Learn how to style bookshelves like a pro with these expert tips. Elevate your home decor effortlessly.
Bookshelves can be gorgeous additions to any room. They lend visual depth to a room’s design and extra space to express yourself. Avoid making your shelves look too cluttered or empty by using these tips to style your bookshelves like a pro. Your home will be magazine-worthy in no time.
1. Let Your Shelves Breathe
Unless you want your bookshelf to evoke memories of library stacks, leaving some empty space around your shelved belongings is best. Let them breathe. Filling each shelf end to end with books could make your bookshelf look cluttered. The extra room will also make it easier to dust when it’s time to deep clean your home.
2. Add an Artful Statement Piece
Leaving some space on your bookshelves means you can add statement pieces beside the books. An artful vase or miniature statue could illustrate your mid-century modern or art-deco design on each shelf.
You could also place a few plants around your bookshelf. Find one that only needs indirect sunlight and light watering. Succulents would also thrive on a sunny shelf. If you’re one of the 11.5% of people who kill six or more houseplants each year, don’t worry — you can find faux plants that look identical to real ones. Compare what’s available to find trailing ferns, flowers or succulents that will never need water.
3. Clean Your Older Books
Professional interior designers don’t leave their clients with shelves full of dusty books. Closely inspect your collection to determine if it needs a cleaning. A bit of cornstarch and a paper towel could lift grease from your hardcover books, while rubbing alcohol removes stains from the edges of your paperbacks.
Once your books are grime-free, your shelves will look much nicer. You can fill them with beloved older prints without your home appearing shabby.
4. Make Artful Book Piles
Stacking your books vertically across each shelf could be your preferred style, but it’s not your only option. Consider making artful arrangements on every other shelf or just one. A few covers could stand side by side on the left, while a pile of three or four books sits next to them on the right. As long as the biggest book is on the bottom and the smallest is on top, you’ll recreate a styling technique seen in home decor magazines.
5. Pick a Color Code
Color-coding books is an interior decorating technique that’s become a long-running trend. See how many of your books match in color schemes or solid hues underneath their book jackets. You could arrange them by color on separate shelves to give your home a fresh look.
You might also enjoy matching your books to an existing design feature in the room. The covers could match a hue in the wallpaper pattern, creating a statement wall in your living room. Color-coordinating is another way to style bookshelves like a pro, whether you want them to match a focal point or create a rainbow bookshelf.
6. Make Them Family-Centered
Books and plants aren’t the only things you could put on your bookshelf. Stack a few board games if your bookshelf is in a family-centered part of your home, like your living room. They’ll be easy to reach whenever you get in the mood for some friendly competition.
You could also use your free shelves to show off your child’s latest accomplishments. Frame their most recent artwork or put their science fair project on a stand by itself. It’s a creative way to utilize shelving and make your kid feel extra special.
7. Showcase Family Photos
Find small, artful picture frames at a flea market or thrift store — they could match your home’s interior design while fitting neatly between or beside your books. Select a few family photos and showcase them in the new frames. You could even update the pictures throughout the year as you make new memories together. It’s a sweet way to fill the space while preventing a cluttered appearance.
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8. Create a Vinyl Shelf
If you have a few vinyl records in your home, save a shelf specifically for them. You could place a small record player on the shelf next to them or a standard-sized model on another shelf. You’ll effortlessly create a haven for your vinyl collection. It also makes it easier to play a record while having people over because everything you need is in one place.
Style Your Bookshelves With Ease
Consider using these tips to style your bookshelves like a pro. Depending on your preferred interior decor scheme, you’ll find the perfect arrangements for your belongings or new decor. Play around with shelf arrangements and compare your creations to make your shelves look professionally designed.
Cora’s passion is to inspire others to live a happy, healthful, and mindful life through her words on Revivalist – wholeheartedly convincing them that everyday moments are worth celebrating. Cora has spent 5+ years writing for numerous lifestyle sites – hence her sincere love for both life and the beauty of style in all things. Keep up with Cora on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.
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