Feature article

How to style books in your home

Display your favourite books and elevate your décor at the same time.

Last updated: 31 July 2024

Most of us, at some stage in our lives, have dreamt of having a book-lined study or library in our own homes. With the increasing digitisation of our lives, you may be forgiven for thinking that printed books are becoming a relic of the past.

However, data shows that printed book sales in the last year totalled almost 800 million units in the US alone, so that dream of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves is still a reality. That said, most of us don’t have space for a dedicated library, so, how best to display your books without it looking like a hoard?

Obviously, the first choice is a bookcase, but more than just a receptacle in which to place books, as a functional piece of furniture, the humble bookcase can be so much more. Here are a few options to consider that will allow you to display your favourite tomes and elevate your décor at the same time.

Cover image: With limited space in this 65m2 apartment by Four Walls Architecture, a high-level bookshelf was installed so the owners could display their many books. Image: Jackie Meiring

Stacked in your favour

Sure, stacking your books upright with the spines facing outwards is the traditional way of showing them off, but a simple trick to inject some visual interest into your décor is to experiment with stacking styles — horizontal stacks, overlapping stacks, tilted stacks and even in random heights. It may sound crazy, but purposefully alternating between vertical and horizontal stacking creates a sense of balance and makes it easier to store books of varying size.

If your collection includes artistic coffee table books, or your have wall space but don’t want to crowd out the floor, a front-facing bookshelf is a creative way of mounting your books, turning the cover of each into an artwork in its own right. Or, for a slimline tower aesthetic, consider an invisible bookcase, which allows you to safely stack your books from floor to ceiling for a gravity defying look.

Integrated cabinetry creates a space for books and other personal items to be displayed without taking up valuable floor space in a home by LeLa Architects. Image: Larnie Nicolson

Save room for something else

While the bibliophile inside of you may rebel, consider using your bookcase for more than just books. While books are a reflection of your personality, so too are other items such as family mementoes and photographs, along with awards and other personal items you've collected over the years.

Also think about including pot plants in your display for a hit of nature and for a sense of added wellbeing. Decorating your bookcase in this way will give your visitors a curated snapshot into your life so far, one that truly represents you, your interests, passions and values.

Don’t forget to include some form of lighting as well — a stylish table lamp or LED strip lighting will add functionality and style and can be installed in a discreet way throughout or so as to highlight specific sections of your bookcase.

This barn-style interior of a Queenstown home by Bureaux has been mirrored in the steel tube and timber bookcase with library ladder. Image: Simon Devitt

Divide and conquer

Rather than placing your bookcase against a wall, consider a low boy-style option — or even a full-height piece — that you can use to delineate spaces within an open-plan scheme, such as dividing an entryway from a living space, or even your bed from the rest of your bedroom.

Used in this way, not only will your bookcase add architectural interest to your design scheme, but it will also give you the opportunity to double up on your design aesthetic with essentially two ‘rooms’ to dress.

An important consideration with this particular option is to embrace ‘negative space’. By that we mean blank spaces are just as important as filled spaces, especially when it comes to keeping rooms light and airy, so don’t be afraid to edit your collection for the greater good.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to make a bookcase an integral part of your interior design scheme. Happily, they are all relatively easy to achieve, and just as happily, easy to change and update as your whims dictate.

Author

HOME Magazine

homemagazine.nz

Since 1936, HOME has showcased New Zealand residential architecture; homes that are designed to inspire, challenge and delight, by the country’s best architects.

In every issue we invite our readers into these homes, telling their owners’ stories at the same time as explaining how these remarkable buildings came to be.

Simultaneously, HOME celebrates New Zealand’s best design, interiors and landscapes – every element of the places we call home. It explores the wealth of creative talent that exists in New Zealand and our evolving built environment.

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