Styling A Bookcase

Okay even I struggle with decorating large bookcases, where do you start and how much is too much? I spent several days decorating this bookcase, before I finally happily settled with this look. First, it was meant to be garden themed with pops of green, pots and books. However, I decided to go in a different direction and tone down my color scheme! But before I get ahead of myself let me show you this fabulous piece I picked up at Kings Antiques.

Wow, its huge right! It totally stuck out my husbands truck, it's probably close to 8 feet long and 4 feet tall. Not to mention its a beast and weighs a ton!

Oh the chippy, loving vibes I'm getting from this piece! Just LOOK at it!!! 😍

I found myself decorating the top first, it just seemed like a natural place to start. I decided I really wanted to utilize this mirror and floral print, so these became my foundation. Notice how I layered them and if you look closely the whole scene is in a pyramid layout. That's a trick I use all the time when laying out a vignette, so let that be a guide when your decorating. Don't forget to think of the size and scale too, think of how it all will balance out!

Vintage and antique books are my go to staple when decorating shelves! Stack them, line them up, arrange by color groupings, turn the spines backwards. You get the idea, they make for great fillers. In this case I turned the spines so they are not facing forward, remember I needed a more neutral look, because in this situation less color is better.

There's one thing I probably collect more than anything and that's vintage & antique books!

Seriously, I'll buy these books with the intention of putting them in the store for y'all, but somehow, I just can't part with them. There's just something amazing about books that have been around for 100 years or more.

So next, let's discuss my color palette, what colors did I use and why? Simple, I chose colors that I love and you should too! My rule of thumb is usually three colors, because If I do more than that it will appear too busy. This little scene is a great example of the colors I chose. I tend to gravitate towards whites, browns & woods, along with green (I usually incorporate green with plants and greenery). If you've visited my shop at Kings, you'll see me repeating this color theme there as well.

Now I had to incorporate these charmingly, aged pots. I picked these up at a local estate sale, which by the way, I'm kicking myself for not picking up more! They have that natural, earthly element that I wanted to include. As you can see, they are sprinkled throughout the bookcase.

Again, here you can see I used my color palette in my vignette. Use baskets, greenery, stands, small figurines and anything else you can think of to make beautiful scenes throughout your home.

I love how it all came together, even if it took me a while (I might be a bit of a perfectionist)! If you follow these few rules when your decorating, you'll do great! Honestly, it's like playtime with all my favorite toys. Now go tackle that bookcase with gusto and have fun!

Love, light & blessings!

Leigh