Bookcases and Bookshelves 101
As I thought about what to write for this issue, I didn’t need to go far. I have been designing and styling bookshelves and bookcases for 20 years. Here is a challenge for you, dear reader:
Stop. Take a look at your bookcases. Are they filled with old paperbacks? Bright or faded, unattractive, and maybe poorly designed bookbinding’s that scream “I am old and tired!” Maybe it’s time to clear the clutter and start fresh with a new look! Having beautiful and thoughtfully arranged bookcases is a way to personalize your home and add warmth and character.
I love books, in fact, my home has hundreds, but I don’t want to feel overwhelmed by my love of novels, art, photography and design books. If you want to make a change in your interior, consider re-arranging your bookshelves and here are some ideas:
1. It’s OK to let things breathe. Sometimes, just because one has a bookshelf, they feel it needs to be filled end to end. Take everything off your bookcase and put aside books that you really don’t need to see. Make room for art, family photos, maybe some sentimental memorabilia. Leave space in between things. It is a nice, fresh, modern look when things have negative space in between. Stack books both horizontally and vertically for interest. Consider taking out or re-adjusting your bookshelves to open the space up a bit more. Painting or adding wallpaper to the back of a bookcase is also beautiful. We recently added a deep, textured grasscloth behind bookshelves in a living room, to add more depth and richness to the space.
2. Make sure your bookcase has a point of view. Group together collections of favorite pottery, dishes, art. When our son moved out, we turned his room into a quiet space for yoga, stretching and exercise. On the bookshelf in his room is our collection of travel guides, language books, and meditation guides. It’s nice to have that collection in one space. Upstairs, in our office, which is not a public space, I have novels, reference and business books. These aren’t that great as a group, but in our private office, it’s ok and feels very cozy. We do have them organized as well, so if I’m in the mood to re-visit an old novel or book on poetry, I can find it.
3. Bookcases don’t have to have books! Leaning artwork, vessels, or other art objects is another way to re-fresh a bookcase. Recently, I did some bookshelves in a master bedroom and I set up a beautiful bar on the shelves. A tray, some lovely bottles of liqueur and glasses turned a space that seemed predictable into a whole new mood.
4. And, one more easy fix: Re-frame your family photos! Have you ever looked at your photos and noticed the frames are old, completely unconnected in style and the pics are framed edge to edge? You can’t really see and appreciate what is in a picture frame if the photo is edge to edge without a mat. Take all your pics, and reframe them with crisp, cream mats. When you do this, your eye can relax and truly take assessment of what is in the frame. If your eye is trying to decode the silly words on a picture frame that says “family” plus flowers or whatever, you just don’t see the image inside. As you can see, this is a pet-peeve of mine when it comes to family photos!
So, I invite you to look around and review your shelf space. It’s a wonderful thing to have books, and I’m sure most of us have too many, or do we? …and for this, I offer one of my favorite quotes on books:
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
― Charles W. Eliot
