Bookshelves Are Not Just For Books Anymore

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Every home needs at least one bookshelf. Whether it is in your living room or study, bookshelves are a great to not only showcase some of your books, but add style and storage to a room.

Now I absolutely love books, but even if you don’t, bookshelves are more than a place to show what you’ve read and what you haven’t. This is your home, not the public library. Bookcases can display things you love other than books – artwork, plates, vases, candlesticks, vacation mementos, etc.  And just like your coffee table and fireplace mantel, there are some do’s and don’ts to styling your bookcase.

Bookshelf back decorated with fabric and paint by Redesign Your Decor Photography by Evan Cagle/Dallas Morning News

DO:

• Add charm by painting the back or adding fabric like in the above photo.
• Secure your bookcases to the wall if there are children in your home – or if there is a possibility of having them one day. The last thing you want is your bookcase being pulled down on top of a small child – or anyone, for that matter.
• If you are re-doing an existing bookcase in your home, completely clear off everything and start from scratch. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but trust us. You must have empty shelves in order to do this well.
• Add large, heavy items first, creating a random pattern. Then begin to add smaller accessories.
• Group together like items. There are some things, like candlesticks that look better as a collection rather than alone.
• Use hard cover books and remove the dust jacket for a more sophisticated look.
• Consider covering books with custom covers. You can even use wallpaper remnants, kraft paper or some decorative paper. This is time consuming, but creates a really nice uniformed look.

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• Add eye-catching accessories, like antiques, statues, glass jars with seashells, etc.
• Keep the eyes traveling. Vary the height of your accessories and have a good amount of short, medium and tall objects.
• Use stacked books to add height to a particularly short or small accessory.
• Display books in different ways. Check out The Art Of Doing Stuff for seven different ways to stack books. Yes, seven. We couldn’t believe it either.
• Adjust the height of your shelves, if possible. By not having every shelf at the same height, you can accommodate larger books or accessories and it gives it a custom look.

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• Mix art with books. Small framed art can lean on the back wall creating a layered look.
• Layer items. It adds depth to the shelves.
• Always remember – color, balance and scale
• Maximize your space by using wicker baskets or decorative boxes for storage. They look good while hiding not-so-good-looking items, like movies, magazines or paperback books. And they add great texture.
• Sort books by color. This “creates a graphic pop to the room, drawing attention to them as a feature instead of seeking to make them simply blend in”, writes Kim Lucian of Apartment Therapy.

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• Hang artwork, a mirror or wreath on the outside of the shelves. It adds one more layer to your bookcase.
• Use sturdy pottery or heavy sculptures as bookends.

DON’T:

• Have too many smaller accessories. They tend to either get lost or look like a bunch of clutter.
• Include paperback books that are in less than perfect condition. They can just look ratty and messy. You can always check out Apartment Therapy’s DIY trick on how to turn old paperbacks into custom hardbacks.
• Repeat the same items below or above each other, like a stack of books.
• Pack every single shelf with loads of stuff. If you have one favorite, special item, it can be displayed on a shelf all by itself.
• Exclusively have only books on your bookshelves. If you are going for that library look, at least have 10% of your shelves contain some accessories and another 10% empty.

As always, when styling your bookcase you have to keep in line with the design of the room. A more modern, minimalistic room requires a simple, streamlined bookcase; perhaps even a “bookless” look. A display of books, collectables and family photos may be in a more traditional room. And a bookcase filled with movies belongs in the media room…or basement.

You want your bookcase to represent you and what you love. It should be visually beautiful while expressing your personality.

What do you love or hate about your bookcases? And how to you organize your books? Color, size, genre, Dewey Decimal System? We’d love to hear from you below.

Genna graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with an English degree and realized she can do one of two things - teach or write. She opted to write, which means she is poor. Luckily her husband is not. She lives in Dallas with him, the world's bossiest five-year old and cutest dog. She loves reading, writing, technology, and being organized. She hates mushrooms and believes that if you put the scissors back in the same place every time, you'll never lose them..

Genna Corwin

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