Everything you need to know to style those bookshelves like a Pro!

Bookshelf Styling 101

Your shelves say a lot about you- whether you have just a few or an entire wall of built-ins. No matter the setup, they’re a reflection of your personality.

Before diving into styling your bookshelves, take a moment to assess what’s currently on display. Hopefully, it’s a mix of books and personal items that hold meaning. You might have:

• Books spanning various topics, authors, sizes and colours
• Collectibles that resonate with you
• Photographs that capture special memories
• Awards and Certificates that highlight special achievements
• Decorative Items that add flair
• Albums or movies that bring joy

Consider the details you already love. Take some ‘before’ photos to see the transformation from start to finish. Take some time to flip through magazines, or websites that may help you realize if you are into a more cluttered maximalist approach or if you gravitate towards a minimal, less is more style.

The first step is simple but crucial: Remove everything from your shelves and give them a proper cleaning. Identify items that no longer belong here and find them a new home. Clean and group together all items that you plan to reuse.  We are going to go from A to B, Empty to Expertly Styled.

Once your shelves are empty, take stock of what you have. Group your items by category, material and purpose. Then, explore other rooms in your home – You might be surprised by some of the great items you discover. Perhaps you have a dozen similar vases all in the same colour, or a collection of white pottery or a series of wooden boxes. As you gather similar items you’ll begin to recognize a pattern in your collections.

In the images above, we found an abundance of crystal pieces, so we used them as a recurring element to tie everything together.

I like to start with books. When you are arranging books, consider grouping those of similar size, colour and genre, like these encyclopedias. Estate sales and consignment stores are great sources for finding matching books, and you can even purchase decorative book sets on Etsy or Amazon. Perfect for creating a uniform look.

Another approach to achieve a cohesive appearance is to reverse your books, displaying only the ivory or white pages instead of the spines. Alternatively, you could cover all of your book covers with the same decorative paper or a solid, thicker material. However, keep in mind that this might make it a bit challenging to quickly locate a specific title!

The image above shows a fun and easy way to create a simple modern look.  Try reversing all of your books so the white pages face outwards. Combine them with light coloured pottery and other pale items for a fresh, cohesive look. This effect is especially striking when your bookshelves are painted in a darker colour, as the contrast will make the display stand out even more.

Here are some great vases that can create this look.

 

 

This Stunning home office is from a past project with a client who has a deep love for books. We meticulously measured all his existing bookshelves in his previous office and throughout his home to ensure these custom shelves were the perfect fit. The result is a beautifully curated space that doesn’t need to be overly streamlined. We filled the shelves with his cherished books and added a few meaningful decorative objects and mini picture frames to personalize the space.

 

 

Make sure to have some books placed vertically and some horizontally for added interest.  This also gives you a great opportunity to use bookends on the vertical stacks or a decorative item to hold them up.  On top of the horizontal pile, you can place a decorative box or a smaller decorative item to finish that off.

 

Some Final Thoughts

• Remove everything from Shelves

• First item on the shelves should be books and place them vertical and horizontal. Some shelves can be symmetrical while others are asymmetrical to keep them interesting.

• Start bringing in larger items.  Lean art against the back of shelf.  Look at the negative space while you are placing items and make sure that there is a good balance of positive and negative space.

• Now you can start bringing in the smaller accessories.  Maybe small plants that don’t need a ton of light. Smaller pictures, groups of decorative items.
• Layer the pieces infront of each other.
• Add height to the shelves by placing decorative items on top of books.
• Use boxes that are functional so you have the added bonus of stroage.
• Bring in a variety of colour, size and texture.  Step back and take a look.  Mix it all up again and take another look.  You’ll definitely want to play around a few times before settling on the final arrangement.
• Group items in an odd number.  It just works-tried and true.
• Be mindful of negative space.

 

Have fun with it and change them up from time to time.  Holidays and the change of seasons gives you a great opportunity to keep things fresh and edit your decor 🙂

 

**Please note that this content may contain some affiliate links and if you purchase anything from these links, I may earn a commission**