Even in our modern digital era, books still hold unrivalled power in design. More than just conveying knowledge, they reveal the unique personality and interests of a homeowner. Moreover, it makes a dramatic impact on guests when it is designed with accessories and accent elements.
You don’t need an entire room to house a library during design. Find a corner in your home and adjust library bookshelves to transform any awkward area into stylish storage for books, artwork, and other treasured collections. In this article, you will explore how to decorate bookshelves so they are both functional and pleasing to the eye.
Choosing the Right Bookcase
Selecting shelving aligned with your space maximises function and ornamentation opportunities. Before investing in a bookcase, measure the precise area to ensure a perfect fit and consider storage needs, material, and colour to incorporate the piece into your decor.
Style and Material
Wood, metal, and even weaved industrial pipe corner shelves are popular options. Wood can provide a natural, warm look that pairs well with traditional spaces. Meanwhile, metal shelving in black, gold, or silver tones complements modern and contemporary rooms nicely. Pipe design bookshelves embrace any decor style.
Functionality In Your Space
Evaluate the primary purpose of your bookcase. Is it mainly for storage, display, or both? Make sure to select adequate shelf height and depth to accommodate the items you will be placing. If you want to highlight decorative pieces on specific shelves, choose an open-backed bookcase. Opting for enclosed cabinet storage allows you to opt for hidden organisation.
Decorating An Empty Bookshelf
Once you’ve placed your dazzling new bookcase, it’s time for the fun part – filling it with your books and treasured belongings. Even if you have more decor than literature to fill the shelves, try integrating books into your displays. They add extra height, colour, and visual interest. Your bookcase should look full but not overly cluttered.
Add Personal Touches To Your Decor
Make your bookcase a statement by infusing it with touches that reveal your interests and personality. For a travel theme, use souvenirs and photos from your journeys. For an eclectic look, mix and match uniquely shaped vases, candles, and artwork. Frame family photos, childhood mementos, and postcards to create a sentimental memory bookcase.
Play with Heights and Textures
Creating variation in heights and textures ensures your styling looks purposefully composed. Mix books with bookends, trays, and larger statement pieces. Try placing a tall ceramic vase on one shelf and framed photos on another, then stack decorative boxes and books of alternating sizes together. The mix looks curated without appearing overly coordinated.
Bookcase Decor Ideas
Some classic bookcase decor ideas include displaying a collection, such as sea shells, antique cameras, or flower vases grouped by colour. Integrate plants like succulents or orchids, which breathe life into a previously plain bookcase. You can also carry a room’s colour palette over to the shelves with bright throws, painted boxes, or book collections.
Use Lighting To Brighten A Space
Well-placed lighting casts a glow on your bookcase, allowing displayed items to shine. Install built-in bookshelf lighting or use table lamps. Small string lights running along the shelves or picture lights directed at art prints illuminate your treasures.
Theme-Based Styling in Your Home
If you want to arrange your shelves based on a particular theme, decorate with black and white photos of cultural icons for a mid-century vibe, or use nautical-inspired objects like driftwood, shells and sea glass for a coastal cottage feel. Consider adding any neutral sofa set in front of the shelves to enhance the look of the shelves while helping guests pick and read books of their choice.
Mix in Greenery Decor
Dot your bookcase with succulents or potted herb plants to infuse it with living colours. Try framing dried flowers or leaves under glass for neutral yet natural art.
Include Functional Decor Items
While style is important, remember that your bookcase should still be useful. Display daily essentials like remote controls, coasters and tissue boxes for handy access. Pretty storage boxes corral smaller items like charging cables or office supplies.
In a Nutshell
With an array of styling possibilities, your bookcase can become the decorative focal point of any room. Apply these tips to organise and accentuate your space in a way that showcases what you love.
Rene Bennett is a graduate of New Jersey, where he played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s Editor, he enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
