5 Tricks Designers Use to Style a Bookcase

In this home, we kept it simple and left plenty of room for family photos. Taking out a shelf and adding a larger piece of art creates a focal point and allows it to feel less cluttered. Source: Studiosteidley.com

Everyone loves space to showcase photos, collections, books, and art, but it seems so hard to get it to look just right! We buy a really cute bookcase, or if you are lucky, you have one built-In! Then comes the stress. We move things around, we go to Target to get that cute candle, we go find more books to stack, and it still doesn't look quite right. Designers use some tricks to make it look perfect and I am here to share them with you!

1. Make sure you incorporate larger objects or art. Scale is everything in bookcase styling and having larger items makes your showcase feel balanced. Leave some breathing room between accessories to ensure a shelf doesn’t look overcrowded. Don’t be afraid to let an oversized item, such as a large plate or sculptural piece stand alone in a shelf. Some items were meant to be a statement on their own!

Group Items of Similar Color Together. Source: www.luxsource.com

2. Keep Colors and Grouping Consistent. Do you notice how in the above photo, it feels calm and fresh? This is because of editing. Your accessories will feel more prominent when they are displayed with other like items. You certainly don't have to go for a monochromatic scheme as you see here, but keeping some consistency will help it to feel professional and not so cluttered.

I love the combination of different sized vases, stacked books, and a pop of color on the back. Source: www.centsationalstyle.com

3. Vary the shapes and sizes of the objects as you style your bookcase. Using a variety of tall, short, wide, skinny, square and round objects, keep it from feeling a bit boring. I love how the navy paint on the back of this bookcase gives color consistency and makes the white vases pop! Simplified layering is an important part in accomplishing a showcase worthy bookcase. Stacking, staggering and layering items of various sizes and shapes will give you the desired interest and depth you are looking for.

In a home office, you want to combine decorative and practical pieces. Here, we combined books used for reference, boxes for organizing, and beautiful artwork. Source: studiosteidley.com

Driftwood adds a dramatic focal point here. Source: lauratrevey.com

4. Add Texture! A well styled bookcase has an interesting mix of natural materials, a great succulent (might be faux!), thrown in with a metallic accented vase. Notice all the different textures happening in this simple white bookcase. Love the hardware too!

When you have amazing family photos, why not make that the focal point? Simply beautiful. Source: bhg.com

5. Make it personal. A well styled bookcase should represent you! Your lifestyle, family, and passions should be a part of the beauty of your home. Even if it is just a couple of family photos in cute 5x7 brushed brass frames, it will add a special touch.

Most importantly, have fun and be proud of your beautiful bookcase!