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25 Best Bookshelving Ideas to Style Your Collections
Are you stuck when it comes to organizing your favorite things? Find the perfect solution with our tips.
Whether you're an avid reader, collect tableware and family heirlooms, a traveler constantly bringing back keepsakes, or simply love things that bring joy into your life—there's never enough storage! You might need more functionality, style upgrades, or a space-saving solution to keep your favorite things in perfect order. Adding a bookshelf to your home may be just what you need!
If you're looking to maximize your personal spaces. the options are truly endless. Take your pick when it comes to selecting a bookshelf—big, small, freestanding, corner, floating, built-in (these typically come at a premium rate), DIY shelves, and many more. A bookshelf is a staple in every home and come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials.
There are lots of budget-friendly shelves and pricier ones that are well-worth the cost. Ask yourself—did I checked the basement or attic? You may want explore your covered spaces (like the those dusty attic bins or forgotten boxes in the basement) to see if there are materials sitting around to construct an easy-to-make DIY bookshelf. If you're like our team of editors at Country Living, you probably have a hefty selection crafting wares hiding in the tucked away corners of your home.
From easy-to-assemble units and rustic farmhouse floating shelves to DIY built-ins and clever bookshelf hacks, we have plenty of tips and product options for adding a bit of style and whimsy to your projects. While we love a great bookshelf nightstand and storage solutions for toys, this roundup includes ideas you can take to every single room within the house—from playrooms to living rooms and kitchens to hobby rooms. If you're looking for creative ways to organize books, keepsakes, kitchenware, and more, find the perfect solution on our list of the best bookshelf ideas!
Find more helpful solutions for keeping your spaces looking beautiful on our Organization Ideas page! Find small storage ideas, clever DIY organization hacks, small bathroom tips, and products to organize your kitchen.
Let Joy Guide Your Journey
Before selecting a bookshelf solution for your space, take a moment to think about what brings happiness into your life. Everything that comes to mind—from colors to textures and scents to the specific types of items you collect–is very important for you to fully love your home. Surrounding yourself with things that evoke positive sentiments will bring joy to your homebase.
Built-In Bookshelf Wall Ideas
This attractive option is perfect for those with an unused room or space that's a prime spot for setting up a den, playroom, or studio. In Upstate New York, Mary Randolph Carter set up a studio with a wall of built-in shelving. The room includes a collection of treasured books, personal mementos, vintage toys, collectibles, and a convenient bookcase ladder.
SHOP LIBRARY LADDERS
How to Style Your Bookshelf
Whether you're planning to add built-in shelving, free standing shelves, floating ones, or another type, it's important to figure out what defines your personal style. Maybe you're into boho chic, modern minimalist, maximalist, or rustic country home interiors. Regardless of your particular style profile, you'll have to decide on the aesthetic your home's gracious spaces exude.
Bookend Ideas
A classic way to add flair to your book shelves includes putting bookends into the mix. These rustic shelves get a major upgrade with vintage brass and wood ducks bookends. The collection also include adorable duck paperweights, and baskets with a touch of greenery that complements the collective. Find similar animal bookends on on Etsy and eBay.
Collectible Bookshelf Ideas
A festive note is added to a simple hutch bookshelf that's dressed up with a grouping of treasured collectibles. Vintage brown apothecary bottles, brass trinkets, and equine art shines alongside strawflowers, coneflowers, and cosmos. Make time to experiment with arranging your beloved items and incorporate natural elements to highlight them.
Kitchen Bookshelf Ideas
From floating shelves to built-in beauties, there are a wide variety of bookshelf style opens for this lived in space. If you're thinking of updating or repurposing your existing shelves or walls in the kitchen, discover some ideas the involve a fresh coat of color!
Related: 30+ Best Kitchen Color Ideas for Your Next Remodel or Weekend Makeover
DIY Industrial Open Bookshelf Ideas
Install new floating shelves to a space that needs storage or swap out an old kitchen cabinet with these beautiful DIY open shelves. The repurposed metal pipes provide a sturdy base for the wood slats and support displaying heavier items like stand mixers and dish sets.
See the tutorial at created by v.
DIY Crate Bookshelf
Pull out your toolbox and consider combining wood crates together to make an adorable standing bookshelf for a child’s playroom. Customize the crafty creation by spray painting each crate with a fun kid-approved hue.
Get the tutorial at Love Create Celebrate.
SHOP WOOD CRATES
DIY Built-In Bookshelf Ideas
Roll up your sleeves and pull out your miter saw to DIY this bright and beautiful scene. Use kitchen cabinets for the base of your built-ins to make the process a bit easier.
See more from Sarah Sherman Samuel.
What's better than a bookshelf with space for the things you want on display? A unit with plenty of options to conveniently store things out of sight whenever needed. This rustic gray Sauder 5 Shelf Bookcase with Doors offers three open shelves and two more hidden behind doors on its lower half. It's a great additional to home offices and works in other rooms too!
DIY Spine Bookshelf
This easy and versatile spine is an easy DIY project that makes the most of pine boards, wood glue, and a coat of paint. It’s easy to install and remove too!
Get the tutorial at Shades of Blue Interiors.
SHOP WOOD GLUE
If you love having your favorite things on display, this Inbox Zero Shelf Storage Cabinet is for you! It has 2 tempered glass doors and has lots of room across five shelves (four are adjustable) for organizing and spotlighting all of your stuff—from tableware to books and everything between in any space.
Add this wood accented Tribesigns 5-Shelf Arched Bookcase to areas in need of a refresh and storage space. The modern shelf has ample room for books, plants, décor, and photographs.
DIY Floating Shelves for Uneven Walls
Are you searching for a storage solution for rooms with uneven walls? These pretty and durable DIY floating shelves can be made to fit any shape, size, width, and height.
See more at Shrimp Salad Circus.
These bargain priced Forbena Dark Brown Floating Bookshelves are constructed of natural solid wood and industrial iron. Each unit comes with three floating shelves that work well in nearly any space.
Whether you need to fit a shelf into a tiny space like a bathroom, guestroom, or kitchen corner, this IOTXY 5-Tier Bamboo Corner Bookshelf is a stellar choice. The narrow shelf also has a flip-up hoverable cabinet doors and dust-resistant translucent Moru acrylic doors.
This gorgeous Beautiful 3-Shelf Bookcase with Storage Cabinet by Drew Barrymore is functional in a variety of spaces. Add this warm honey toned piece to entryways and sun soaked areas around the house to display your beloved flowers, art, and books.
One of the most overlooked areas in homes include entryways. Make life easier and place a low-profile bookshelf in your front door entry area. This sturdy Winston Porter Herrin Bookcase can hold a decorative tray for storing car keys on the unit top and has space for display items and books on all of the shelves.
Are you looking for an easy-to-assemble bookshelf to add a few books and decorative items to your home? If so, add this Highland Dunes 5-Tier Leaning Bookshelf to your cart! It's fits seamlessly into living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and even bedrooms. The bookshelf is available in cherry, pickled oak, and walnut wood tones.
We've all struggled with smaller spaces in need of additional storage. Bathrooms are often at the top of this frustrating list. Take look at the Everly Quinn Dawni Corner Bookcase Unit. It includes 5 shelves for stacking hand towels, luxe toiletries, and plants to create your very own spa-like oasis.
Janece Maze is Associate Editor at Country Living, where she covers DIY projects, gardening, and travel. When she’s not in the kitchen creating a new recipe with farm fresh ingredients, you can find her on the road heading to a music festival or browsing a local consignment shop.
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