From the practical to the fantastic, 3D printing allows the imagination to run wild with the right tools and information. What better way to stay inspired than with a personal library? Though much media is kept solely in digital form, a sense of permanence and nostalgia exists in a physical book. Thus, the library survives as a constant in our culture.
Well-stocked libraries are portals to new dimensions, perspectives, and eras. Most home libraries display endless stories in more ways than just the books. Often the shelves are filled with memorabilia, sculptures, collectibles, and other items that are both pleasing to behold and ignite memories of faraway times and places.
Enter the book nook, a perfect merger of 3D printing ingenuity and inspiration from your favorite fantasy land. These narrow-format dioramas fit neatly between or beside books on your shelf to create miniature versions of the worlds of imagination. Crafting difficulty ranges from just printing and painting to some assembly required to add miniature architecture, props, and functional lights.
If you see a book nook you just have to have, but don’t have the time or materials to print it yourself, take a look at Craftcloud by All3DP. With professional printing services around the world printing in the materials and colors of your choice, you’ll be adding character to your bookshelves in no time!
So now, it’s time to escape into the books. Happy crafting!
Smaug's Lair
To start, what better way to intersperse your books than with a reference to literature! Travel to Middle Earth and sneak into the Great Hall of Thráin with this impressive model. This book nook was incredibly designed with no supports required during printing for the majority of the model. The creator recommends printing each wall on its side with 0.2-mm resolution and 10% infill.
The hanging lamp is printed separately on its side and attached to the model after printing. After some maker feedback, the creator separated the stairs from the main print and recommends minimal supports for the stair’s pillars.
The Bilbo character design is a Remix of another hobbit model, and the book nook creator recommends printing him upside down. The small contact space between the head and the build plate requires either a brim, raft, or small supports for the top of his head. The details on this model are smaller, so a 0.07-mm print resolution is recommended.
- Who designed it? o4saken
- How popular/printable is it? There have been six Makes shared so far, all using PLA and with some scaling on one of the prints with good resulting detail. One maker recommended these LED lights for the build.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Japanese Garden
Add a little zen to your bookshelf with this Japanese garden. This model is beautifully detailed and proportioned with an accessible port for an LED light in the lamp.
One maker noted that some minor modifications and plenty of glue were needed, but the results look incredible! Indeed, a commenter stated that they were successful printing with PLA in varying colors for each section of the print.
- Who designed it? Luciagar
- How popular/printable is it? One maker shared their successful print on an Ender 3 Pro using PLA, and there have been over 500 downloads of this peaceful model.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Fantasy Alleyway
This versatile book nook comes with rave reviews from makers. Comments range from easy-to-assemble pieces to high-quality design of small details. The walls come pre-sliced into smaller panels, so they should be printable even with a small print bed.
The creator recommends 0.1-mm resolution, 15% infill, and PLA filament. Makers use variants of these settings with good success. The model includes printed books to stand on either side of the nook for support, but as pictured above, if you’re planning to surround it with real books, it looks even better without!
- Who designed it? drewilliam14
- How popular/printable is it? There have been 7 impressive Makes shared and over 6,000 downloads.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Knockturn Alley
Dedicated Harry Potter fans and fantasy lovers alike will be transported with this magical book nook. This replica of Knockturn Alley is one of the most detailed book nook models out there. It comes complete with lit storefronts, cobblestone pathways, and amazing architecture.
This masterpiece was originally shared in December 2020, and the creator has so far consistently made updates and adjustments to their design, including a scaled-down version to fit on 200-mm square print beds.
The creator gives some tips and tricks for crafting as well as links to the props used in their final design. With a little courage and plenty of patience, craft this little piece of wizarding wonder to compliment your collection.
- Who designed it? Cornflake
- How popular/printable is it? There are five Makes in the original size with PLA and ABS, and one 40% scaled version also printed with PLA. Not too bad for such a recent and relatively-complex design!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Endless Cobblestones
This book nook was inspired by Japanese designer Monde’s bookends and gives a fantastic view down an old cobblestone street. The brick detail and layout is incredible in this model, and the sheer number of downloads is testament to its appeal overall.
The creator used a 0.1-mm resolution, 25% infill, and PLA filament, with no supports or bed adhesion. For assembly, get your sandpaper and hot wire ready! Some of the joints are tight and require some filing to fit it together and paint. For glue, use a combination of hot glue and super glue. Some additional advice on assembly and installing the LED lights is provided on the project page on Thingiverse.
- Who designed it? kborisov
- How popular/printable is it? With over 36,000 downloads, this one is hugely popular! There are also 10 posted Makes that prove its printability.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
BioShock
Step into the world of BioShock with this book nook, which can also be used as a bookend. For such an old game, this is a recent upload, with the design only appearing in January 2021. The creator remixed a few other BioShock designs to craft this scene with beautiful results.
This is a simpler design than others on this list, with only four files to print, two of which are the Big Daddy and Little Sister characters. But you can use this simplicity as a blank canvas to create your own scene!
- Who designed it? Fractaly
- How popular/printable is it? No one has shared a print as yet, but the creator’s own print is stunningly put together so serves as good inspiration!
- Where to find it? PrusaPrinters
Magic Book
This design does double duty. On one side there’s a modeled book spine ready for embellishments, while inside you’ll find a mystical miniature castle complete with ramps and stairs. As a bonus, this book nook prints in a single piece, although one commenter recommended splitting the model into two pieces for ease of printing.
Another maker printed this successfully with no supports, 0.1-mm resolution, and 20% infill. It was a long print time for the full model, and it needed scaling down to fit their printer.
The same designer also has a second version of their magical book, in which you look down a corridor towards a mysterious figure and are transported wherever your imagination takes you. This model is also designed as a single piece, but supports may be recommended for some of the facial details at the back of the model.
- Who designed it? FiveNights
- How popular/printable is it? One other maker has shared their print (pictured above) and the two models have been downloaded over 600 times altogether.
- Where to find it? Cults
Diagon Alley
Finally, we’re returning to Harry Potter’s world for a visit to Diagon Alley. This design is simpler than the Knockturn Alley model, with fewer pieces to print. Yet, the lower complexity doesn’t detract from the magic of quirky chimney spouts and places to display miniature magical items!
The creator recommends a print resolution of at least 0.2 mm and a low infill percentage, as this will be a slow process to print. According to the creator, this design is still a work in progress, so they welcome and encourage any feedback from makers. We’re excited to see what they come up with next!
- Who designed it? Jaster45
- How popular/printable is it? Three Makes have been shared so far, with varying levels of customization.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
License: The text of "3D Printed Book Nook: 8 Beautiful Models for Book Lovers" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.