Bookshelves as Art

by Stephen Nickse

Bookshelves, in the traditional sense, are excellent organization tools for housing books. But it is possible to establish an artistic balance within a bookshelf and bring together some of the design elements of the room while maximizing the utility of the shelf. Establishing aesthetically pleasing order to a bookcase will make it seem more like art than simply furniture whose sole purpose is storing books. Using a bookshelf to cleverly store and display items in addition to books is a technique that can break up the monotony created by repetitive rows of books after books after books. Consider for instance using a bookend or sturdy decorative figurine to cut off a row of books about three quarters of the way across a shelf. The remaining quarter of shelf space provides an excellent perch for displaying a sentimental statuette or framed photo. A few shelves down, you can create balance by implementing the same style but leaving the open area on the opposite end of the shelf. Alternatively, the remaining shelf space can be occupied by a design compatible basket or wooden box, which provides supplementary storage for smaller items such as remote controls, stationary, art supplies or even more books. Another idea is to introduce a discrete, off center visual element within a row of books on a shelf. For example, displaying a wooden figurine which stands taller or shorter than the books just of the left (or right) of a shelf’s center provides an attractive design bonus without confiscating much shelf space. These techniques can be applied to multiple shelves throughout the same bookcase in a balanced arrangement to bring together the design of a room and integrate artistic eminence into its storage space. Another way to liven up an uninteresting bookshelf is to group books by the color that faces outward when they are on the shelf. For instance, grouping books of varying shades of blue together creates a sense of unity within the piece. If the colors of your book collection seem unbalanced, consider adding balance by breaking them up into, for instance, two sections of blue books residing on nonconsecutive shelves. Additionally, color coordinating can be used in conjunction with the techniques above for more artistic appeal. Implementing a bookend or figurine with colors that contrast with the book color scheme is a great way to draw attention and add dimension to the artistic elements of the shelf.

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