Read all about it: this is how to decorate with books

Despite our love of all things digital, homes still proudly bear cases, shelves and bedside tables groaning with the weight of books. In fact NIQ figures showed 116 million books were sold in the UK during 2024.

As well as being entertaining and educating, books can also be used in interior design. In this blog, we’ll reveal how books can create a dramatic focal point, add colour and even influence possible buyers when it comes to selling your home.

Coffee table chic

Iconic hardback books have long held their place in chic interior design, with the selection speaking volumes about who you are and what you aspire to be. If you’re on the market, books that are casually left out should resonate with potential buyers. 

Architecture, product design and photography are obvious themes, suiting highly stylised and period homes. If your home is neutrally decorated, opt for black and white covers to maintain the design thread – Neutra by Barbarba Lamprecht and The Art of Home: A Designer Guide to Creating an Elevated Yet Approachable Home by Shea Mcgee are great examples.

Coffee table books with a travel theme can bring colour and vibrancy to a room – stack three or four together in clashing colours and you’ll definitely draw the eye. Try Assouline’s Travel by Design and DK Travel’s The Travel Bucket List: Dream Up Your Next Big Adventure.

Rainbow shelves

Whether you already own a library’s-worth of books or are starting from scratch, creating a rainbow bookshelf is easy. All it requires is organising your display by the colour of the spines, grouping colours together. If the rainbow look is too much, there are subcultures. Try keeping to a monochrome scheme or sticking to different shades of the same colour.

If you’re not happy with the effect created by the books you already have, there is a quick fix. Book sellers, including Thames & Hudson, Country House Library and Ultimate Library, allow you to buy bundles of books with the same colour spine. If you prefer curating your own look, charity shops and boot fairs are great places to pick up unwanted books.

Book display platforms

If you think coffee tables should be just for coffees, you can find alternative locations to display books. A stack of three or four hardback books of roughly the same size can be placed on sideboards, console tables or bedside tables. 

This will give you a sturdy surface to place a lamp, a vase or another decorative item. Use the colours on the books’ cover and spine to influence what you stack on top – either harmonise or contrast and your books will become intrinsic to your décor.

5 book decor ideas to try

1. Use decorative bookends to bolster your interior theme and keep books looking neat

2. Don’t be afraid to bulk out an empty book case with decorative items such as vases, photo frames and small lamps

3. Bookcase lighting, in the form of traditional brass lamps or LED strips, can turn a bookcase into a stunning feature

4. Cook books are some of the most attractive around, so consider creating a display in your kitchen

5. An above-the-door bookshelf will naturally draw the eye upwards and help low ceilings feel taller

We’d love to learn about your future property plans. Tell us where you live now, where you’d like to move to and how many books you need to accommodate.