Decorating Bookshelves

February 15th, 2012

This has definitely become one of my favorite things to do. We always collect some sort of knick knack from our travels to remind us of the places we’ve been, and this week I got to open the “bookshelf box” and reminisce a bit. Similar to our last home, I wanted to fill the bookshelves with books (obvious choice, huh?) as well as our travel tokens.

First, I brought up ALL of the boxes labeled living room, so I could survey what I was in for. It’s amazing how quickly you can forget what you have!

Next, I took out all of the books and arranged them in piles according to size. This helps when it’s time to put them on the shelves.

And the last step… Begin placing! I started with no rhyme or reason…. Just made sure there was a good mix of vertical and horizontal book displays, interspersed with the travel items. Every once in a while I would take a step back, re-evaluate, move things… But all in all it’s a fun activity with no real rules!

Bottom shelf is empty in hopes that we have more travel plans in the future…. Or in case I find another box buried in the basement

Now if you’re looking for a little more guidance, House Beautiful has some tips for decorating bookshelves:

Step One

Empty your shelves. Back them with colored paper, or paint the backs a contrasting color. This will help make the objects pop.

Step Two

Sort books by size and subject. Remove and discard any ripped dust jackets (unless you think they might have value). Line books, some vertically, some horizontally, in a rhythmic pattern. This will relieve the monotony of rows.

Step Three

Fill unused spaces with attractive boxes. These will help you (neatly) store everything from photos to computer manuals. The blocks of color will break up the rows of books.