How to Decorate a Built-in Bookcase

A built-in bookcase can accessorize a room.

If you're fortunate enough to have built-in bookcases in your home, then you know that these handy nooks offer you more than just a place to store your books. You can make built-ins an integral part of your decorating scheme. Of course, you can add books to the shelves, but you can display a whole lot more, too. Play up this room feature with a little paint and some decorating tips.

Instructions

1. Paint the wall where your bookcase is located. Very often, bookshelves are built near a fireplace or on a wall that functions as a focal point. Painting this wall strengthens the focal point; this is particularly true if you paint the surrounding walls a different color or leave them white.

2. Paint the shelves themselves a contrasting or complementary color, such as the one you have on the other walls, to add a bit of dramatic flair.

3. Fill different kinds of baskets with items like magazines or rolled-up afghans. Place them in front of the shelves to function as extra storage. Choose baskets that reflect the room's decor. Add an interesting bit of texture with baskets made from natural materials, like reed or twigs.

4. Place books with interesting covers on your bookshelves so your book collection becomes part of your decorating scheme. Create a classic look with books that have leather or faux-leather covers.

5. Choose several sets of bookends for your shelves to break up the monotony of books and make the shelves more visually interesting. Leave a gap between one set of bookends and another. Add objects, such as framed pictures, between the sets.

6. Add interesting accessories to your bookcase, like decorative wine bottles, faux grapes and silk grape leaves, and small sculptures. You can include a bust of a famous poet, orator, or president, or feature a sculpture such as Rodin's "The Thinker."

7. Provide a mini-focal point and add ambiance to the room by placing a clock in the center of one of your shelves. Clocks made in the style of the Art Deco or Art Nouveau periods offer a timeless look, while clocks with Betty Boop and other cartoon characters add whimsy.

8. Draw your eye to the bookcase by laying a beautiful rug with an interesting pattern and fiber weave on the floor in front of the bookcase.

References

• Decor Medley: How to Decorate Bookshelves
• Book Think: Bookends and Beginnings

Resources

• Care2: Reuse and Redecorate -- 7 Bookends You Don't Have to Buy