Style your bookshelves: interior designers reveal the secrets to a curated collection
Buying books is one thing. Transforming them into a sophisticated, lived-in display? That’s an entirely different beast. Forget the Pinterest-perfect, overly-staged shelves. Today’s interior design leans into authenticity, favoring a layered, personal approach—and it’s a welcome shift.
Beyond the spine: how to actually make your bookshelves look amazing
Interior designers are revealing the secrets to creating bookshelves that feel both stylish and genuinely reflective of your life. It’s about more than just arranging spines; it’s about weaving in objects, textures, and memories. The key? Don’t overthink it. Let’s dive into the strategies that are proving to be a game-changer for homes everywhere.
“Mixing in objects such as sculptural pieces, personal items, or collected objects creates rhythm and gives the shelf a more layered, dimensional feel,” explains San Francisco-based designer Heather Hilliard. “I always want styling to look as natural as possible; it shouldn’t look forced or overthought. I like it when it looks like things have been added over time.” Meg McSherry echoes this sentiment, advocating for a “slow decorating” approach – building your collection gradually, “I have an Hermès Baby typewriter in the middle of one row of built-ins [with books] in my Paris apartment, and a huge ceramic jar from a summer I spent in San Miguel Allende in the middle of another [row]. These objects are primarily orange, yellow, and red, and pull these colors beautifully from the spines of nearby books.”
Forget rigid color-coding – that’s a dated trend. Bambi A’Lynn Bratton, a Texas-based designer, emphatically states, “Never turn a book around! A book is a book, and you should be able to admire it for what it is.” While a little visual interest is desirable, a meticulously ordered rainbow of spines will simply scream ‘faux.’
Strategic placement: where to actually put your books
There’s no ‘right’ place for books, according to the experts. Samantha Feuer, founder of Tennessee-based design firm Norris Studio, believes, “Books should live where your life happens, not just where they look good.” While coffee tables and bedside stacks are classics, consider unexpected spots - a floor-level stack beside a reading chair, layered on a console table, or even a windowsill in a smaller apartment. Lilse McKenna from New York emphasizes this, saying, “I love books most when they are woven throughout a house. That is when they begin to give a home real character.”
Don’t hide the spines. Grouping books by category – be it author, country, or subject – can also be incredibly effective. “I would encourage people to create categories that mean something to them,” says Forma Libris advisor Elizabeth Nicholas. “For example, Daunt Books in London organizes books by country rather than genre – it makes walking through the bookstore feel like traveling the world.” And if you're a design enthusiast, showcase those gorgeous interior volumes together. Donna Dotan adds, “Don’t overthink it: showcase the books you truly treasure.”
Ultimately, the most beautiful bookshelves aren’t about perfection; they’re about personality. A little looseness, a touch of serendipity – that’s what makes them charming. And remember, a well-styled bookshelf isn’t just storage; it’s a reflection of you.