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.
