Bookshelf design

If youve stacked books on your shelf without giving much thought to how theyre styled, its time to devise a plan. Whether you use decorative objects to add dimension or become more mindful of placement, these practical ideas can help make your bookshelf more of a stylish focal point than a haphazard place of storage. Below, three talented experts uncover their bookshelf styling secrets so you can actually fulfill your New Years resolution of decluttering your home.

Build a Solid Collection

The most important thing to remember when styling bookshelves is that you need more books than you would have probably imagined in order to make them look great. I am always surprised when I see a built-in bookcase full of tchotchkes, but devoid of books. If you dont have a lot of books, it is never too late to start collecting books on topics that interest you. You can also start building your collection by going to the discount bookstore to buy books with attractive covers to arrange among other objects

Choose Shelves for Your Aesthetic

I love pairs of beautiful, simple, sturdy metal bookcases in modern settings, with books rigorously edited and just a few objects placed. However, I also love built-in bookshelves because they create clean, uninterrupted lines. It is really about working with your aesthetic and making things feel like they are part of an intentional, designed space.

Take a Mental Inventory

When styling a large set of bookcases, the first thing I do is take a mental inventory of everything I am working with, which might include books, framed art, and decorative accessories such as pottery, bowls, and baskets. I begin by placing the largest books with neutral spines at eye level since they will serve as the anchor of the overall bookcase. From there, I build the rest of the shelves around the anchor shelves, grouping together books with similar colors and sizes. I like to mix up the way books are arranged from one shelf to the next, with books standing on one shelf and lying flat on the next one to keep things interesting and establish a visual rhythm.

Use Paint to Add Drama

Paint can solve a multitude of design problems. Dont go white or flat. A super-luscious ultra-high-gloss paint can revitalize the plainest of all bookcases and doing a contrast paint color or wallpapering the backs of the cases can add a nice little punch to the room.

Treat Paperbacks and Hardcovers Differently

I always stack my paperbacks laying down, spines facing out, and pile them on top of each other. I have so many different size piles of white, green, and yellow books. Most of my hardcover books are childrens picture books so they get spread out all over the shelf because they are my most important books. Theyre also the most fun to look at

Create Dimension With Decorative Objects

I place decorative objects on horizontal stacks between rows of upright books. It creates a perfect platform for display, and is practical because not all books can fit standing tall. I also love incorporating a bar tray into the bookshelves because there is something slightly naughty about keeping a little nip in the library. Use matching bookends to create visual balance with the multitude of colors from book spines

Consider Spacing

I think that having a lot of gaps in a bookshelf is really important. Being able to see the books, the covers, and their well-loved state is really important to me. I dont like anything in my life to be too crammed in and perfectly organized, so my bookshelves are constantly rotating with books that are important to me but also purposely mismatched so it feels like me. I really like to have as many books overlapping and outward facing if possible!