Don't Just Read Books-- Use Them As An Inexpensive Styling Tool

They are plentiful, can be bought inexpensively at thrift stores, and aside from being a wonderful way to pass the time away, books can be styling gold.

So let's celebrate National Read Across America Day 2022 not just by reading books, but by decorating with them, too!

Whether they are favorite beach reads, old school textbooks, or gifts from your kid's birthday parties, books can add the perfect finishing touch to a room in so many different ways.

Look around, start gathering up whatever novels and texts you can find, and let's look at ways they can double as decor in your home.

I remember a couple of years ago hearing the headline, "Coffee table books are OUT."

Whaaat?

I like staying on top of trends, but I don't chase them all, because if something is really in right now, chances are it will be really out soon enough.

And books on a coffee table? What did they ever do to offend anyone!

My opinion-- they are eternally in, not only for design but also for function. Investing in a few good ones for the coffee table that your guests can enjoy while getting comfy on the couch sounds like a long-lasting styling strategy to me.

Having matching sets of furniture isn't much of a thing anymore, but when mixing different pieces to get a "collected look," it can be hard to get all the heights right.

Solution: when in doubt, even things out, with books!

Use a stack on a bedside table to get the lamp where you want it to be. The combo also doubles as nighttime reading material for your guests who might want to tire their eyes before turning out the lights.

Coming up with enough decor for an extra-large built-in shelving feature can be challenging. It's a lot of real estate to fill while keeping the overall impact interesting and cohesive.

Instead of overwhelming onlookers, why not give their eyes something to rest on and read every now and then? Book titles show the personality and passions of both the people who live there, and the those who did the design.

Another oversized styling tip: keep scale first and foremost in your design. A lot of little pieces in such a large piece will look cluttered, hectic, and not pulled together. Note how big these pieces and books are, and how the designer clearly believes less is more in this instance.

The shell art hanging on the front of the shelving is also fun and helps center the vignette, making a clear focal point for the eye to come back to in its travels.

The end result? Styled shelving co-starring, you guessed it, books!

There is something so instantly warm and inviting about a big collection of books lining the wall(s) of a room. Pair the scene with a well-loved chair or overstuffed sofa and it all just says, "Come on in! Relax and stay awhile!"

At our Airbnb country cottage, we keep a good-sized collection of books for our guests on every topic you can think of, from French Cooking to hiking the Appalachian Trail, to my husband's Hotchkiss Prep School Yearbooks, The Mischianza.

The library tends to be a hit with weary travelers looking to slow down and take a load off while opening a good book.

Reviews like Adam's make curating the collection so worthwhile and we continue to add titles for future book worms coming to the Connecticut countryside.

A styling trip last June to High Point Market in North Carolina had us falling in love with the pop up shop by E. Lawrence Ltd. out of Atlanta, GA.

A bit about them from their website:

Seriously, no one styles books like they do.

My photos don't even scratch the surface of their creativity, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next. Spring Market is just a month away!

You can read about our last trip to Market by clicking here.

Sometimes it makes sense to go back to the basics in design, and in this case that would be turning a bookcase into, well... a case for books.

Instead of having them scattered all over the house, just buy a simple bookshelf and get all your books together. It doesn't need to be a full-blown wall of books; a simple shelf will do.

The finished concept may be a lot of hard edges, but you can soften the lines if you style the sides of the bookcase. Maybe add a hanging vase you can keep fresh clippings in, and change them out each season? You could also display a piece of art, or several small pieces to make a gallery wall.

It's the little details that are sometimes the most powerful; just look how much these ferns add to this picture.

No matter what you are reading, or how you use books in your own home, THE REFRESH wishes you a very happy Read Across America Day 2022!

I want to hear more about your ideas for ways you can use books, so I'll meet you in the comments below ;)

For now friends,

xx Kerri-Lee