How To Style Industrial Farmhouse Bookshelves

I'm a sucker for what many people call "junk." Give me something old and rusty, and I swoon. So, it's no surprise that I would use it to decorate my bookshelves. Here's a little look at some of my found items.

One of my favorite finds, my vintage Underwood typewriter was all but buried in the basement of an antique store. I couldn't pass it up. As a children's author (check out the Villain School Books), typewriters are near and dear to my heart. This one had so much character, too!

The roller skates came from a thrift store, as did the antique books, tackle box and clocks. The wooden crates were junk-day finds... people left them on their curbs with the trash.

The "Cooper" street sign came from a town we lived in for a while. The city was replacing old street signs and had a huge pile! I talked one of the street department employees into giving me one. I asked for the whole pile, but they said it was already promised somewhere else. Bummer!

Do you collect vintage items? What's your favorite "junk" piece?

How To Decorate A Bookshelf For Spring

How to Decorate a Spring Bookshelf
I have a love-hate relationship with our built-in bookshelves. When we first moved into our lake house less than a year ago, I was so excited for the built-ins. All that storage! Of course, it meant downsizing our furniture and getting rid of some beloved pieces. The trick is, these built-ins aren't very versatile. I can't exactly fill them with all my "junk" because it makes them look very messy.

And the space between shelves is kind of small. I can hear what you're thinking. "They're adjustable, dummy. Just move the shelves!" Well, when we moved in, we were in a bit of a hurry. Hubby had just transferred from Wisconsin back to Iowa, and we needed a house lickety-split. So, I set my kiddos to painting double-quick. And, if you adjust any of these shelves, you will find an unpainted stripe behind them. I know. I need to fix that, but I'm kind of swamped with other projects at the moment. So... the shelves stay where they are. For now.

The good news is my tiny, static shelves mean I get to bring you decorating known-how for your own bookcase.

Here are some tips for decorating your bookshelf for spring:

Color
I chose a color scheme that goes well with my farmhouse style and with spring: white, black, gray and tan with a smidge of greenery thrown in. I played with the idea of using my robins eggs (which are aqua colored), but they just didn't match. Too many colors make a space look cluttered. A nice, neutral scheme gives it a clean look.

Theme & Style
Don't go overboard with a theme, but incorporate it using your style. My style is farmhouse and my theme is spring. So, I incorporated elements of spring like birds, greenery and flowers into my existing farmhouse elements which include wire baskets, galvanized metal, wood signs and old books.

Choosing Decor
When decorating this shelf, I collected my favorite things and made a pile on my dining table, choosing what would fit best in my space and with my colors/theme. Some items didn't make the cut. It's important to tell yourself, "I'll just use this somewhere else." Also, a bookshelf is for displaying items, not storage. If you have a gazillion tatty old paperback books (like I do), store them out of sight. Despite its name, a bookshelf does not often store actual, readable books. The books on my shelf are vintage collectibles, chosen for their aesthetic. If you do need to store books or other items, try hiding them in crates or baskets.

Spacing
This is the trickiest part of decorating a bookshelf. How to make it look full, but not cluttered. Clean, but not skimpy. Balanced, but not too matchy-matchy. I played around with my collection of items, trying things here and there. I used the triangle or zig-zag method. The wire baskets form a triangle or zig-zag pattern. So do the wood items with words: "garden" "herb garden" & "bloom". I also scattered birds, greenery and flowers throughout. When decorating your shelf, try grouping like items on your table, then place them in the zig-zag/triangle pattern on your shelf to draw the eye back and forth up the shelf and give balance. Don't place two large items close together. I also like to put larger items on the bottom to anchor the shelf, and smaller ones on top to draw the eye upward.

Create Groupings
Use smaller items in conjunction with larger ones. I filled a galvanized tray with vine balls, a small moss topiary and a bird in her nest. I also used books as a base for holding other items.

Final Tips

• Don't forget those spring touches of greenery, flowers and birds & nests! Other spring themed items might be vintage garden tools, Easter bunnies, eggs, flowering branches, etc.
• Shop your house for items in your color scheme: crates, baskets, bowls, pitchers--anything can be cute when paired with other items.
• If your books don't match, think about painting the covers or covering them with craft paper. Turn the spine toward the back of the case, letting the faded pages show.

Remember above all to showcase your own style and have fun!

Decorate A Christmas Bookshelf

Decorate a beautiful Christmas bookshelf. From What's On My Porch.

I have a love-hate relationship with our built-in bookshelves. On the one hand, they provide tons of storage and decorating opportunities. On the other, they leave no space for any other pieces of furniture. I will always have bookshelves on my walls. I can't move them. Ever.

Plus, the shelves themselves are not adjustable, so I face major size restrictions when it comes to what will fit on them.

When we moved in, these shelves were brown wood. Ugly brown wood. They date back to the sixties, and it showed! Thankfully, my sweet firstborn daughter and her lovely friend were willing to paint them for me (for a sad twenty bucks apiece). Thanks girls! And I am just thrilled because nothing says "Christmas" like a snowy white backdrop.

And what goes great with snowy white? You got it, RED!

Decorating bookshelves for Christmas can be fun, easy and cheap as I'm about to tell you.

I recommend starting with a basic color scheme. My main colors here are white and red with some muted browns, greens and grays. You can incorporate the items you already have on your shelf, or go full-on Christmas. I decided to incorporate.

A great place for picking up inexpensive decor is the thrift store. It's where I get most of my smaller items, like the mini Christmas trees you see scattered around the shelves.

Here you can see my antique skate topped with tiny presents and a tiny tree.

Another inexpensive idea is to create your own chalkboard. I made this one with an old plank and chalkboard paint. They're so versatile for seasonal decorating. I think this one will stay on the shelf long after Christmas is over.

Ornaments aren't just for the tree! Like this little lantern which adds interest and also works with the red color scheme.

 This beautiful frosted tree was only $12 at Walmart. I picked it up on a whim and am so glad I did! It adds some nice dimension and texture!

An antique store find, this little red gumball machine works great as a snow globe. But you don't have to go antiquing to get your very own... they are sold in many places, including on Amazon.

 Buffalo check is big right now. It gives a nice, "lodge" feeling to your bookshelves. I wrapped empty boxes from my pantry (think cereal, mac-and-cheese, etc.). The paper is from a dollar store.

A bowl of dried pine cones with a scoop and ornament thrown in.

The greenery is actually a cheap Walmart garland, dusted with a light coat of white spray paint and clipped with wire cutters to make "branches" and wreaths.
I scattered these all over my bookshelf, so cute!

Want MORE Christmas ideas?
Check out this Woodland Christmas post. 

This printable design is for sale in my Etsy Shop.

This printable sign is available in my Etsy shop: My Porch Prints

Get this printable sign in Stephanie's Etsy Shop: My Porch Prints.

Looking for Christmas stocking ideas? 

Make your own Vintage Image Stockings.