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Emily A. Clark

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Get the Look: Unintentionally “Styled” Shelves

January 21, 2020

There have been more tutorials on bookcase styling in the last ten years than you could possibly ever need. I’m not sure when the concept of “styling” a shelf really caught fire but I’m sure we can credit that to Pinterest and Instagram, like so many other things. There’s not necessarily a right or a wrong way to do it, but I am a big fan of starting with books(!!) and filling in with personal things and found objects. Not the other way around.

whats-your-shelf-style

I’ve had several people ask me for help in styling their shelves (usually large built-ins they’ve inherited around a TV) and my first question is always “Where are your books?” Decorative accessories are fine, but most well-styled shelves can’t be knocked out in a day–or in a month. My favorite look is shelves that are crammed and collected over time. After mine were “finished”, I’ve continued to add in more books, little objects my kids have made in art class, loose photographs. . . To me, it makes a room more interesting and cozier.

Unintentionally Styled Bookshelves TIPS

  • Layer books in both horizontal and vertical groupings. And if you have an overflow of books (I’m getting there!), fill in the space above your vertical groupings with smaller horizontal stacks on top.
  • Use a collection you may already have (ginger jars, candle sticks, milk glass, etc.) and spread it around throughout the shelves.
  • Avoid “filling space” with just one big decorative accessory on a single shelf. This is when things start to look overly styled.
  • Lean art and framed photos against the back of shelves where you have gaps.
  • If space allows, hang a small mirror or artwork on the front of your shelves. (I’ve done this with both small nails and command hooks.)
  • If your book collection isn’t huge or is still growing, fill bottom shelf space–and gain hidden storage–by using woven or fabric baskets.
  • Another trick if you don’t have a ton of books: put them all in horizontal stacks and add decorative objects on top of some of them.
  • Mix in favorite photos. (The frames don’t have to match.)
  • Paint the back of your shelves (or the whole thing!) a dark color to give the illusion of a fuller bookcase.
  • Don’t overthink it–and don’t be afraid to continuously change it up. A good bookcase is always evolving.

 

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Filed Under: bookshelves, Simple Design Ideas, storage Tagged With: bookcases, decorating, simple design ideas, styling ideas

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liz says

    January 21, 2020 at 10:50 am

    My mom advised me to remove the covers from my books and it helped me achieve a more polished look.

    Reply
  2. Rosemary Corning says

    January 21, 2020 at 11:52 am

    How do you feel about “gently” grouping books by their bnding color? I like the visual cohesion, a place for your eye to rest, and i especially like the black book binding shelf – looks strong so i have it closest to the floor. Thanks for this post, and all you do!!!

    Reply
  3. cameron says

    January 21, 2020 at 5:48 pm

    Great ideas :)

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    January 21, 2020 at 7:23 pm

    Thank you for recognizing that people actually put books on book shelves! I am so tired of seeing styled shelving with a few books that clearly were picked to act as height props . Readers unite and start piling those books and wonderful items that migrate into your life on your shelves. People without such storage will drool!

    Reply
  5. emily says

    January 21, 2020 at 7:40 pm

    Very timley! Just fluffed my bookcases this weekend :)

    Reply
  6. Lisa Hamel says

    January 22, 2020 at 12:06 am

    I love your approach! As a former English teacher, my bookcases always have more books than trinkets.;)

    Reply
  7. Melissa says

    January 22, 2020 at 9:21 am

    Great post and tips! I love the inspiration photos. I think one of the most ridiculous “trends” is having all the page edges facing out instead of the binding. I am a big faN of tossing the jacKet though.

    Reply
  8. Alicia says

    January 22, 2020 at 11:01 am

    I love an overstuffed and somewhat haphazardly arranged bookcase. For ours I speckled my husband’s old golf trophies throughout the shelves. They were sitting in a box in the basement and he refused to get rid of them so I figured I might as well show our guests that he won “best sportsmanship” back in 1985 ;)

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      January 23, 2020 at 9:03 am

      Love that idea. True story: the only sports award I ever won was for sportsmanship…..

      Reply
  9. Elaine says

    January 23, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    What a wonderful post! Couldn’t agree more! I love all you do and write. You are authentic…. so many people are trying to fake authenticity these days, go figure!

    Reply
    • Emily Clark says

      January 23, 2020 at 10:59 pm

      Thank you. Such a nice thing to say :)

      Reply
  10. Jennifer Reil says

    February 2, 2020 at 3:39 am

    I love seeing photos of your home, it is so beautiful!!

    Reply
  11. Brenda says

    February 15, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    It is a foreign concept to me to NOT have ‘a ton of books’. I love that you both read the books and style the bookshelves… Renaissance Woman? Thanks for all that you share.

    Reply

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