My dear friend, former roommate, teaching budding (and the list goes on) Judy, recently emailed me a photo of her bookshelf asking for help. She had just recently organized it but still wasn’t completely happy with it.
Here’s a photo Judy sent me:
If you remember from this post, Tessa and I styled her bookcases in her master bedroom. And, although we’d outlined a few suggestions, as you go about this, you realize there really isn’t one specific technique to styling a bookcase. It really comes down to personal preference and I truly believe that you must fill your shelves with things you love. That being said, sometimes it takes a lot of re-arranging until you find the right mix. I tend to focus on one shelf at a time and then move on to the next shelf.
To start things off, Judy applied a great technique by lining the backs of her shelves with some decorative paper. What a difference this photo is after adding paper–really customizes the bookcase.
Now, in terms of the organization of the shelves themselves, here are a few tips to help Judy get on her way to the perfect bookshelf!
First, I would mix up her frames so that they are not all on the right hand side of the shelf. Play around with different sizes of frames, lean those photo frames against one another, on the back, or put one on top of a book. Think about height of books vs. frames and try to stagger these items so it varies.
Here’s an example from my own bookshelves:
Because the shelves are adjustable on Judy’s bookcase, I would suggest moving the shelves up so there is not a large gap between items and the top. I love a huge horizontal stack of books all the way to the top. It’s okay to make a shelf the same by stacking the books the same way just vary the height so it still adds interest (like we did here on Tessa’s.)
If you have hardcover books, it’s always a nice look to remove the jacket cover. I think this takes your bookshelf from looking like it’s in your dorm room to a grown-up house.
Use items from around the house that have meaning to you such as vases, bowls or decorative objects. Stack a few books and place a vase or object on top! By breaking up a line of books, you create a sense of space on the shelves.
Lastly, I would move items on the bookshelves so that some are in the front and some items are resting at the back of the shelf. Play around with the depth of your bookshelf.
Hope this helps, Judy and don’t forget to send us an updated photo! Wish I lived closer and I would be over in a heartbeat to help you!
