“Oh my God Becky, look at her books”

It always starts off small… you add them to your Amazon wish list for Christmas, you take advantage of a 2-for-1 offer at Waterstones, or you forget to pick one up before a long flight/train journey and have to buy another… before you know it, you’re shelves are three-deep with books.

Stunning way to display your growing book collection (source: gurl.com)

I do own a Kindle, which is great for long holidays when I burn through books and can’t fit them all in my case, but I’m a traditionalist & a firm believer in reading paperbacks.  You just can’t beat holding a book in your hand, turning the pages, and cracking the spine… it’s the simple things 🙂

The only downside with books… they take up a lot of space!

I have a couple of book shelves already heaving with books and knick knacks, so I’ve been looking for new ways to display my books around the house.

Picture shelf

You gotta love a picture shelf – they are so versatile and you can pretty much display anything on them.  I already have one in my dining room for displaying pictures, so I might shake things up and put some of my favourite titles on there instead.  I also spotted shorter shelves being used to make a mini library above a bedside table, in the kitchen for cook books, or in the WC for when you need reading material.

Make a feature of your books by choosing a colour scheme or cherry pick ones with the most attractive covers (source: stylizimoblog.com / pinterestpinss.blogspot.co.uk)

Stack ’em high

If like me you have a collection of larger, coffee table books that are too tall for your shelves, try stacking them instead on a shelf, sideboard or table and add a cute candle or vase on top.

Who says you need a bulky bookcase to show off your book collection (source: madebygirl.blogspot.co.uk / theglitterguide.com / manmadediy.com)

Or if you’re lacking furniture to place your books on, make them a feature in their own right and let them stand alone in your room.  Piling them up against a wall, either on the floor or on floating shelves, can look great and grouping them by colour makes them look less haphazard and more co-ordinated.

Corner shelves

I always remember my grandparents having a free-standing corner unit in their house, where they would display knick knacks and books.  These days if you have a spare corner you want to utilise you can choose from a whole variety of corner shelves, for both inside and outside angles.

Even your choice of shelving can become a feature in your room (source: rilane.com / home-designing.com / livediyideas.com)

I’m loving the industrial pipe look, and how it snakes around in one continuous line.  Perhaps something to consider when I makeover my spare bedroom later this year  🙂

Stairway

Admittedly this isn’t an option for everyone, but if you have a particularly wide staircase or space underneath you can utilise then these book shelf designs are great.

Make the most of any vacant space you have on or under your stairwell (source: idealhome.co.uk / quora.com / thedebrief.co.uk)

A lot of the time it’s hard to decorate or accessories your stairway, besides adding pictures to the walls.  Adding slim shelves is a nice alternative, and gives you scope to display mementoes as well as books.

Quirky storage

You know we can’t resist quirky storage ideas… and these options are pretty funky.

Loving the reclaimed upcycled look of these wire baskets and antique vice (source: seekdiy.com / oatesandco.com / homedit.com)

We’re also big advocates of repurposing old unused items, and these quirky book storage examples just shows how you can make a display out of pretty much anything.

Or why not add shelves in the most unlikely of places…

Make a feature of your doorway or room divider (source: decoholic.org / thehousehome.tumblr.com)

Adding a bookcase around the dividing space between rooms is ideal if you have limited wall space for conventional shelving… just make sure you leave enough clearing space so you don’t knock your head on the way through  🙂

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I feel well and truly spoilt for ideas now on how to store my ever-growing collection!  Check out even more storage solutions on our Pinterest board, and if you’ve come across any other funky book shelves then feel free share them with us!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with a well-thumbed paperback.