Styling a bookcase is one of my favorite ways to “play” as an adult. I love gathering up all the books, organizing them by color, and making things all pretty. It’s soooo satisfying!
Before Styling the Bookcase
We have this sweet little built-in bookcase halfway up our stairs. It’s unexpected and charming but we hadn’t done much with it since the week we moved in.
![](https://tessiefay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/35C7DDCF-DE27-492F-92BC-A713677CDB62_1_105_c.jpeg)
After Styling the Bookcase
After passing it every day for two years, I finally spent an afternoon making it pretty 🙂
![Styling a bookcase by color](https://tessiefay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/5078F30E-2C34-48CB-9886-14089745D1BF_1_105_c-683x1024.jpeg)
I cleaned out the books and gathered up others around the house. Then I organized them by color and alternated the colorful stacks both horizontally and vertically.
![stack of pink books](https://tessiefay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/C449974C-88DC-4D37-9F25-C1620416B933_1_105_c-683x1024.jpeg)
I just love seeing the stacks all together. It makes my heart happy <3
![Organizing a bookcase](https://tessiefay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/22BD9DBF-EAA5-4D43-B502-7E78B5EC00D3_1_105_c.jpeg)
Next, I sprinkled in some fun little objects like this brass bell I found at our local antique store.
![Blue stack of books](https://tessiefay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/64534E9B-72C8-48E0-8C45-1F9951657A1F_1_105_c.jpeg)
Finally I added an art print that I’ve always loved. New York has always been one of my favorite cities, but now that my daughter lives there, it’s even more special 🙂
![Art print above bookcase](https://tessiefay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/F7CBC33F-CFA1-4EA9-BFE0-0B5C458F30C1_1_105_c-714x1024.jpeg)
Changes Made
- Found “prettier” books throughout my house
- Took off the book jackets
- Organized books by color and alternated vertical and horizontal placement
- Added a few decorative objects for interest
Lessons Learned
- Organizing bookshelves is super FUN!!! It’s a time to play around and experiment.
- Grouping books by color is pleasing to the eye.
- In just a few hours you can turn a bookcase from drab to FAB!
Resources
- Free resource: Styling Cheat Sheets – for a step-by-step on styling a bookcase and more
- Didn’t buy a thing – used books I already had
- Here are a few of my favorite pretty books: Puffin in bloom, Puffin Children’s Set, Jane Austen
Recap and What’s Next?
If you’re just catching up, here are the previous posts in the “before and after parade!”
- Friday, Day 1: The Family Room
- Saturday, Day 2: My Miniature Collection
- Sunday, Day 3: Stair Makeover and Piano Room
- Monday, Day 4: Nail Painting Station
- Tuesday, Day 5: Teacup Shelves
- Wednesday, Day 6: Dining Room Reveal
- Thursday, Day 7: Overflow Guest Room
- Friday, Day 8: Painted Countertops + Kitchen Dancing
- Saturday, Day 9: The Power of Spray Paint
Tomorrow I’ll be taking you down into my studio basement and sharing a GIANT pegboard for fabric storage! It’s been a lifesaver.
xo, Tessie
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