A Dutch-Design Inspired Book Stand

For my latest side project, I decided to design a book stand that is not only functional but also references my Dutch roots. Inspired by the architecture of grachthuisjes (canal houses), I created a stand that holds one open book while allowing multiple books to be stored on the sides. On the sides, it has two small drawers as well as a small storage shelf hidden under the open book. In the case of children, this place can be used to house a figurine, on one of the pictures, you’ll see a small hedgehog has moved into our “attic”.

Materials & Tools

For this project, I used:

• 3D Printer: Standard FDM printer
• Filament: PLA in white and blue
• Nozzle: 0.4mm (standard nozzle size worked well for this detailed design)

The Design Proces

The design is inspired by the iconic look of Dutch canal houses, with their tall, narrow facades and intricate architectural details. It is a two-part print: one is the house and the second is the “side stand.” If space is a constraint, the object would still work as a stand-alone design without the side stand. That option is included in the downloadable files as well.

Printing & Color Choices

To keep the Dutch theme alive, I chose white and blue PLA. The contrast between the two colors gives the stand a clean, classic look, while still being playful enough for a kid’s room, for example.

The entire project was printed in PLA, unfortunately, the white PLA gave me some challenges. As you can see, there is some under-extrusion, especially around the windows. This is entirely fixable with different settings, but I didn’t think it was worth re-printing for a neater result.

Final Results

The finished stand is both practical and decorative and has been heavily for the last few months. The small drawers are a practical addition, allowing for some hidden storage on the bedside table.

If you’re interested in printing one yourself, I’ve uploaded the STL files on Printables. Check out the pictures below for a closer look at the design:

Final Thoughts

This was a fun project that brought together both aesthetic inspiration and practical function. Designing the stand to mimic Dutch canal houses gave it a unique look, while the combination of book storage and small drawers made it incredibly useful. This idea could be used to create book stands inspired by other architectural styles.