The Do’s And Don’ts of Bookshelf Arranging
These days, bookshelves are more than just a storage unit for old paperbacks. You can use them to add style to your living room, bedroom or home office.
Here are my top 3 do’s and don’ts when it comes to adding character to your bookshelf!
Do:
Use books! This one might seem pretty obvious, but just using a bookshelf for home decor items is definitely done more often than you’d think. So grab a couple of hardback books (try to stay away from paperback to keep it classy and sophisticated) and stack them vertically or horizontally. Organize them in a way that looks neat, either by color or size.
Switch up size and scale. Starting with an empty bookshelf, add your largest items first. Then offset them with some smaller pieces. Be sure to have a variety of sizes and spread out the different sized items so that your eye isn’t drawn to one space, but flows back and forth across the shelves.
Think about the room as a whole when decorating your bookshelf. If you have a themed space, add items that work with it. Use textures and colors to add to your current look, like adding nickel and steel metallic decor to a room that is primarily white and airy. Draw from the room’s existing color palette to ensure the end product feels cohesive.
Don’t:
Overcrowd. There is something to be said about the open spaces of a bookshelf. It gives the eye a visual break and makes the shelf as a whole look cleaner and neater than covering every square inch with decoration. You want the shelves to look organized, not chaotic, so give your items some room to breathe!
Obsess over symmetry. While you do want balance, do not worry too much about having exact proportions on every shelf. Think of the bookshelf as a whole and consider the visual weight of the items across all of the shelves.
Feel obligated to put every small item you have impulse-purchased on your bookshelf. Just because you picked up that cute succulent at Hobby Lobby or your great aunt gave you her collection of trinkets, does not mean they deserve a space on the shelf. Keep with your theme and make it organized. Don’t let your bookshelf turn into a landing space for tiny decorations that you can’t figure out what to do with.
Remember to keep it simple and stick with the stuff you like! You don’t have to go out and buy the latest decor, you can just be smart about arranging what you do have and your bookshelf will look like it was done by a pro!