The book enthusiasts among us will know that our favorite titles also double as the best decor. Showcasing the books you love feels personal and is often an intricate way of bringing something sentimental to the forefront of your living room. However, in all their beauty, we admit that exhibiting a range of colored book spines can sound like a minimalist lover's nightmare. That was at least until Reese Witherspoon (unintentionally) shared a solution.
In a recent Instagram post, the Legally Blonde actress shared the title at the top of her current reading list (FYI, it's Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall), but we were more distracted by her well-curated bookshelf styling that consists of only three colors: light blue, white, or cream.
Despite their eclectic placement, the pieces on Reese's shelves all follow the same scheme, resulting in a minimalist's dream. It's proof that you can do it all: have a pared-back living room while still using your favorite books as decor. Like Reese, it positing your books so that the spine is facing inward is the first step to sucsess. Then, make a point of bringing the spines that match your paint color to the forefront.
Adding stylish bookends to your shelving can easily heighten the elegance of your display. This sophisticated pair (made from mango onyx) will work beautifully in a minimalist scheme.
Mango wood and ample height make this an effortless piece to display books and miscellaneous items.
Using gallery lights or a portable table lamp, like this one, will help to brighten your bookshelves and invite the gaze. The shade can be swapped out for something that coordinates with any space.
Though a book storage idea like Reese's takes more planning, the result is worth the effort. It feels cohesive and streamlined, and is a new way of tapping into the bookshelf wealth trend we've seen all over social media since last year. It's unsurprising, then, that storage experts are seeing an increase in a method similar to Reese's.
'An organisational method that has gained popularity over the past couple of years is colour-coded bookshelves. Love it or hate it, this creative approach is the perfect way to integrate your literature collection into your home décor and turn your shelves into functional pieces of art,' comments storage expert Vlatka Lake.
'Simply group colors that complement each other, for a tasteful, yet fun addition to your living space.'
Bo Hellberg, the CMO at String Furniture, agrees. 'When it comes to styling my own shelves, I have found that selecting just a few beautiful pieces to display can make the most decorative impact and be the most sentimental,' he notes.
'Coordinating different colours on your shelves is another simple and effortless way of making these pieces stand out and decoratively tie a room together. Many forget that storage can be part of the interior design scheme and by displaying and styling our books on our bookshelves, we can merge function with decoration.'
Whether you opt for a blue, cream, and white (like Reese), or you want to experiment with a different palette, you can rest easy knowing your books are as beautiful as they deserve.
