Bookshelf Bliss
Creative ways to arrange literature and decor for ‘shelf care.’
Reading lovers, rejoice! Your ever-growing stash of paperbacks and hardcovers are trending aesthetic items for your home, as well. Books add so much to the character of a space — stories, memories, information, color, art and design. The way we store our books is equal parts convenience and curation, with bookcases and shelves serving as displays for classic tomes and modern literary musings. Here are some ideas to style a bookshelf to add some personality and color.
Keep it neat
Take off dust jackets for consistency and organize books by height or type, such as hardcopy, paperback or genre. For a modern rustic effect, turn your books pages-side out — the earthy tones of the paper create a warm vibe that pairs well with plants.
Color code your shelves
If you prefer to keep book jackets on — and showing off your awesome reading repertoire — group together books of similar spine colors. This creates a gorgeous spectrum of hues on each shelf. Guests entering your space will be wowed by the unique design statement made by your personal reading rainbow.
Add pops of design
Decorative pieces, such as photographs or accessories and trinkets, break up the straight lines on your bookshelf. You can utilize design elements as organizational cues by starting each category of books with a piece of decor related to it. A section of music books, for example, can be punctuated with a unique music box. A small globe can mark a row of books on travel. A cute candy jar could be a fun way to represent your favorite food guides and recipe books.
Create varying heights
Stacking books horizontally and standing some books vertically offers dynamic design. Get creative and play with leans and angles — add a little character beyond the usual clean and straight books in a row. Bonus tip: Invest in a reading chair you’ll love for years, like this one.
This post was last updated on January 6, 2024 from an original post published on December 3, 2019.
