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5 Expert Tips on How to Style Your Book Collection
17 Oct 2024
Interior designer Nicola Harding, known for creating warm, inviting spaces, once said, ‘a library is a real fire—it breathes life and soul into a space.’ The 2024 Tik-Tok trend of ‘bookshelf wealth’ builds on this idea, using bookshelves as a way to express personality, making spaces feel cosy and lived-in. Book collections can be organised by genre, colour or size; they can be displayed horizontally or vertically and can be used to convey a range of styles – the options are as vast as the personalities and spaces they reflect. Books are more than a finishing touch, book spines are quite literally the backbone of a comforting room. To help you make your book collection truly shine and to find a style that works for you, we’re sharing styling tips from industry experts to ensure that each book finds its perfect place.
How do you want to use your collection? For voracious readers, easy navigation may be a key criteria, but it's important to remember that your library is not a bookstore. Alphabetising and organising by traditional genres also sets rigid rules of interaction—every book must be returned to its exact spot, limiting the chance for rediscovery. Instead, let authenticity guide you. Ultimate Library’s Alex McQueen, takes a more personal approach, organising his books thematically according to subjects that resonate with his interests. ‘I have a shelf for 'to-be-read' titles, a kitchen shelf not just for cookbooks but also novels with beautiful passages about food, and a dedicated section for books about mountains, a landscape I love.’ Alternatively, if aesthetics matter most then, organise by colour or design, allowing the visual appeal of your collection to take centre stage.
By embracing varying sizes, colours and bindings of your books, you can create an engaging balance of scale. Reading titles offer unexpected moments of discovery and charm whilst statement coffee table books serve as striking focal points, instantly capturing attention in any room. To enhance their visual impact, consider arranging large illustrated titles in elegant stacks or displaying them open on stands that invite exploration. With reading books, mixing old and new feels natural and unforced. Don’t shy away from odd numbers, mismatched patterns, or bold colours—these quirks add character. And remember to play with verticality; stacking books can create an inviting, dynamic bookshelf. As Ultimate Library founder, Philip Blackwell says, 'above all, you want to avoid your shelf looking like you’ve raided your local bookshop overnight, with all books regimented, brand new – and unread.’
Whether in a home or a hospitality space, a library should be inviting, a space where books are opened, flipped through, and truly enjoyed. So it's important not to curate your books so meticulously that it feels like an untouchable display. Studio Squire’s Emily Hebbes argues that a well-styled bookshelf should feel effortless. ‘Incorporate negative space for accessories, but don’t force an item into every gap. Sometimes, leaving some spaces open allows the styling to breathe and adds to the overall charm of the arrangement!’
Ornaments, artwork, and personal mementos create vignettes that interrupt a continuous row of books, adding visual interest and depth to your book collection. However, it's essential to distinguish between a thoughtful collection of ornaments versus clutter, and to choose pieces that complement the books, rather than overwhelm them. Interior designer, Isabella Worsley notes, ‘the selection of books and objects should feel intentional and meaningful.' And Laura Hammet’s Alberta Skinner, highlights the importance of both symmetry and scale when choosing objets d'art. She recommends using ‘pieces of similar sizes and tones to mirror one another. Decorative objects are a way of creating natural layering. However, be mindful of using too many small pieces, embrace scale; this will help your shelving feel appropriately balanced. Another key consideration is height and ensuring items such as photo frames and florals are not placed too high.’
When crafting his library space for WOW!house 2023, designer Tim Gosling specified that, ‘great lighting is essential—not only for reading and appreciating the colours and details of a space, but also for setting the right mood in an environment that feels both intriguing and relaxed. Lighting can truly make or break a library.’ When it comes to your bookshelves, while backlighting ornaments can look striking, we'd recommend front-lighting your books, so the titles are easily readable. This not only adds atmosphere to the room, but also crucially means they photograph better.
For more expert advise on styling or reinvigorating your collection, please get in touch with our curators. Sign up for our Ultimate Library newsletter to receive monthly book recommendations, interviews with industry experts and news on our latest projects.
We believe in the power of books to create a sense of place and new perspectives. Our bespoke book collections have a great impact on a guest’s overall experience of a hotel or resort. It’s small extras like books in rooms and library spaces that make a guest’s stay extra special, and many of our clients receive high praise for their book collections. For private clients they make a house their home.
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