How to Decorate a Bookcase 18 Easy Ways

The best decorations for a bookshelf are usually things you already have lying around the house. Look around your home for accessories like vases, picture frames, and wall hangings that can be used to create a unifying color scheme or theme. Arrange the books in size order, starting with the largest, and stagger the smaller ones between the shelves. Complete the look by incorporating additional decorative elements, such as a few stacks of books or magazines and some indoor plants.

In order to achieve picture-perfect bookcase decor, restrain yourself from stuffing every shelf to the brim with mementos. Selecting a one-color or tone-on-tone scheme for vases and figurines will help maintain a tidy appearance, while a careful mix of different shapes will add visual interest. Take a step back and look at the big picture of your arrangement every once in a while to make sure everything is in harmony. Don't be afraid to experiment with scale and placement to achieve the look you want.

Personal items that have sentimental value or remind you of happy times are perfect for adorning a bookshelf. Collect trinkets from your travels, artwork from a flea market, and prized relics to fill your shelves with. Arrange horizontal book stacks as a pedestal for smaller objects for a more interesting display.

Flip the books you're stacking so that they're alternating horizontally and vertically for some visual variety. Using ornaments as bookends is a fantastic method of enhancing the aesthetic value of bookcases. Bookends made from brightly colored accents and picture frames stand out on white shelves.

Color-block your bookshelves by sorting your books by their spines' hues. Instead of just lining them up vertically, try stacking some books horizontally to add some height variation and visual interest. Turn the spines of mismatched books toward the wall so that only the titles and contents are visible.

The luxury of stacking books in high shelves You can anchor the artwork to the back of the shelves by leaning books against them. Put some miniature artworks near the bookcase's front to add visual interest and depth. The uniqueness of heavy objects like vases and decorative plates is preserved when they are framed in slimmer containers.

If your book spines are boring, you can make them stand out by painting the bookcases a contrasting color. The white shelving and other furnishings in this living area provide a stark contrast to the black built-ins. Also, if you want your bookshelves to have a uniform color scheme, try turning the books so the pages are showing instead of the spine.

Put a bookcase in a corner to maximize your limited wall space. Built-in shelves turn an otherwise useless wall into functional storage space in this banquette. Decorate lower shelves with books and baskets containing frequently used items. Use the top shelves for showpieces and items you rarely use.

Books of similar size should be shelved together because the sparse appearance of modern bookcases is intentional. Use minimalist vases and metallic accents to decorate your shelves, and leave lots of white space so that the objects can really stand out. Make the entire bookcase more eye-catching by wallpapering it in contrasting colors.

Get a wide range of collectibles to create a curated look for your office bookcases. Arrange your goods between the books in a somewhat symmetrical fashion. Place an object of symmetrical size and shape on the opposite shelf from a picture frame or other square shape. It's important to punctuate the look of a wall of bookshelves with a few books here and there.

Give the room a sense of cohesion by using the same color scheme for the books on your shelf. Here, the blue from a nearby throw pillow and the blue from nearby accessories create a harmonious whole. Stuff like toys and movies that could mess with the display's aesthetics can be stashed away in cabinets.

Bookends are an often-overlooked but crucial part of bookcase design. To maintain order on bookcases, try utilizing chunky decorative accents or even repurposed building materials as bookends. Paperbacks and thinner books are less stable on their own and benefit greatly from having bookends.

Use staggered shelving to create a display-worthy decorative bookcase for your books and other accessories. The asymmetry of the rows and columns on this slanted shelf adds visual appeal. When designing a bookshelf for a living room, it is recommended that the most interesting books and artwork be displayed at a comfortable reading height for guests.

Shelving and bookcases are invaluable organizational tools. You can organize papers lying around on open shelves by placing magazine holders on them. Boxes for storing things can be used to hide clutter and add a splash of color to a room. Finish off a bookshelf with trinkets from a garage sale, pretty vases, and indoor plants.

Filling built-in bookcases with books maximizes both their storage capacity and aesthetic appeal. Divide items on shelves based on color for an easy, eye-catching display. Keep in mind that shelves can also serve as a place to display items. The mounted artworks serve to visually divide the shelves.

Objects from bygone eras make for lovely bookcase accessories. Pick a few standout pieces to highlight. Here, old books complement an old suitcase and support a large wooden bowl. The neutral bookshelves are adorned with books that have been set with their pages facing out.

Deciding how to decorate bookshelves in an eclectic style can be challenging. As long as the colors are complementary, works of art from different periods and styles can be displayed side by side on the same bookshelf. The shelves of this bookcase are decorated in blue and white, so the colorful statue fits right in next to the golden armadillo.

The headboard can serve double duty as a bookcase if you install one into the wall. Mounted sconces in this bedroom provide ample illumination while leaving plenty of wall space for an array of bedside books and ornaments. Decorate the space with vases and frames placed between rows of books for added visual appeal.