How To Style Built Ins & Bookcases
Styling a space is like accessorizing an outfit, it’s the finishing touches that really pull the whole look together. Built-ins and bookcases provide a lot of opportunity for styling in addition to all the storage they provide, but without a styling strategy it’s easy for them to end up looking messy or or like an afterthought.
I recently helped a friend who lives in another state figure out how to fill and style this CB2 open bookcase. She purchased it to help store some of the (many!) novels she read in 2020 and corral some work-related books and documents. The bookcase is located in her bedroom, so she wanted it to look pulled together while still functioning the way she needed. Knowing this is a common struggle for many people, I put together this visual tip sheet of the guidance I gave her:
A few additional tips:
Finding items that can add texture are key! Plants (even if they’re faux!), baskets, and decorative objects help break up all the smooth and linear lines of books and shelves.
Don’t cram all your books onto one shelf! Allow some breathing room, put them on several shelves and switch up their placement. I believe every room could use a few books, so use them in multiple places around your home.
Take off the dust jackets of hardcover books! If you think you’re going to regret throwing them away (you won’t, trust me), put them in a box in the basement and you can throw them away 10 years from now. (Just throw them away!)
While I’m making book purists angry, feel free to flip your books around so the spine faces away from you if you’d like a more neutral look. I frequently do this with paperbacks.
If you have a lot of books, grouping by color can be very aesthetically pleasing.
Less is more when it comes to photos, lots of 4x6 and 5x7 framed photos start to look cluttered quickly. Opt for larger photos or smaller photos matted and framed.
I hope you find these tips and guidance helpful, be sure to pin the graphic for the next time you’re getting ready to freshen up some shelves! And as always, feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions!