4. Architectural Bookends with Brass Inlays
Introduction
Heavy books deserve bookends that command attention. Architectural cement bookends combine raw brutalist geometry with sleek metallic inlays, keeping your favorite reads stylishly upright while doubling as modern sculptures.
What This Idea Means
Heavy, geometric cement blocks adorned with slender brass strips or geometric cutouts that introduce a touch of warmth and luxury into an otherwise raw material.
How to Make It
- Construct Molds: Use melamine boards to build clean, sharp-edged rectangular or wedge-shaped casting boxes.
- Position Brass Accents: Secure thin brass sheets or rods vertically inside the form using hot glue so they remain upright during pouring.
- Pour Concrete: Pour a dense, aggregate-free concrete mix around the brass inserts.
- Cure and Polish: Allow to cure for 48 hours. Remove the forms, polish the exposed brass with a microfiber cloth, and seal the concrete body.
Tips and Variations
- Asymmetrical Angles: Cast the bookends at a dramatic slant to give your bookshelf a dynamic, high-fashion architectural movement.
- Felt Base: Glue a piece of soft felt or cork to the bottom of each bookend to protect your wooden bookshelves from scratches.