Leave Some Open Space

When working within a larger space, it can be important to break up the room in a way that creates unique moments. A screen, creative play on furniture orientation, and even a bookshelf can help with that aim.

Here, a metal bookcase creates a divide between the conversation area and the writing desk. Both sides of the bookshelf are styled, so the pretty decor looks good at any angle.

Enclose Your Shelves

Enclosing your shelves can help prevent dust build-up and protect your bookshelf collections from tiny, inquisitive hands. Opt for clear glᴀss panels to keep the view unobstructed, but don’t be afraid to go for wood cabinetry to allow plenty of storage for more unsightly items.

Mixing the two can provide both a sense of airiness and elegance while still providing practical storage solutions.

Highlight Treasures

As we’ve already mentioned, bookshelves don’t have to be all about the books. They can just as easily be a stage for highlighting your most treasured pieces. To keep it from getting too precious, mix in other elements like a candle or framed pH๏τo, arranging and rearranging until you find a composition that works.

Pick a Palette

One key to creating bookshelves that don’t feel busy or chaotic is selecting elements that play off the room’s already established color palette. Soft browns, subtle tones of red and gold, and even gentle pops of blue and ivory reinforce the room’s color scheme, allowing the treasures to shine in their own right.

Light It Up

Overhead built-in lighting can bring a definite custom feel anytime of day, but at night is when it really shines, creating a warm glow on the treasures below. Because well-lit shelves will likely draw the eye, it’s important to pay particular attention to what falls below the spotlight.

When working with a set of symmetrical bookshelves, look at each bookshelf on its own and together. Similar to how each shelf adds to the overall display, both cases should look good in their own right while also complementing each other.

Play with Storage

Some bookshelf items aren’t exactly ready for their close-up, and this can be particularly true within a playroom or bedroom. Upholstered storage boxes can become keepers of all the little knickknacks, blocks, art supplies, and more while also maintaining a tidy-looking display.

Don’t be afraid to mix in natural weave baskets, but ensure you stick to just two patterns and styles to keep it from feeling chaotic or messy.

Maximize Your Space

If you’re building or remodeling, consider how even a tiny wall can work for you. Maximizing your space can create unexpected storage opportunities while also adding a level of interest and customization.

Here,. a set of three shelves provides storage space for books, pH๏τos, and even a ledge to rest a treasured memento in what would otherwise be a small, unused wall.

Mirror the Aesthetic

While some spaces certainly can standup to a splash of color, an impactful display of collections, or even wall-to-wall well-worn spines, a quiet space deserves equally subdued shelves.

Coffee table books are certainly fodder for low-lying tables in conversational areas, but they can also shine on bookshelves where they have some room to breathe. Stack two or three and place an item like a bowl, box or decorative object on top to create a finished look.

Create a Library

Sometimes, it’s important to get back to basics. There’s nothing wrong with packing your bookshelves chock-full of books.

While arranging them based on color or size are popular techniques, there’s also beauty in a mishmash of spines standing side by side. Not lamenting the arrangement can deliver a quaint library-inspired look that’s not at all overdone.

Play Up the Background

What’s behind your bookshelves is just as important as what’s on them. To give your bookshelves a pop, consider wallpapering or painting the back. The solution will set off your collections, whether they’re books, pH๏τos, art, or more, while creating a cohesive backdrop.

Reimagine Built Ins

While built-ins are a prized find in older homes, they might provide certain obstacles when it comes to decor. Though there’s a space that appears to be a built-in desk, the designer opted to use this portion of the bookshelf as a showcase for a statement mirror instead.

The decor on the bookcase shelves draws on the historic aesthetic with black and white pH๏τos, small busts, and a mix of newer and vintage-looking books.

Play in Color

White shelves don’t have to be boring. Especially in a space that’s meant for play, consider how color can make a splash. We love the use of a mirror behind the center bookshelf, too. Not only does it provide an interesting focal point, but it opens up the room thanks to its reflective quality.

Float On

Floating ledges make an ideal way to showcase pretty book covers, particularly children’s picture books that tend to be much thinner than our grown-up tomes. Keeping with the art-focused collection, include a framed work on the ledge to mix up the display.

Flip the Script

Why should we let the spines do all the talking? For an unexpected twist on shelf styling, consider flipping your books around to put the pages on display.

This can also be a fun way to track books that you’ve read. Simply flip them around once you’ve completed the read, and you’ll be able to easily track your progress as the page count marches across your shelves.

Play Up a Focal Color

When you’re working in a space that already has a focal point, consider how your bookshelves or case can accentuate it. The same mint-green color found on the fireplace is used in this built-in shelf, opting for a slight shade variation between the inset shelves and backing.

A colorful collection of books and decor items reinforces the vibrancy of the space to perfection.

Go Dark and Moody

Going dark and moody always has a place, but it works especially well in a cozy study or den. Here, the inky blue built-in bookcase is accented with brᴀss elements and white book spines to create an antique-feeling display.

Keep It Natural

In a bedroom, it’s especially important to maintain a sense of serenity. When it comes to your bookshelf decor, pulling on natural hues can make all the difference.

While some choose to collect books with white, beige, or brown covers, you can also fashion your own covers out of craft paper to give favorite тιтles a new, and decidedly low-key, look.

Leave Breathing Room

Just because you have wall-to-wall shelves doesn’t mean you need to use every last one of them. Especially in light and airy spaces, allowing certain shelves to be the breathing room can create a more effortless look that thrives in its simplicity.

Put It In Neutral

A simple color palette of neutral, earth tone-inspired hues keeps this shelf display from detracting from the room’s natural aesthetic. A mix of textural elements like dried flowers and stone vases keeps it interesting without overwhelming a decidedly subdued room.

Be Practical

A bookshelf can provide a unique storage solution in just about any space in your home, including the bath. Here it’s best to forgo the tomes in favor of elements that won’t become damaged due to moisture. Items like plants and, of course, towels, make the perfect bath bookshelf pair.