase bookends and keep some plants or pencils with your books!

Image of resin bookends

Add some whimsy to your shelves with these bright, translucent resin bookends for $100.

Image of ceramic crunched bottle bookends

These ceramic crunched bottle bookends are so simple and magnificent. Worth the $130, for sure.

Image of orange sloth bookends

If you love sloths (who doesn’t, really), get yourself these 3D printed sloth bookends for $17.

Image of painted river rock bookends

Add a little whimsy to your bookshelves with this $20 set of hand-painted river rocks.

Image of pipe and wood bookends

Take rustic farmhouse to a whole new level with these $35 industrial pipe and wood bookends.

Image of metal bookends. One side has an open eye and the other has a closed eye.

I just love the simplicity of this $49 set of metal bookends with one eye open, one eye closed.

Image of planet bookends

Just look at these planet bookends! I love them so much. So bright and fun. $45.

Image of wooden bookends with birds on a branch

Or maybe you want some elegant wooden bookends with little birdies perched on ’em. They’re $35.

Image of vinyl record bookends

Show off your love for music with these rad vinyl record bookends for $18! You can pick from a variety of colors, or ask for a surprise.

Image of ufo abduction bookends

For all the science fiction fans out there, why not surround your alien books with these $55 bookends of a UFO abduction!

Image of metal bookends with a face on them.

Here’s another contender for super cool minimalist metal bookends, this time in the shape of a face. Beautiful. $44.

Image of giant screw bookend

Now these are some unique industrial bookends, with giant metal screws ready to do some heavy duty on your shelves. $79.

Image of red fork and knife bookends

These $64 quirky fork and spoon bookends, laser cut in metal, will happily keep your cookbooks company.

Image of steel chain link bookends

Continuing the theme of very cool steel bookends, we bring you these custom chain-link bookends for $85.

Image of skull and raven bookends

Y’all. These skull and raven bookends are perfection. For $41, you really shouldn’t have to think twice about getting these.


If these unique bookends weren’t enough for you, be sure to check out these other collections.