Okay, so I finally caved and bought the HOMBAZAAR 7-tier bookshelf after seeing it all over Pinterest. Let me just say—this thing is a BEAST (in the best way possible).

First off, the industrial design? Chef’s kiss. The ‘X’ and ‘=’ metal frames give it that trendy loft vibe without looking like a warehouse reject. I left the back panels off a few shelves (rebel move) to create an open feel, and it somehow looks even cooler.

Assembly was shockingly easy—like ‘IKEA but with better instructions’ easy. Pro tip: double-check which way the sides face before bolting everything together (learned that the hard way). The included hex wrench didn’t strip any screws (miracle!), though those stubborn part-number stickers left gunk I’m still scraping off weeks later.

Sturdiness? 10/10. My toddler uses it as a climbing gym (don’t judge), and it hasn’t wobbled once. The adjustable feet saved my uneven apartment floors too.

The laminate actually fools people into thinking it’s real wood—until they touch it. Shelf depth is perfect for art books but shallow enough to not eat up my tiny living room.

Only quirks: The welded holes on one piece were backwards (fixed with creative cursing), and those demon stickers. Still—bought a SECOND one for my office because this shelf is that good.

TL;DR: Looks expensive, assembles easy, survives kids/pets/life. Just keep Goo Gone handy for those stickers!