Books stored on this metal stand by London designer Sebastian Bergne hide the supporting structure so they appear to prop each other up or hover in midair depending on the angle of the shelf (+ slideshow).

Sebastian Bergne's Fiction bookstand is made from a folded steel sheet, painted paper white, and sits at an angle to the surface it's placed on.

A perpendicular plane at one end supports the books placed along the shelf, while another section at the other end is bent to prop up the stand and to hold a single volume.

"I'm interested in the analogue world that books represent," Bergne told Dezeen. "One of their qualities is that they are synonymous with weight and mass. Whether stored in piles or on shelves we are constantly reminded not only of their physical weight but their organisation, storage and content."

When the shelf is used horizontally, the books at either end appear to make contact with the flat surface below, while the ones in between look as if they are hovering in midair.

When used vertically, the books appear to be stacked in a column with the top volume floating above the rest.

"The resulting bookstand ended up being mainly about instability," said the designer. "I've tried to create something unexpected that will make people look twice and enjoy displaying their books differently. The object is hidden by the books so the project is less about the design and more about what you can do with it."

Designed to hold typical paperback-sized books, Fiction can also be used for other books and magazines. The stand is part of a numbered personal edition by Sebastian Bergne, the first 25 of which are currently available.

"I regularly produce objects myself in what I call personal editions. Projects designed and produced with no imposed restrictions," said Bergne.

"People are increasingly interested in objects that are individual. The edition is not limited and I've tried to keep the price reasonable, so if it proves popular I'll happily make more. The numbers will just get higher but each one will remain unique."

His previous projects include a folded sheet metal letter rack for French brand L'Atelier d'exercises, a spirit decanter shaped like a tilted egg designed to be positioned at different angles without spilling its contents, and a collection of customisable outdoor furniture for design brand TOG.