Styling a Bookshelf: The Guide from an East Texas Interior Designer

There’s an art to styling a bookshelf in a way that it feels both curated and effortless. Over the years as an East Texas interior designer, I’ve developed my own approach that blends design principles with a little intuition, because no two shelves (or homes!) are exactly alike. Read below to learn my go-to method for styling a bookshelf to make it look layered and balanced. 

The Step-by-Step Guide to Styling a Bookshelf

1. Work in Odd Numbers

One of my favorite design tricks for styling a bookshelf is to style it in mostly odd numbers. There’s something about three, five, or seven objects that naturally feels more balanced to the eye than an even set does. For example, on this particular bookshelf, I used three large anchor pieces. However, on a larger set of shelves, I might go with five or seven, just to make it flow in the space better!

2. Anchor Your Styling With Larger Objects

When you start styling a bookshelf, you’ll quickly see that large pieces are your best friends. They give the eye a place to rest and help avoid that “cluttered” feeling. My go-to large items are:

• Stacks or rows of books

• Large decorative vases

• Framed art

• Sculptural objects

Once you’ve chosen your large items, spread them out, don’t cluster them all in one spot. This creates a visual rhythm that draws your eye across the whole shelf and keeps things balanced and cohesive. 

3. Layer in Medium-Sized Pieces

Once your large object anchors are in place, bring in medium-sized items to add some depth and variation. Some of my favorite examples include:

• Small vases

• Smaller stacks of books

• Bookends

• Petite sculptures

These pieces help break up the larger items and add visual variety without overwhelming the overall composition of the bookshelf.

4. Keep Small Objects to a Minimum

Tiny trinkets can quickly make a shelf look busy, so I suggest avoiding using too many. Occasionally, I’ll pop in a smaller item or two if I need to fill in a gap, but I usually just let the larger and medium pieces do most of the work. This gives it a cleaner and more luxurious feel.

5. Let Your Books Do the Talking

Books aren’t just for reading; they’re incredible styling tools, especially when styling a bookshelf! My favorite trick is to stand larger books vertically. They can make a bold statement, and in many cases, they work just as well as framed art for filling vertical space. You can also stack books horizontally to serve as a base for other decorative objects, adding height and layers to your bookshelf design. 

How Styling a Bookshelf Elevates Your Home

Bookshelves are one of those things that just scream luxury in your home design. Whether it’s an added shelf or a built-in bookshelf, it creates a great opportunity to infuse your personality to add character to your home. You can express yourself through some of your favorite colors or favorite items (even a statement piece!), all while creating a focal point for the eyes to fall on in a home.

A bookshelf is also a great way to create some extra storage, if you have cabinets underneath the shelving. More storage space is never a bad thing, and you get bonus points for it being beautifully done! 

Bonus Tips for Styling a Bookshelf

• Not every space has to be filled. A little bit of negative space in your styling can help the bookshelf flow a little better, and it can be a bit less overwhelming to the eye! 

• Make sure your bookshelf style matches your home style. Keeping all of your decor and colors cohesive is a big deal for your interior design, so make sure your bookshelf styling matches the rest of your interior design. 

• Play around with different designs. Move everything around a little bit to see what flows the best in your space, and even rearrange every so often for a fresh start on styling a bookshelf! 

Shop Some of My Favorite Bookshelf Decor, As Seen Above

There’s no use learning how to style bookshelves if you don’t know where to find the best bookshelf decor. See some of my most-used items below, some of which were used in the photos you’ve seen throughout this blog!

1. Kind of Magic Coffee Table Book 

Again, decorating with books on a bookshelf just makes sense, and the visual imagery on this cover is definitely a treat. This book will for sure add a great pop of color to your bookshelf design. 

2. Burgundy Dried Peonies

Gorgeous dried peonies bring the authentic feel of florals into your home without the upkeep, and they can add a stunning visual effect to your bookshelves. These are used in the photos above, and are a personal favorite to add to any bookshelf design. 

3. Geode Glass Jars 

A small item that I love to incorporate to fill in blanks in a bookshelf is a glass jar, and these decorative ones (with their elegant detailed glass and geode stone top) make a gorgeous option!

4. ‘Relax Pose 1’ Art Print

A large art print is a great anchor item, and this 20x22” simple art piece is the perfect one, especially for a minimalist home. 

Brittney Lane | East Texas Interior Designer

I hope this guide on styling a bookshelf was helpful to you, and I can’t wait to see how you style yours! If you loved this guide, check out more interior design tips, like the overview of different interior design styles and the guide to using art prints in your home. Find all the interior design inspiration of your dreams on my Pinterest! If you’re looking for an East Texas interior designer to assist in your home design, you can book a consultation with me here to see if we’re a good fit. Thanks for reading!