Living Room Bookshelf Styling Tips

A well-styled bookshelf is one of the most personal and interesting design elements in a living room. Done right, it displays your books and objects in a way that looks curated and intentional. Done wrong, it looks cluttered and chaotic. The difference comes down to a few key principles.

Edit Ruthlessly First

Before you style, clear the shelf completely and only put back what earns its place. This usually means removing about 30 to 40 percent of what was there. A bookshelf with breathing room looks intentional; one packed to the edges looks like a storage problem.

Mix Books With Objects

Shelves full of only books look like a library. Shelves full of only objects look like a display cabinet. Mix the two: a row of books, then a decorative object, then more books. Vary the orientation of books — some upright, some stacked horizontally to create a platform for an object on top.

Use Color to Create Order

Organizing books by color creates a visually satisfying gradient effect. If color organization feels too controlling, paint the back of the shelves a contrasting color — this makes the objects pop and gives the bookshelf a more finished, designed look.