Let me be your guide to the world of bookcases

My search for the perfect Barrister Bookcase actually began about six months ago. My husband, Jim, and I had just learned of our promotions at work within weeks of each other. As a result, the idea of moving from our apartment into a single family home and starting a family together had come up on numerous occasions. When we found out I was pregnant with our first baby boy, it further solidified this notion.

And before we knew it, we had made an offer on a house in the suburbs. The whole buying and moving process was everything a pregnant woman could ask for, and everything went off without a hitch. Well, except for one problem: the small collection of furniture from our apartment didn't even begin to fill the space of our new home.

More specifically, we were looking for a Barrister Bookcase for our family room that would be functional, but more importantly, a bookcase that would complete the room and add a real sense a style, warmth, and class.

Why No Other Style of Bookcase Can Match the Beauty of the Barrister Bookcase

For as long as I can remember, my Father had a Barrister Bookcase in his study, and still does to this day. Sure, his Barrister Bookcase is an antique by now, but it's also a classic, and has a timeless element to it. This would fit the style of our home perfectly, as I think it would for most homes, and we just had to have it.

The dark, rich, cherry finish of the sturdy wooden frame is as elegant as it is bold. The glass doors, which is what makes a Barrister a Barrister, protects equally timeless family heirlooms, books, and other valuables from dust, kids, and other possible household disturbances.

Before I decided to go online to eventually discover the Barrister Bookcase by Kathy Ireland, the bookcase that would eventually tie the whole theme of our house together, we started by visiting the obvious furniture stores in our area. Although IKEA, Target, and the other usual suspects were great for many of the smaller pieces of furniture, there was a serious lack of high quality bookcases.

We also shopped local antique furniture stores in hopes of finding a barrister bookcase that was similar or identical to the barrister bookcase my father has. Our findings were less than spectacular. What we found was that antique furniture prices are through the roof! Furthermore, many of them lacked the modern features that we take for granted in much of today's furniture. My husband and I agreed, buying a truly antique barrister bookcase was not for us. In fact, none of them came close to matching the simple elegance of my Father's bookcase, that had originally attracted me to this particular style.

Finally, I Found a Barrister Bookcase That Would Make the Perfect Addition to ANY Home, Even Yours!

Without much luck shopping the furniture stores in our area, I was beginning to think that the Internet would be my only hope, and I was right! After hours of research, price comparing, and reading of customer reviews, I had finally stumbled upon a Barrister Bookcase that was a worthy of our new home.

What I found was the Mount View Barrister Bookcase from the Kathy Ireland Collection, and I chose it for three very specific reasons: Style, Quality, and Value.

• Style: After much searching, there was no other Barrister Bookcase I had seen that could even compete on the same level as this particular bookcase designed by former supermodel, Kathy Ireland.The cherry finish is very warm, and adds a sense of comfort to any room. Kathy Ireland, who has won many awards for this collection, has also done an excellent job of capturing the classic look of older Barrister Bookcases, and at the same time, giving it contemporary styling. Interior lighting makes it very easy to spotlight the items stored behind the sliding glass doors of the bookcase, and the lights are never a hassle to turn off.
• Quality: Seeing as how I planned to keep this bookcase as the focal point of our family room for many years to come, there was no way I was going to compromise on quality.The Mount View Barrister Bookcase is made of solid hardwood, and although you won't necessarily be able to tell from the pictures, it makes for a very solid bookcase. We've loaded the shelves with a small library of books, some pictures, and other random stuff, but you can tell that this bookcase is capable of storing much more.
• Value: Although this bookcase is a bit more expensive than something you would find at a major department store, the price tag is well deserved for the quality you are receiving. The great customer service, and direct to your door shipping were just icing on the cake.

UPDATE: The Mount View Barrister Bookcase by Kathy Ireland has been marked down from $2,181 to $1,399. Over $780 in Savings!

UPDATE 2: Get over to Cymax.com now to take advantage of their free shipping offer and 6 month no-interest financing!

We opted for the White Glove shipping service, which had the barrister bookcase delivered right to our door, in only a matter of days.

To our surprise, the Kathy Ireland Mount View Barrister, didn't require more than a few seconds to put together. With only two separate pieces, this barrister bookcase is ideal for someone that doesn't have the know-how to assemble complicated and elaborate pieces of furniture, or for those who simply don't want to waste their time figuring it out.

“How were you able to afford such an amazing bookcase?”

With the new house, a bunch of new furniture, and a baby on the way, there wasn't much money to go around. Unfortunately, when we first decided to purchase the Mount View Barrister Bookcase, it was not on sale. Luckily for you, you can now save nearly $800 on this particular bookcase.

My husband and I just had to have this bookcase, so we decided to go the financing route. This was a sensible decision because we knew we would eventually have the money, just not at the moment. And with 6 months of no-interest financing through BillMeLater, we had plenty of time to pay it back.

Another Great Bookcase Find...

After getting the bookcase positioned in the family room, the room was brought to life. It added a certain elegant ambiance to the room. Now when you enter the room, you get a new sense of warmth and comfort, and it seems that visitors to our house get the same feeling.

It didn't take long for my husband to catch on to what attracted me to this style of bookcase as a little girl, and now as an adult. Now, we did want to put a barrister bookcase in the home office, but we couldn't afford another Kathy Ireland Barrister Bookcase, nor did we want two pieces of the same furniture.

What we found was a significantly smaller barrister bookcase, but one that had the same simple elegance that we are after. This bookcase would be perfect for the office we thought, and was actually much more similar in style to the bookcase in my dad's study from so many years ago, which made this one a clear winner.

Dark wood with Mission Red accents add a professional style that makes this piece perfect for the office, or any other room in the house really. And you, of course, can't forget the glass doors.

At nearly 1/3 of the cost of the Mount View barrister bookcase, the Pulaski Barrister Bookcase offers an equally attractive style at a much more affordable price point.

UPDATE 3: The Pulaski Barrister Bookcase is also on sale for only $587, saving you almost $400.

Are these the Barrister Bookcases for You?

If you're looking for a top of the line bookcase, or any piece of furniture for that matter, that has the ability to add warmth, comfort, and elegance to practically any room, then yes, I'd say the Mount View Barrister Bookcase is definitely for you! However, if you aren't comfortable investing in this fine piece of furniture, then the Mission Red Barrister from Pulaski may be a better option.

Choose the barrister bookcase that best matches your home, your personality, and your budget -- and you can't go wrong!

There simply aren't many furniture companies making bookcases of this caliber anymore. If you're after a bookcase with a high-quality antique look, but don't want to pay high-quality antique prices, look no further than the Mount View Barrister Bookcase.

UPDATE: The Mount View Barrister Bookcase by Kathy Ireland has been marked down from $2,181 to $1,399. Over $780 in Savings!

UPDATE 2: Get over to Cymax.com now to take advantage of their free shipping offer and 6 month no-interest financing!

UPDATE 3: The Pulaski Barrister Bookcase is also on sale for only $587, saving you almost $400.