Ideas & Advice

How to Style a Bookcase

A bookcase is the perfect place to display favorite items and pieces you've collected throughout the years, plus book and photos you want close at hand. Explore our modern bookcases, offered in a range of stocked and customizable options and read our tips below to achieve an effortlessly styled bookcase.

Five Tips for Styling a Bookcase

Make a modern statement with expertly styled bookcases and shelves. You can easily achieve a beautiful, balanced look that displays your favorite items and memories with these step-by-step styling tips.

Start With the Largest Items

Give items like tall vases or wide bowls and trays a blank canvas since they will take up the most real estate. You can easily add in smaller items later.

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Stack Books Vertically and Horizontally

Choose some of your favorite books and select a few to stack horizontally and some vertically. The mix of orientation adds a layered, yet collected, look to your bookcase.

Add Some Greenery

Place a few small, potted succulents throughout the shelves or add a plant with a long, leafy shape to infuse an organic touch and offset the linear look of a bookcase.

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Fill With Your Favorite Decorative Pieces

Layer in some of your most treasured trinkets or other small, artisanal items like candles or bookends. Consider placing some items at an angle or off-center to add visual interest.

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Continue to Swap Items In and Out

The beauty of open bookcases and shelving is that you can display your favorite items of the moment. We love swapping out photographs depending on the season or if you want to add a personal touch for guests. Tabletop frames are a beautiful accompaniment or lean a larger frame against the wall or bookcase for an ultra-modern look.

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