How To Make Your Cluttered Bookshelf Look Stylish

Style goes far beyond the perfect wardrobe. And whether you’re moving into a new place or your home needs a little refresh, we know how daunting organizing your belongings can be, especially if you have an extensive collection of books lying around. With this in mind, we turned to Pinterest to round up chic, colorful bookshelf inspiration that’s surprisingly easy to achieve and free of charge. These fuss-free hacks aren’t only efficient for arranging all your favorite reads, they also form kaleidoscopic art pieces. Scroll through our seven game-changing tips for sprucing up your space. Color us inspired!

Bookshelf Inspiration For Days

Let your eclectic style shine.

If your abode veers eclectic and bold, bring the brights into your bookshelf too. Organize tomes by hue or let them mix and mingle. Accent with colorful thrift-store pottery or pieces picked up on your travels.

Consolidate mini collections onto one shelf.

If your library is on the small side, try lining up books by color in a vibrant rainbow-like row.

Use white shelving for a large library.

If you own enough novels to pack them together cover to cover, opt for a white bookshelf against a white wall and dedicate one shelf per color family to emphasize contrast.

Use books in lieu of fine art.

If you're on a budget and can't shell out for fine art, pick up bold, colorful books at a secondhand shop and arrange them wall to wall for major visual impact.

Combine horizontal and vertical stacks.

Get savvy with placement by mixing up the direction of your stacks. This adds dimension to your abode and eliminates the need for bookends.

Create a reading nook.

If your apartment has a small unused area, make it into a cozy reading nook. Local hardware stores stock inexpensive shelving that can be sized to fit even the tiniest of spaces.

Go unconventional.

This one isn't for the neat freaks. If you own a bookshelf that's separated into square chambers, try setting up sections by color, but don't get precious about stacking—jam in similarly hued titles at all angles, just be careful not to damage your books. It may not be traditionally tidy, but monochromatic clusters keep the look chic.