Bookshelves with Character | Family Economics

By Cathe

Your bookshelves can do more than just serve as storage for books, add some character and decorative whimsy by utilizing unusual objects you already have or can easily find when shopping at secondhand shops or online. More than just accessorizing your shelves with knick-knacks, look for things you can use that have a practical use as well.

Consider non-traditional heavy items for use as book ends, such as a vintage canvas bank bag filled with sand or bricks covered in colorful fabric or spray painted. Decorate inexpensive cardboard magazine files to store your periodicals with the same paper or color on each.

Find similar items that can hold or elevate smaller books. For example,  small vintage food crates with general store graphics, large stoneware bowls for tiny books, or old toys like little vintage wagons. They not only help with the organization of books but add a great punch of color. Collecting such items for your bookshelves may take some time to find, but patience will pay off. Have an idea of what you want to use when at garage sales and thrift stores to keep you focused.

Change the visual flow of things a bit by creating vertical stacks of books on your shelves as well as the traditional horizontal style and separate the old books from the new.

Another way to add interest to your bookshelves is to organize books by color, (a concept that would surely make any librarian cringe)! You'll be surprised how easy it is to find a book you're looking for just by remembering the color.