A well styled bookshelf can really make any room pop. We can assist you if you’re unsure of how to decorate a bookcase and turn them into work of art.
- Use special or significant items
- Leave Space for Display Alongside Books
- Work Niches into Your Bookshelf Design
- Display Books Stacked in Piles
- Display Books by ‘Weight’
- Create harmony and white space throughout.
- Apply Color Scheme Rules to Bookshelves, Too
- Display Your Vinyl on Bookshelves, Too
- Style a Bookcase With ‘Less is More’ in Mind
- Showcase Accessories Alongside Books
- Display Books Imaginatively
- Showcase Your Bookshelf Styling With Color
- Use Items That Bring in Different Textures and Shapes
Your shelves will look absolutely gorgeous in no time with a few tips from designers. As you start the styling process, just keep in mind the four advice items below.
Two Things to Know When You Decorate a Bookcase
When styling bookcases, there are a lot of factors to take into account. There are two key things to know, which we will briefly go over in the following paragraphs.
- a curated bookshelf does not happen in 15 minutes
- my grid method for decorating a bookshelf
First of all, when designing bookshelves, you really can’t rush the creative process or inspiration! Allow yourself time to work, rework, add, and edit before you leave, come back, and repeat the process the following day. I’ve never simply styled a bookshelf and, voila, succeeded in getting it perfect the first time, let alone the third.
The second thing to be aware of is how to apply the simple grid styling method that I created more than ten years ago. Every time, it works like magic!
How to Decorate a Bookcase?
Whether you are considering reading nook ideas, grander home library ideas or simply looking for book storage ideas that are as beautifully curated as the rest of your room, these rules for how to style a bookshelf will help you achieve your aim.
Note that these are purely aesthetic suggestions rather than advice on how to arrange your bookshelves. For instance, if you love color, choose your cheeriest, brightest books to display; alternatively, if you prefer a more natural appearance, consider turning your books so that the spines are hidden.
Use Items That Are Special Or Meaningful
These bookcases are crammed with some of my favorite books, artwork and pottery we’ve picked up on our travels, and family heirlooms. Almost everything I have on my shelves is connected to a memory or stands in for someone or something significant in our lives. In my opinion, furnishing your home with items that make you happy and make you feel at home makes a house feel like a home. It’s a great way to showcase your special collections when you decorate your bookcase.
Leave Space for Display Alongside Books
‘If you are designing a home library, bear in mind that over-styling bookcases can be an issue. Don’t stress out too much if you have a few extra books that need to be stacked sideways because books are typically beloved and not used as props. However, if you do this, ensure that some areas of the bookshelves are kept book-free and devoted to the display of a few key pieces that reflect the style of your space,’ says Homes & Gardens‘ decorating editor Emma Thomas.
Work Niches into Your Bookshelf Design
It’s important to plan the layout of bookshelves with how you will decorate them in mind if you are creating them from scratch. This works particularly well in a space where the bookshelf is the most interesting element and perhaps even the focal point, such as at the end of a hallway, but is also one of those characterful home office ideas that is worth including in your home study. Here, the bookcase has larger, longer niches where the owner can put artwork on display. The background is a metallic contrast color.
Display Books Stacked in Piles
‘You can style a bookshelf by grouping your coffee table books together in piles – odd numbers always work best visually,’ says Homes & Gardens‘ digital editor Leave some space around each pile if you decide to do this, advises Jennifer Ebert, so they appear planned and organized rather than random and disorganized. To maintain a roomy and stylish appearance, try to limit the number of bookshelves per shelf to one pile and a maximum of two ornaments. You could theme them based on subject matter or group similar colors together.’
Display Books by ‘Weight’
‘To create a balanced look when styling a bookcase, it is always best to put the biggest tomes lower down, and the smaller reads on the top,’ says Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens‘ Editor in Chief: “Also, keep an eye out for organically shaped vases to contrast with the bookshelf’s straight lines.’
Create Balance and White Space Throughout.
Some people might need or want to use their shelves to primarily display books, and that is entirely acceptable. However, when decorating your shelves, you should make sure that they are evenly distributed. To prevent your shelves from appearing overly crowded and the eye from becoming overloaded, leave some empty space. As a general rule, I divide each shelf into halves or thirds and decorate each one separately for balance. To maintain balance throughout, I like to switch between the two.
When using books as your primary decorating material, you can add a few decorative accents to break up the monotony and add interest. In order to add visual interest, you might also want to stack some books and stand others on end.
Apply Color Scheme Rules to Bookshelves, Too
Living room bookshelf ideas don’t need to be the focal point of your space, in fact, they can act as a neutral background to the rest of your scheme. Classic books won’t typically have brightly colored spines if you’re a collector, and you can usually remove the colorful jackets to reveal a neutral spine underneath.
Display Your Vinyl on Bookshelves, Too
On bookcases, vinyl records also look fantastic, and mixing in a few singles among the albums perfectly changes the heights. A tangerine pot or vase or a collection of Penguin classics with mostly the same-colored spines can be displayed if your design does include a key color like the tangerine pieces displayed here.
Style a Bookcase With ‘Less is More’ in Mind
Jamming as many books and decorations together as you can on each shelf is a common bookshelf styling error. Less is more is the rule here, and if you have a lovely color painted behind your bookcase, you want to be able to see it, right?
Showcase Accessories Alongside Books
We asked Ben Stokes, founder and interior designer at KAGU Interiors(opens in new tab) why styling bookcases with more than just books is key to a happy scheme:
‘A bookcase can be styled in countless ways and provide much more than just space for your books. Favorite decorative items look best on shelves, and styling them is a form of art in and of itself.
‘Introduce trailing house plants and place them high up while adding smaller succulents to the lower portion of the arrangement to create balance. Don’t forget – using a freestanding piece to divide an open plan area works well, it helps to zone the space while still making the room feel connected. Complete the look with a set of statement bookends, displaying a carefully chosen collection of books.’
Display Books Imaginatively
Undoubtedly, variety adds flavor to life. You don’t have to arrange your books horizontally; in fact, a combination of the two results in a bookshelf that is both more interesting and fashionable. And we don’t mean crammed up close either; a few books gently leaning against one another adds a more relaxed vibe than a formal appearance and changes the heights. A decorative item, such as a scented candle or bud vase, can be placed on horizontal books.
Showcase Your Bookshelf Styling With Color
‘You can use your color scheme to generate interest and highlight the styling of your bookcases. Simply display colorful books against a dark background color so that they stand out,’ says Homes & Gardens’ deputy editor Jo Bailey.
Use Items That Bring in Different Textures and Shapes.
I like to add texture to add interest because it can be simple for a bookshelf with similar items to look too perfectly styled. Plants, artificial flowers, or decorative accents can add texture. Below that, I have a piece of white coral, an eye-catching decorative box, and a unique ceramic ornament that is suspended from a stand. My shelves are made a little more interesting by these things. Look around your house for objects that could give your shelves texture or a distinctive shape.
What Kinds of Things Should Go on a Bookshelf?
Nearly anything is the simple solution. Anything besides clutter, because clutter is ugly!
Here is a list of the most popular accessories and other things you will often find on bookshelves…
- vases
- baskets
- a vertical stack or horizontal stack of books with spines out or pages out
- bookends
- a unique bowl
- greenery
- book collections in one color
- a decorative box
- sculpture
- piece of art
- large coffee table books
- battery operated candles
- a tray
- picture frames
- family photos
- a pedestal
- something you have made
- plates
- collection of trinkets with a theme
Actually, there are a ton of things you can add to a bookshelf!
It’s very personal to decorate a bookshelf. Pick items that have such personal significance to you that you want to display them. Select items for display that enhance the overall beauty and appearance of your bookcases. Displaying all the lovely items you have collected for a bookshelf is the idea.
Choose the Perfect Color Palette
Having a color scheme in mind is one thing that will really make the items on your bookshelf look nice together. Pick a bookshelf color scheme that complements the space where it will be placed.
When all the items on a bookshelf coordinate in color, the shelf looks so lovely.
Consider adding a pop of color to add interest if your bookshelf decor is primarily monochromatic or neutral. A shelf can be made more interesting by using a contrasting color.
Choose Your Decor Style
The majority of the items in a bookshelf should also complement your decor. Since many of the items we place on shelves are items we already own, there is a good chance that they will complement your style.
This is not to say that there can’t be one or two outliers to spice up the shelf a little. Your child’s third-grade creation of a bright yellow ceramic giraffe might end up on a shelf. It will undoubtedly spark discussion!
Someone should be able to tell a little bit about you just by looking at your bookcase! After all, you already have the things that are on them!
We can assist you if you’re unsure of how to decorate a bookcase and turn them into work of art.
- Use special or significant items
- Leave Space for Display Alongside Books
- Work Niches into Your Bookshelf Design
- Display Books Stacked in Piles
- Display Books by ‘Weight’
- Create harmony and white space throughout.
- Apply Color Scheme Rules to Bookshelves, Too
- Display Your Vinyl on Bookshelves, Too
- Style a Bookcase With ‘Less is More’ in Mind
- Showcase Accessories Alongside Books
- Display Books Imaginatively
- Showcase Your Bookshelf Styling With Color
- Use Items That Bring in Different Textures and Shapes
