Book organization ideas – top designers share 10 different ways to display your books
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Loading... - Jenab Chan
- 03 Jun 2022
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The challenge of book organization ideas is balance. Book-lovers want a method that will inspire them to read more, but also to find the books they are looking for. You don’t want it to look like a bookstore, it’s your home after all, but finding a way of categorizing them not only makes books easier to find, but will also create an interior design feature that will enhance your living space.
There are, thankfully, a variety of ways you can organize books in your space, whether you have a large library, a bookshelf's worth or you keep a small, minimal reading list. How you store and display them might depend on what living room storage you have, for example, but the process of organizing them can be treated the same.
Here, we've curated a library of top tips from organizers and designers for storing your books practically, but also in style.
BOOK ORGANIZATION IDEAS FOR SORTING YOUR SHELVES
No matter what type of reader you are, book-lovers always want more books, whether or not they have time to read them. If your books are a mixture of ones you have read and ones you haven’t gotten to yet, think about creating a to-be-read shelf. Place them within arm’s reach of your favorite reading spot.
If you read across genres - contemporary fiction, fantasy, memoir, science fiction – it can be useful to shelve books according to your most-used categories. Just be sure to keep a bit of open shelf space around each section if at all possible to leave room for future purchases. And remember, it’s your library, so you get to make the rules.
1. DISPLAY BY COLOR
For a modern shelving idea, arranging books by color makes for a beautiful interior design feature and it’s simple to do. Here, they are in small blocks of color across the shelves, so it doesn’t look too regimented, further enhanced by the vintage, buff-colored books laid horizontally at the bottom and a collection of china in the middle section.
‘The different colors, textures and prints on the covers add eye-catching detail,’ says Emma Deterding, founder of Kelling Designs(opens in new tab). ‘It creates a rainbow effect which is an effective way to introduce color and pattern to a space using books you already have and love.’
'Also, when organizing by color, organize from big to small,' adds Amy Vance owner of Eco Modern Concierge.
2. DESIGN A LIBRARY CORNER
If you have a lot of books, floor-to-ceiling shelving is the ideal solution for an easy to create home library idea and creates a wonderful backdrop to furniture like these burnt orange sofas. Bold, teal silk curtains add color and a fabulous ceiling light is the perfect talking point in this living room corner.
In this design by Victoria Maria, some books have been placed onto shelving spine-first, reducing the amount of color on show. This controversial technique is loved by those looking to display books but also keep a tight color palette, but it's not always the most useful for helping find the book you need.
3. CURATE A COLLECTION
If you run out of space in the bookcase, stack a small selection of special books on top of a pedestal or plinth for an elegant living room idea. ‘We use books to create an instant collection and story in the room,’ says interior designer, David Frazier(opens in new tab). ‘We usually know our clients well enough to curate a collection based on their interests or enhance their existing library.
'When displaying books on a table or surface, we often stack two to three and will add a small object on top. On shelves, we love to stack books both vertically and horizontally, often in a mixed combination, layered with interesting pottery, natural or found objects.’
4. MAKE USE OF A RECESS
Build shelving into a recess, it’s a great use of space and the perfect place for books, as demonstrated by this clever bedroom storage idea. ‘This book shelving unit is functional yet adds to the character of the room,’ say Emile Humbert and Christophe Poyet of Humbert et Poyet(opens in new tab).
‘The bookshelf is topped with square blocked neo-classical style cornicing that lines the ceiling. The shelving displays an eclectic collection of books and small artworks, such as collages by Damien Blottiere and Scott Ramsay, making the room more personal and homely.’ Read More...
