12 essential bookends for your reading shelf

Keep your bookshelves in order with this pair of handcrafted concrete bookends by London-based studio Smith & Goat. While they are available in a variety of shades, you can't go wrong with this khaki and mint colourway, which gives them a sophisticated and heritage-style look. £38, smithandgoat.co.uk

Fala – a quirky and eye-catching bookend by Noo.ma - not only helps you keep your shelves in order but also acts a visual focal point in your room, thanks to the vibrant colour options. This bold and punchy red version is a great way to add a pop of colour to the living room. £49, luk.noo.ma

Waste jesmonite has been used to craft this bookend, which is part of a wider collection of handmade items by British design studio Emily Marlin. The studio's ingenious Mix & Match option allows you to purchase two different bookend designs so you can get playful with your shelving. £40, emilymarlin.com

Tom Dixon's unusual 'Swirl Stepped' bookends are at once decorative and functional. They can either be used to keep your books and magazines displayed in a smart upright position or as sculptural objects to enliven your table. £235, hauslondon.com

Opt for a stylish yet timeless bookend and you'll be able to switch it from room to room every time you redecorate. This blue one by Broste Copenhagen, which is made from powder-coated iron, can be paired with the brand's newly launched Nobuko shelving system. £42, brostecopenhagen.com

For hardbacks and larger coffee table books, this sturdy bookend is just the ticket. Made of solid wood, it provides the necessary weight, dimensional stability and surface area for those heavier titles. Alternatively, it can be used as a paperweight to help keep your desk tidy. Approx £66 for two, loehr.co

Inject a little design history into your shelving unit with 'Hand', a brass bookend by Austrian brand Auböck. The witty open-hand design is typical of Auböck, which was founded by Carl Auböck more than a century ago. The family-run business still manufactures it by hand at its original Vienna atelier. £810 for two, abask.com

Contrary to its organic form, this bookend has actually been created using a digital 3D moulding technique, blurring the boundaries between the digital and the physical. Its tactile texture combined with the natural stone shape adds an impressive artistic touch to your bookshelf. £85, nest.co.uk

With its striking yellow hue and zig-zag shape, Jermaine Gallacher's bookend provides enough exuberance to give any room an immediate lift. Use it to brighten up a cosy reading nook in one swift move. £250, matchesfashion.com

Design gallery Twentytwentyone's iron bookends draw from contemporary Japanese design, with their angular lines and geometric lines. Place on either end of a row of classic titles for a degree of modernity. £79 for two, Twentytwentyone.com

Designed as part of Alan van Havre's PI collection, these bookends can be purchased on their own or alongside some of the other decorative objects in the range meaning you can display them individually or grouped together. Each solid PI bookend is finished and polished by hand to showcase the unique character of the wood. £154 for two, madeindesign.co.uk

‘Soho’, a hand-cut fine crystal bookend by Reflections Copenhagen is all about the glamour. Comprised of vivid, curved shapes pieces in statement colours, it will transform a shelf in seconds. £339, amara.com