Beautiful ideas for displaying your books
Photo, Colin Faulkner.
Hallway decorated with bookshelves and chaise lounge
Take your inspiration from art-gallery shops everywhere and organize coffee-table books in symmetrical stacks. To get that wow factor, space piles evenly, make each the same height and group books together by size and colour.
Modern look: Hang floating shelves end to end to create long horizontal lines.
Get a similar look: Parsons desk, westelm.com. Nexus vase, eighteenkarat.com. MR chaise longue, knoll.com. Zebra rug, snobstuff.com.
Box them in
Use new and vintage wooden crates to create a personalized bookshelf. Secure them together and to the wall with screws. Then fill crates with an eclectic mix of books (standing up or on their sides), art and collectibles — the more variety in size, shape and colour, the better!
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D.I.Y. Decor: Turn beautiful books into art by colour-copying and framing their covers.
Get this look: Crate, Baconbasket.com. Frames, orange graphic print, sheepskin, sisal rug, Ikea.ca. Chair, rug, Elte.com. Paint, Charlotte’s Locks, Farrow-ball.com. All accessories, Indabatrading.com.
Watch how we put this room together in this 60-seconds video!
Blow them up
Borrow an idea from designer Brian Gluckstein and turn your books into art. To create your own version of this stunning painting by artist Paul Béliveau, bring your favourite books to a printing house and have an oversized print made from their spines. It’s an unusual way to pay tribute to the most treasured pieces in your library.
Cozy corners: Set your sofa back between two large bookshelves to create an inviting reading nook.
Get a similar look: Painting, Paulbeliveau.com. Sisal rug, Ikea.ca. Custom chairs, sofa, coffee table, Glucksteindesign.com. Bench, Kreiss.com.
Colour code them
Make a dramatic statement by colour-blocking covers when placing books on a shelf. Move from whites to yellows, greens, blues, purples, browns, blacks and greys. For maximum effect, group books by size within each colour.
Display know-how: Break up a solid wall of books by placing art, candles or photographs on some of the shelves.
Get a similar look: Stockholm sofa, Ikea.ca. Chandelier, Chatelethome.com. Seneca table, Crateandbarrel.com. Post and Rail dining chairs, Urbanbarn.com.
Pile them high
Stack books around a fireplace, under a window or by a door. It’s a fun, fresh take on organizing that gives any room an artsy, bohemian feel. Just remember to place the largest books on the bottom so your stack won’t topple over.
Stacking savvy: Keep books easy to find by grouping piles by subject: one for fiction, another for travel.
Get a similar look: Pleasant Hearth fireplace, Homedepot.ca. Skruvsta chair, Ikea.ca. Similar candlesticks, Heatherrossinhouse.com. Monogram paperweight, Johnderian.com. Paint, Woodlawn Blue, Benjaminmoore.com.
Pare them down
Follow the lead of the design dynamos behind Powell & Bonnell. Elevate the status of books by cleverly interspersing them with objets d’art. Place books sparingly on floating shelves to warm up minimal decor.
Designer style: Match shelves to your desk for a seamless, professional look.
Get a similar look: Lack shelves, Ikea.ca. T.Vac chair, Vitra.com. Prairie coffee table, Powellandbonnell.com. Orange resin bowl, Marthasturdy.com.
Turn books into a decor statement with our organizing solutions for any room
