{This post may contain affiliate links. At no cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click on any affiliate link within my blog}.
Exquisitely decorated bookshelves have me totally smitten. I don’t know about you but I drool over images of beautifully decorated bookshelves, each one embodying either a light or dark academia aesthetic. I adore the way a bookshelf can be styled with vintage books, transforming it into a stunning eye-catching centrepiece of any room. In this post I explain how to style a bookshelf with vintage books and other collected pieces. By mixing old vintage books with thrifted treasures, I have been able to bring a bookshelf to life. Taking it from a boring place of storing and organising my books to a visual celebration of beauty and purpose.
How to Style a Bookshelf with Vintage Books
Here are 4 easy steps I use to style a bookshelf with vintage books and other interesting thrifted finds:
- Start with layering books
After clearing every shelf and dusting them clean, I gather my books and arrange them first on each shelf. There needs to be a balance of colour, sizes, textures and different heights throughout so I stack them both vertically and horizontally. By staggering the arrangement diagonally, I can create visual interest and hierarchy that draws attention to the eye.
- Incorporate some artwork
Interspersed into my display can now go framed or unframed artwork. One per shelf is enough but I could leave some shelves free from artwork to fill with decor later. I have been lucky to thrift some small oil paintings and watercolour paintings but framed prints could also look amazing. Depending on the overall look I am after, gold frames or timber ones could be used. Thrifting these frames and swapping the contents out with thrifted images or prints is also an option. Antique postcards and photos can also be used as artwork. Each piece of art or picture can stand up on its own, sit atop of some of the stacked books or displayed in small stands.
- Adding some greenery
The next thing I consider is incorporating some small plants either faux or real. I prefer faux as they are set and forget apart from the occasional dust. And I am terrible at keeping indoor plants alive! Infusing elements of green can tie the whole look together. It can create a harmonious visual impact that elevates the overall look of my bookshelf.
- Infusing decorative elements
This step is an exciting one as I get to infuse my personality and charm by adding my favourite thrifted treasures and trinkets. There are many options here but some of the items I might add are my vintage collectibles and keepsakes, small sculptures, brass candlesticks, silver goblets, clocks, bookends and small wooden boxes, statues, etc. These pieces also add depth, balance and authenticity.
And that’s it!
It’s perfectly ok to leave some empty space on any of the shelves. This allows the eye to rest and is a great way to draw attention to particular adored treasures or a beautiful stack of vintage books. And of course room for me to add more thrifted treasures later down the track.
So who knew that with just four simple steps, I could breathe new life into this once-boring storage space? Now, instead of a mundane collection of books and knick-knacks, I’ve created a captivating library that tells its own story through textures and treasures.
