There's a difference between a bookshelf and a styled bookshelf, and it isn't more stuff. It's less.
The shelves in the room at the top of this post hold plenty of books, but they look calm because every shelf has breathing room. That's the whole secret, and the rest is a few simple habits.
The one rule: leave a third empty
On every shelf, aim for roughly:
- One third books.
- One third objects: a vase, a bowl, a small frame, a plant.
- One third nothing.
The empty space is what makes the objects look chosen. Without it, even beautiful things just look stored. If you have too many books for that, give some a home elsewhere: a basket, a stack on the coffee table, a shelf in the bedroom.
Stack some books flat
A shelf of only upright books looks like a library. Break it up:
- Lay three or four books flat in a short stack.
- Put something small on top: a brass object, a stone, a little bowl.
- Next to it, stand books upright with a heavy bookend.
Alternating between upright rows and flat stacks, shelf to shelf, gives the whole wall a rhythm.
Mix in objects, plants and baskets
Look back at the room at the top. On those shelves:
- Stoneware vases and jars in cream and grey.
- Wooden bowls for warmth.
- Small landscape prints leaning at the back.
- One or two trailing plants hanging over the edge.
- Woven baskets across the bottom shelf, hiding everything else.
Keep the objects in the same family of colors and materials. Cream, stone, wood, brass and green always work together.
Floating shelves in an alcove
No built-ins? Four floating shelves in an alcove give you the same look.
- Space them 12 to 15 inches apart so books fit upright.
- Go chunky: thick oak shelves look custom.
- Style them the same way: books low, fewer objects higher, a plant on top.
For shelves that wrap a corner instead, see corner book shelf ideas.
No room for a bookcase? Use ledges
On a narrow wall, deep shelves stick out too far. Picture ledges are only a few inches deep:
- Display books face out, like a bookshop. The covers become art.
- Mix in small framed prints and a plant.
- Add a picture light above.
- A cushioned bench below turns it into a reading spot.
Group books by color
Books are the most colorful thing on a shelf. You can make them work for you:
- Group by soft color: cream, sage, rust, black.
- Skip the rainbow. A full ROYGBIV shelf is fun but rarely calm.
- Turn some books around so the pages face out if the spines are too bright.
- Remove paper dust jackets from hardbacks. The cloth covers underneath are often beautiful muted colors.
Mistakes to avoid
- Filling every inch. Leave a third empty.
- All books upright. Mix in flat stacks.
- Tiny objects everywhere. Fewer, bigger things look better.
- No closed storage. Use baskets or cabinets for the rest.
- Everything the same height. Vary tall vases, low bowls and stacks.
Book shelf styling FAQ
How do you style a bookshelf so it doesn't look cluttered?
Leave about a third of every shelf empty, mix upright books with flat stacks, and keep objects to a few larger pieces in one color family.
Should books be vertical or horizontal on a shelf?
Both. Alternate upright rows with short flat stacks, and put a small object on top of the stacks.
How do you decorate a shelf with lots of books?
Group them by color, use baskets on the bottom shelf for overflow, and add just one or two objects per shelf.
What do you put on bookshelves besides books?
Stoneware vases, wooden bowls, small framed prints, candlesticks, one or two trailing plants and woven baskets.
Related reading
- Corner book shelf ideas
- How to style IKEA furniture so it looks collected
- Home office decor ideas
- Photo wall ideas that hold together
Take everything off one shelf, put back two thirds, and see how much better it looks.
