How to Decorate with Old Books

When you're low on cash, the job of decorating your room or apartment will need a more creative edge. Here's a way to take those old paperbacks strewn on your shelves and make them into wall art.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Old paperback book
• Thumb tacks

1. 

   Find the center of the book and open it to that page. Bend the binding enough to keep the book laying almost flat on its own.

2. 

   Fold each facing page so that the top and bottom touch the middle binding. This will create a triangle.

3. 

   Repeat this folding on subsequent pages on both sides of the middle divide. You do not have to go all the way to the cover pages, but fold as far back as it takes to let the folded pages outweigh the unfolded pages. This way the folding will keep its shape.

4. Mount the paperback on the wall with a few thumbtacks. The cover pages may not be strong enough to hold up the book, so try to stick the tacks through several other unfolded pages as well.

Tips & Warnings

• You can fold the pages in any design you like. Be creative and try different things. Even simple folds can create an intriguing design.
• You can use hard back books as well, but it may cost a little more to mount them to the wall. You can use nails through the cover, if the cover is thick enough, and either attach the hard back book straight to the wall or on a piece of wood mounting block.
• Make several different designs and line them down a wall or above a window to create an eye-catching look.