One of the things my clients always want help with is styling their bookcases. Whether it is in their home office or a living space, they want this to be beautifully put together and to reflect their home.

 So, today I am going to help you style your bookcases!

 First,  it is time for a Clean slate! Clear all the shelves on your bookcase. Everything has to come down. When items are all out of the way, you will be able to see past what is there- to what it could look like.

Then go around your house and find all the things that matter most to you. Shop around your house for things like collectables, travel memorabilia, photos, art, fun objects- big and small, plants, and some books. Grab more than you think you will need and put them all in one staging pile near your bookcase.

 Next, you will want to place your big objects first. Arrange them evenly around the bookcase to hold the visual weight. These items  could be a vase,  bowl,  storage boxes, or a sculpture. They are typically accessories that fill up a good portion of the shelf.

Then, add in book collections making sure to balance them based on color and size.  They need to be spaced out. Some books I will stack others will go vertically. If they don’t have pretty spines, you can turn them to all face in showing off their pages instead.

 After the big items and books have been placed, arrange any photos and artwork that you have. You can layer them in by putting them along the back allowing for other accesories to be placed in front. Or you can also place smaller frames on a stack of books.

It is now time to sprinkle in all the smaller accessories into your bookcase. Group like items together in 2’s & 3’s to give them more of a presence.  Make sure your groupings are different and do not repeat. Pay attention to color and finishes. Make sure to spread them out so your bookcase will be balanced and cohesive.

Finally, I like to mix in small plants for great texture. You can use succulants or any inside plant that does not require a lot of maintainance.

Want the bookcase styling guide?

This guide will walk you through- step by step on how to arrange and style your bookcases. Plus a shopping checklist and additional tips from me.  Download the bookcase styling guide here!