It’s not just for books!
Bookshelves are more than simple storage for your favorite books and accessories.
Here are 46 pretty and functional bookshelf ideas for every room in your home.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling by Lindsey Ellis Beatty
Pick a Color Palette
LAUREY W. GLENN
Play off the room’s decor.
No large-scale arrangement needed, just tuck in a few dainty bud vases for a cheerful touch.
Consider hanging a mirror or piece of artwork on the frame of the bookcase.
Credit:LAUREY W. GLENN
Inthis sitting room, designer Fran Keenan opted for an ornate Rococo mirror to add elegance.
Inthis house, the homeowner opted for three different heights.
Inthis library, the homeowners framed a favorite silk scarf to hang center stage.
Credit: Robbie Caponetto; Styling: Kendra Surface
Tuck in Sentimental Treasures
Don’t fill a shelf just to fill itshow off sentimental items.
Indesigner Alexis Simpson’s study(paintedFarrow & Ball’s Card Room Green (No.
79), she lined the bookshelves with vintage family photos and her collection of coffee-table books.
Credit:Brie Williams
Inthis lakeside cottage, the homeowner opted to display books, art, and seashells collected on her vacations.
Think About the Primary User
Hector Manuel Sanchez
Bookshelves can come in all shapes and sizes.
Design around it, like a hidden passageway, and create a cohesive feel using paint.
Credit:HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ; Styling by Kathleen Varner
Bring in Texture
Upgrade your built-in bookcases with wallpaper backing.
Inthis coastal bedroom, designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas used grasscloth wallpaper for texture and color.
Give smaller, special pieces of artwork room to shine by hanging them on the edges.
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Go Beyond the Living Room
Bookshelves aren’t just for the living room.
Make it Highly Functional
No hidden storage for toys, no problem.
Turn your bookshelves into a creative and lively display with the most used items on the bottom.
Credit: Annie Schlechter
Inthis family home, an ombre effect ranging from yellowy green (Farrow & Ball Churlish Green, No.
to dusty aqua (Farrow & Ball Dix Blue, No.
adds to the playful feel of the space.
Credit:Laurey Glenn
Wrap Shelves Around a Corner
Don’t settle for just one wall.
Design with Arches
Curved edges are known for adding an elevated feel to any room.
Hide Storage in Plain Sight
Lacking cabinetry and closets?
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper
Consider adding built-in or free-standing cubes with matching baskets to hold clutter and more unsightly home essentials.
An overflowing bookcase means you’ll always have a book to lend to a friend!
We have plenty of ideas for maxing out small spaces.
Credit: Annie Schlechter; Styling: Raina Kattelson
Make a Statement
MARY BRITTON SENSENEY; STYLING BY DAKOTA WILLIMON
Go all in on color.
This style doubles as a bookshelf and desk.
Create Contrast
Use natural wood on your bookshelf to create a wow moment.
Walls painted in Sherwin-Williamsâ Evergreen Fog (SW 9130) and terra- cotta pavers from Austin-based Clay Imports round out the mudroom.Credit:Cody Ulrich
Consider this low-budget solution to fill the gap.
Create Your Own
You don’t always need fancy built-ins or floating shelves.
Sometimes acrylic wall pockets, as seen in this children’s bedroom, will do the trick.
Credit:James Ransom
The red, orange, and blue books and trinkets tie into the hues of the window treatments.
Inhis 850-square-foot apartment, designer J.P. Horton filled his bookcases with ample reading material and vinyl records.
Here, designer Maggie Dillion created a pint-sized closet for her newborn son.
Credit: David Tsay; Styling: Page Mullins
Ceiling-high windows bookend this intermediary space between the great room and the primary bedroom, flooding the oak-paneled study with natural light.Credit:Laurey W. Glenn; Stylist: Matthew Gleason
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Credit:PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLING BY KENDRA SURFACE
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