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May 08, 2015

Ways to Spruce Up Your Boring Bookshelf

When one thinks of bookshelves, people see only one thing on them- and that is of course, books. Bookshelves, for the most part, make two things look good- the room, and the owner of said room.

A shelf full of books makes one look smart, and given the right titles in the collection, allows the owner to flaunt some sort of erudite appeal (the authenticity of which of course depends on whether said owner reads the books or not). Of course, not everyone has this selfish motive of purchasing books to project illusions of intelligence. Some have simple motives, like allowing a bookshelf to blend in, instead of stand out. Bookshelves can provide a subdued elegance in any room, provided that its inclusion is done tastefully. Some simply want a place to keep their books organized and accessible.

There are plenty of ways to add a little pizzazz to your bookshelf, so that it just doesn’t tell everyone that you’re smart- it tells everyone that you’re smart AND you have good taste.

Arranging your books according to subject matter is always a good idea, for easy access. If you know your books and wouldn’t mind having to exert extra effort to look for them, you may also opt to arrange your books according to their color, and create a rainbow effect.

Keep objects of the same size and color together. This will help make your bookshelf look more organized. You may also group together objects with similar themes, like mother and child figurines. You may also add little personal accents to your bookshelf by means of pictures with pretty frames. You may also display these pictures of your family next to the books they use- that picture of your kid’s birthday party would look nice next to the children’s books, or that picture of your college graduate would be most flattering next to inspirational titles.

If you have extra time, try foam panels to provide different interchangeable backgrounds for your walls. You can make these out of foam core (which may be easily obtained from local craft stores) and cut them so that they fit the panels of the back wall of the bookshelf. Wrap them in a nice pattern or color that would accentuate the general theme of your room (e.g. cherry red will add a touch of color in an ecru-and-chocolate patterned room). Foam panels are relatively easy to make so it wouldn’t take much to create several designs and you may redecorate at will, to match your mood.

These are but a few ways with which to add variety to your regular bookshelf. No longer a simple storage device, you may now use this delightful piece of furniture to give more personality to your home.

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