Have some fun with bookshelf monitors!!

Well, given your constraints "Speakers have to sit on a bookshelf, have a wood or white finish, and most importantly be interesting!", you could do 1 of 2 things.

1: Buy a speaker designed to be both near a wall and on a bookshelf, Ex. (some Dali models among others) and make them better sounding with X/O upgrades and add a nice wood veneer or 

2)  Buy a nice speaker with interesting characteristics and place them on a stand. 

I have Audel Magika II using good drivers in a nice layered birch plywood cabinet.  I also looked at Xavian, Penaudio, Fischer & Fischer, Audio Revival, Fritz among a few others.  

I do not think any of my choices would perform best placed on a bookshelf but some of the companies offer really small monitors, new or discontinued which could work out well.  

In my experience don’t overlook the Nola Boxer 3. Big speaker sound in a bookshelf size, but they perform best on stands. 

I am a monitor guy also.

I would suggest NSMT 15 SE. Small speaker manufacturer in North Carolina. Some of the best I’ve heard. Acoustic Suspension design.

Having said that, Devore makes some wonderful Bookshelf speakers...Micro O's. Truly made to go in a bookshelf 

Hi there - try out the Bache Audio Sonata-Ex-2 - he is a member here. Have enjoyed them for a couple years. Great guy to deal with!!

Butchart s400 special color edition, thank me later