We all have an ultimate cozy checklist, with must-haves from soft blankets to our favorite warm beverage. But perhaps the biggest essential item on almost everyone’s snuggle-down list is a great book.
Whether you’re a regular on BookTok or Bookstagram or just taking advantage of the best days of the year to stay inside and read your little heart out, this week’s design feature is for you.
The spotlight is on the growing trend of putting bigger libraries in living rooms. In addition to adding a certain je ne sais quoi to a home’s overall ambiance, book nooks are a highly practical way to display your favorite volumes and growing TBR list (aka To Be Read).
Beyond the typical run-of-the-mill bookshelf, there’s also a world of ways to decorate with your most treasured tomes—from small reading stands to color-coordinated displays. Here are five fresh ideas from Instagram for trending looks you can re-create in your living room library this season.
1. Romantic bookstand
If you’re looking for an impactful way to display just one volume at a time, look no further than this bookstand from @japandi_interior.
“This is a great way to fold a small moment into your home for a very intimate feel,” says designer Nicole Cullum, of Color Caravan. “Using the iconic butterfly stool as a chic bookstand brings the eye exactly to the very page you want to be noticed, inviting guests into your world.”
Get the look: Showcase your favorite passages or art book photos with this Brayden Studio wood accent stool.
2. A dreamy library ladder
Another mini book-themed moment we love to see in library-styled living rooms? A rolling library ladder from our literary dreams like this one from @ysvmag.
“There’s something so romantic about library ladders,” says Cullum. “They ooze sophistication as if you’re about to climb into the fantastical world of wanderlust and mystery each book holds. Adding a library ladder invites you and your guests to explore your collection.”
Get the look: Create your enchanted library—and channel some “Harry Potter” magic—with this Joulon ladder.
3. Color-coordinated collection
When it comes to how you arrange your books, we’ve got a few ideas for that as well.
The first? This color-coordinated display—known as a “reading rainbow“—is from @altforliving. The library features groupings of warm-colored books, then cool colors, followed by neutrals.
“I am a sucker for anything color-coordinated—it just makes the heart happy,” says designer Megan Nelson, of @nestwiththenelsons. “This trend of organizing and decorating by color really enhances the feel of a space, making it fun and oh, so pleasing to the eye.”
Get the look: Start with a white bookshelf, then organize all of your favorites by corresponding hues.
4. Vintage library
Are you looking for the polar opposite of a library that’s been organized by bright and varied colors? Try a more muted display that combines classic spines and neutrals for an overall vintage aesthetic—like this library from @theparisianchique.
“This palette is so sophisticated and just oozes elegance,” says Nelson. “The bookshelf not only serves as functional space for a collection but also as a prominent fixture within the space. Turn the spines around to show pages for a more cohesive design statement.”
Get the look: Need a few more stately volumes to create your vintage library? Check out these Faux book boxes that also double as secret storage.
5. Knickknack bookends
If your library isn’t quite at the point of overflowing, one way to beef up the design of your bookshelves is with a few well-placed and curated knickknacks. Just take the lead from this look by @megbrackpool.
“One of the joys of having a bookshelf is not only to display your favorite books but to share and enjoy personal items you’ve gathered over the years,” says Cullum. “What makes a great bookshelf is one styled with the things that are meaningful to you.”
Get the look: Fill in the gaps and create bookshelf wealth with two-tone seagrass baskets or a set of Foundations glass candleholders.
This post was originally published on www.realtor.com
