Books, as all book lovers know, can transport you to a different world. Why not let this magic cast a spell over your living room?
A well-styled bookcase works as a design element that brings warmth, character and personality into your home. But there’s a lot more to a bookcase than a collection of books piled over each other.
Rule #1
If you want to keep things simple, line your books vertically. You can arrange them by size and colour, or keep them organised by topic.
Rule # 2
Break the vertical nature of the bookshelf with horizontal stacks. Use some of the stacks to display accessories, photos or knickknacks.
Rule # 3
Books can go in different directions. Separate books into small piles and stack them vertically and horizontally on a single shelf. This is much more visually interesting than a straight line-up.
Rule # 4
Look at each shelf as a single display unit. Pay attention to what goes in and what that shelf is saying about you. One could tell the story about your travel leanings, another of your love for mystery thrillers.
Rule # 5
Add old books to your display. The worn patina, be it a leather-bound tome or a regular one, makes things visually interesting and fun.
Rule # 6
Pop a book on a shelf around so that the pages, not the spine, face out. This, says a design expert, adds “a little funky spin to it”.
Rule # 7
A bookshelf seems bereft if you only use it to store books. Add personal touches such as photographs, figurines, souvenirs and artefacts to add interest.
Apart from shelves, you can display your books anywhere you want — on coffee tables, side tables, bedside tables or you can create your own table too. Stack four or five books on a cocktail table and put a vase on top. Or pile them in a funky chair and add a glass vase to create your own changeable sculpture.
In a home office, stack books horizontally by colour and size, largest to smallest, to create interesting little pyramids that add character.
Create artwork with a difference by scanning book covers you love and have them printed and framed.
