Image courtesy of: Farnum Design

A common stumbling block in any size home is finding room for adequate shelving to house all of one’s books.  Shelves take up valuable wall space and can be difficult to incorporate into the flow of rooms.  But don’t leave those books packed in boxes; decorating with books is a fabulous way to literally dip your toes in the world of Out-of-the-Box-Decorating.

The wonderful thing about books (well, besides reading them!) is that they are both warm and graphic at the same time; they can compliment any decorating scheme.  Their familiarity lends them a comforting air, while their rectangular shape makes for a visual pop.

Top Tips for Displaying Books in Unexpected Ways:

• Arrange them in the negative spaces created by furniture legs. In the photo above of a tall side table (actually, that’s a re-purposed counter stool that works perfectly next to a sofa with high arms) the column of hardcovers in jewel tones looks like a work of art.
• Look up!  The tops of kitchen cabinets, armoires, and other tall furniture pieces don’t need to sit empty; these are great places to store items and create a “WOW!” moment. Pile some books up there, accessorize with a few shiny objects like candlesticks or bowls…and voila!  “Wow!”
• Find an unused spot in your home (perhaps a stairway landing or in front of a window), grab a wooden chair, and build a tower of books on the seat. This creates a quiet little area to reflect upon some of your favorite titles as you walk by…and makes use of an otherwise unused space.
• Rethink your glass-fronted cabinets and hutches.  They don’t need to be restricted to only displaying glassware…rows of books sitting behind glass is a lovely, unexpected touch.
• Put them to work! In the below photo, the stack of coffee table books sits on a footstool (Yes!  Another stool…they are very versatile!), and they are topped with a painted wooded box.  This makes for a convenient place to set a cup of tea while lounging on the sofa behind it.

Photo Courtesy of Farnum Design