Styling tip: On dark shelves contrast is important. Hunt down some bright white objects that will pop against the deep color. To help dark shelves settle into the room, choose artwork with the same dark hue and hang it on a nearby wall.
How to style a bookcase?
Another option when you style a bookcase is to turn the books around so you just see their pages. This is especially beautiful if you’re styling an old collection of books. Hang small art or a mirror on the front of your shelves. If you’re worried about losing wall space with a bookshelf, never fear! You can easily add art to the shelf.
How do you make a bookshelf look deep?
Create depth using paint or wallpaper in the back of your bookshelf. Bookshelves are often quite shallow or narrow ( 8”-16” in most cases ), but still add tons of depth to the room. This is an especially effective bookcase styling tip if you don’t have a lot of space for deep shelves.
How do you style your shelves for home decor?
Shelves are the perfect platform to showcase favorite decorative items and styling them can be an art in itself. 'Create balance by introducing trailing house plants, placing them up high, while adding in smaller succulents lower down.
Can a bookcase be more than just a place to store books?
Showcase accessories alongside books We asked Ben Stokes, founder and interior designer at KAGU Interiors why styling bookcases with more than just books is key to a happy scheme: ‘The styling possibilities for a bookcase are endless, they can offer much more than just a place to store your books.
Why do you need a bookshelf?
How deep should a bookcase be?
What to use to wrap books?
What do botanicals do to a bookcase?
What to put on a bookshelf?
When to remove book sleeves?
Can you put art on a bookshelf?
See 2 more
How do you make a full bookcase look good?
I've got three great tips for making your bookshelf look a little more styled.Vary Horizontal and Vertical Stacking. I like to start by dividing up all my books by size. ... Add Color to The Back of Your Bookshelf. This is a great way to make your bookshelf look more harmonious. ... Display Books by Size and Use Bookends.
How do you decorate a deep bookcase?
Deep bookshelves give you the luxury to play with layers. Lean artwork along the back of the shelves, and anchor them with books or heavier objects. To decorate the bookcase, place a few small pieces of art near the front of the shelves to give them depth.
How do you decorate dark built ins?
USE SCULPTURAL OBJECTS. A decorative bowl or vase, trinkets and even frames are a great way to add a little difference and interest to your styling. Frames also make a space feel personal. Whether they are displaying a photograph or a piece of art, they really bring your built-ins to life.
How do you make cheap bookshelves look like expensive ins?
0:185:57How to fake a built-in bookshelf (+ 6 budget-friendly design tips)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd we put a piece of MDF. In there painted it white to match. Now it feels like a considered designMoreAnd we put a piece of MDF. In there painted it white to match. Now it feels like a considered design detail this reveal. We lifted the whole thing up on a platform.
How do you make a bookshelf look more expensive?
5 Easy Ways to Make Your Bookshelf Styling Look Expensive01 of 05. Go Hardcover. Not to diss my favorite paperback titles, but hardcover books just display better. ... 02 of 05. Don't Display Everything. ... 03 of 05. Add Accessories. ... 04 of 05. Add Paper or Paint. ... 05 of 05. Incorporate Art.
How do you arrange a deep bookshelf?
To make deep bookcases function better for your family, consider adding in 2 layers of books. I placed my books behind my children's books. This no only maximizes the use of the space, but it also keeps the kids books from being pushed back into the shelf. Hope this tip helps you make the most use of your space!
How do you decorate a dark wood bookcase?
0:563:45How to Style Dark Built-Ins - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI like to use natural textures like wood tones and wovens because they are a great medium.MoreI like to use natural textures like wood tones and wovens because they are a great medium.
How do you brighten a room with dark furniture?
Ways to Create A Bright Space with Dark FurnitureChoose Drapes in Complementary Colours. ... Paint Your Walls White. ... Or Paint Your Walls A Bright Colour. ... Purchase an Accent Chair. ... Fix Your Lighting. ... Colourful Throw Pillows. ... Be Creative with Rugs. ... Natural Lighting.
How do you make a dark space look brighter?
From painting the ceiling to layering in accessories, we asked them for some tips to help you let the light in.Paint Your Floor White. Courtesy Dan Mazzarini. ... Choose a Bright Rug. ... Ditch the Heavy Curtains. ... Select Bright Art. ... Hang a Mirror. ... Try a High-Gloss Ceiling. ... Take Your Room's Temperature. ... Incorporate Metallics.More items...•
What looks good on top of bookcase?
TIPS & IDEAS FOR WHAT TO PUT ON YOUR SHELVESPlants, plants and more plants. Plants are super on trend at the moment. ... Texture. Look for fun woven baskets, wooden prayers beads and little boxes to add texture to your shelves.Candle holders. ... Books. ... Vases. ... Pictures, art prints and photos.Candles.Risers.
How do you make a bookshelf less boring?
You can even jazz up your bookshelf by painting the back of the bookshelf wall. Bold and bright colors make the bookshelf stand out, but if you are looking for a more thrifty way to cover the back walls then you can use wallpaper in geometric prints or metallic floral wallpapers to make your bookshelf stand out!
How can I make my interior look more expensive?
By adding different textures to a room, you create a custom (read: more expensive) look. Try adding a Turkish rug with a wood arm chair and metal accessories. Add some throw pillows in various textures such as silk and velvet to round out the look. Check out these 25 trends in home decor.
What to do with shelves that are too deep?
0:221:523 Ways to Deal with Deep, Dark Shelves | Clutter Video Tip - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipStore another great solution for a deep shelf. Situation is to use basket as drawers. Here I have aMoreStore another great solution for a deep shelf. Situation is to use basket as drawers. Here I have a very deep shelf. And I have a basket. That I can pull in and out to make a selection.
How do you make the best use of deep shelves?
How to organize deep pantry shelves. ... Make a plan. ... Choose pull-out storage. ... Reserve lower shelves for heavier items. ... And store seldom-used items up high. ... Enlist pantry helpers. ... Stack food in height order. ... Pay attention to use-by dates.More items...•
How do you accessorize a large bookcase?
1:234:32How To Decorate A Bookshelf|How to Accessorize - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's important to add a little greenery to a bookshelf. So for something different I'm adding theseMoreIt's important to add a little greenery to a bookshelf. So for something different I'm adding these mouse balls to a rusty wire bucket. This is a simple way to bring color and life to the bookshelf.
How do you style a large bookcase?
8 SIMPLE TIPS FOR STYLING A BOOKSHELFMake it substantial. ... Don't stuff it full. ... Try to find a cohesive colour scheme. ... Ground your bookcase. ... Vary heights and depths. ... Use meaningful items. ... Actually use books! ... Have fun with it!More items...•
How to style a bookcase
Whether you are considering reading nook ideas, grander home library ideas or simply looking for book storage ideas that are as beautifully curated as the rest of your room, these rules for how to style a bookshelf will help you achieve your aim.
1. Leave space for display alongside books
'If you are designing a home library, bear in mind that over-styling bookcases can be an issue. Books are usually beloved – not props, so don't worry too much about having a few books too many that need to be piled sideways.
2. Work niches into your bookshelf design
If you are designing bookshelves from scratch, it's worth structuring their layout with how you will style the bookcase in mind.
3. Display books stacked in piles
'You can style a bookshelf by grouping your coffee table books together in piles – odd numbers always work best visually,' says Homes & Gardens' digital editor Jennifer Ebert. 'If you do this, do leave some space around each pile so that they look deliberate and neat rather than accidental and messy.
4. Display books by 'weight'
'To create a balanced look when styling a bookcase, it is always best to put the biggest tomes lower down, and the smaller reads on the top,' says Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens ' Editor in Chief. 'And look for organic shaped vases to contrast against the vertical lines of the bookshelf.'
5. Apply color scheme rules to bookshelves, too
Your bookshelves don’t need to be the focal point of your room, in fact, they can act as a neutral background to the rest of your scheme. If you’re a collector of classics then they won’t have brightly colored spines anyway and you can remove those with colorful jackets to reveal a neutral spine underneath more often than not.
6. Display your vinyl on bookshelves, too
Vinyl records also look great on bookshelves and popping in some singles amongst the albums varies the heights perfectly. If you do have a key color in your scheme like the tangerine pieces shown here, add in a few pieces in the same color to tie in – a tangerine pot or vase or show off your Penguin classics that mostly have similar colored spines.
Adopt Artful Architecture
Even before you approach the topic of how to style a bookcase in a bedroom or living room, there’s the question of what bookshelf to employ for the task. Those with built-ins will want to skip ahead, but for those with the freedom to build a mise en scène from scratch, consider the opportunity to spring for a bookshelf with architectural clout.
Back with Wallpaper
A common conundrum in childrens’ rooms? Too much shelving for too little library. How do you style a bookcase without books? One remedy is to back your bookshelves with wallpaper. Opt for a busily-printed paper to retarget focus from your shelves’ scant contents.
Go Lower than Standard
A bookshelf needn’t always be a towering totem. In fact, opting for a lower bookcase can produce an eye-catching result. As for how to style bookshelves that are lower than average? Resist the temptation to pack them full of tomes. Doing so will visually weigh them down.
Stud with Sconces
Wondering how to style large bookshelves so they look less imposing? One designer sleight-of-hand is to bullet them with sconces. When topped in a pretty pleated shade, sconces can temper massive bookshelves’ bulk. Come nightfall, they can also provide a functional lighting source to read by.
Adorn in Art
Especially if you’re trying to camouflage built-in idiosyncrasies like different-width shelves, layering framed art atop your bookshelf can strike a stylistic chord. When installing art on your shelves, dial back visual noise where you can.
Level Up with a Ladder
Sometimes the reality of styling bookshelves is that you need them for the sole purpose of stowing books. If a bookshelf brimming with books seems less than novel to you, try rigging up a ladder to add an element of interest.
How to Style a Bookcase with Books
Put simply, you want to give your books some breathing room. Jamming them spine-to-spine can give your bookshelf a fortress-like appearance.
How big are bookshelves?
In essence, they're anything and everything we want them to be, often in less than four feet by six feet. Bookshelves are also ideal spots for creating a personalized, perhaps creative aesthetic within the home. In case you don't know where to start, we've taken the liberty of offering a few simple suggestions on how to style your bookcase:
Can you use book lights in bed?
Book lights aren’t just for reading in bed at night. Adding gallery lighting to your bookcase creates more of a sophisticated ambience not only among the shelves, but also within the room housing the bookcase.
Can you adjust the height of a bookcase?
Don’t forget you can often adjust the height of your bookcase shelves. If you’re able to create a large open space in the center, it’s a unique and beautiful way to showcase a great piece of artwork, even bigger than the standard 8x10. Placing a painting on an easel, for instance, acts as a stunning anchor for the eye.
How to get wallpaper straight?
What I found worked the best was to peel just one upper corner of the paper back slightly, get it situated and then slowly remove more backing paper as I pressed the wallpaper to the surface, using the scraper to press out any air bubbles as I went.
Can you remove the pins that hold shelves in place?
I found it easiest to remove all the shelves that I could. I did have one stationary one that I had to work around. You can remove the pins that hold your shelves in place if you choose; I left them up.
Is buffalo check wallpaper easy to remove?
Plus, it's easy to remove if I ever decide to change it up! The paper just pulls right off. I've seen black and white buffalo check wallpaper at Target.com that I'm dying to use somewhere in my home.
Do affiliate links have to be included?
Affiliate links may be included for your convenience ; my full disclosure policy can be found here. If you click through and make a purchase I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!
Why do you need a bookshelf?
A bookshelf should complement the room around it and add interest to your room. Decorating a bookcase is a lot of fun because there’s space to work with and you can change it up regularly. It’s an easy way to transform the look of the room anytime you feel like it. So don’t be afraid to play around with your bookshelf!
How deep should a bookcase be?
Create depth using paint or wallpaper in the back of your bookshelf. Bookshelves are often quite shallow or narrow ( 8”-16” in most cases ), but still add tons of depth to the room. This is an especially effective bookcase styling tip if you don’t have a lot of space for deep shelves.
What to use to wrap books?
I love the look of a uniformed cover (use kraft paper, white wrapping paper, or a neutral pattern to wrap the books with). Label them on the spine if you are worried you can’t identify the books once they’re covered. Another option when you style a bookcase is to turn the books around so you just see their pages. This is especially beautiful if you’re styling an old collection of books.
What do botanicals do to a bookcase?
Gorgeous botanical art or a classic mirror add visual impact and even make the room appear larger. The botanicals call back to the color in the couch pillows and the pops of red on the shelves. Mirrors literally reflect the colors of the room surrounding them. Hanging items to the front of the shelf is a perfect tip for professionally styling a bookcase.
What to put on a bookshelf?
Your bookshelf should reflect what you love. The shelves should include items meaningful to you. Branches, rocks, plants, shells from your travels – these are all great natural elements to add to your shelves to ground your display.
When to remove book sleeves?
Remove book sleeves or turn them around when you style the shelves.
Can you put art on a bookshelf?
If you’re worried about losing wall space with a bookshelf, never fear ! You can easily add art to the shelf. Not only do framed paintings and mirrors look great nestled amongst the other items on the shelf, but you can mount them right to the front of the bookcase!
