I have an encyclopedia set & another couple of book sets, all of which I want to keep and display. I love paging through them, even though they're wildly outdated (1970s-1994).
As you can see, the books just sit there, heavy and sad. I have plenty of space but no idea how to make the shelves look appealing. I'd welcome any advice and suggestions, ideally with pictures of what I might want to be doing instead of what's currently happening. Thanks for any help!
by Jenpam
3 Comments
I’d say start by pulling the books closer to the edge, and maybe using higher shelves for books, instead of the bottom.
I used to have a “deep” shelf like that and used the space behind the books for storage lol
Break them up. Don’t fill the whole shelf with books. Put half the encyclopedias and a plant on the top left shelf and the other half with a candle three rows down on the right. Stuff like that. Use cute bookends. Mix it up! I agree you need to bring them closer to the edge too.
Try breaking the books up instead of lining them all in one long row. Stack some horizontally, keep some vertical, and leave a little empty space so the shelves can breathe. You can also add a few small decor pieces like plants, bookends, framed photos, or small objects between sections to create visual interest. Grouping by color or size can also make the shelves look more intentional and less heavy.