12 Ways Art and Books Can Tell Your Story
Your home may be the ultimate blank canvas. Give every room meaning with books and artwork that speak to you
On the day we moved into our house, after taking care of a few essentials (hello, coffeepot!), the first thing I did was unpack several boxes of books and prop my favorite prints on the windowsill. The giant wardrobe boxes and stacks of paper-wrapped dishes had to wait, because I knew that my books and art, more than any other objects, would make our new house truly feel like home. The books that you collect over time and the artwork you choose because it makes your heart beat faster, or speaks to you in some way — these things combine to tell your unique story.
Nourish yourself this fall with the comfort of books and art in every room. Continue reading to see 12 ideas for putting your books and art on display in the most inspiring ways.
Nourish yourself this fall with the comfort of books and art in every room. Continue reading to see 12 ideas for putting your books and art on display in the most inspiring ways.
1. Know that art and books were made for each other. As this space demonstrates so well, books and art are a match made in heaven. A tall bookcase filled to the brim, overflowing with stacks on the floor, plus art hung not only on the wall but on the case itself, creates a richly inspiring atmosphere.
2. Borrow a few tips from art galleries. Gallery-white walls and track lighting directed at the artwork can quite easily be re-created at home. Here, a rich ceiling painted cinnamon-cocoa adds a warm, enveloping note, and the long, low bookcases provide additional space for framed photos and treasures.
3. Hang art on your bookcase. A single framed work hung on a bookcase suddenly gives the entire room a new layer of sophistication, and it's easier to get right than you might think. Hold up potential prints, paintings or photographs to get a feel for the size that works best — there is no hard and fast rule, so go with what looks right to you. Most frames will look best when hung about two-thirds of the way up the bookcase, though with smaller pieces you might have more leeway.
4. Turn your dining room into a library. Fill the walls with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and amp up the cushy reading room feel with an upholstered armchair at the head of the table. Want to really go the distance? Bring in a library ladder to reach the highest shelves.
5. Upgrade your shelves with lighting. It always amazes me what a difference a bit of lighting makes. To play up your bookshelves, try using sconces or clip-on lighting turned downward to illuminate your bookcase. Swing-arm or pharmacy-style sconces are a classic choice, but even the most basic clip lights will do the trick. Or as an alternative to sconces, try placing a pair of small bent-arm table lamps on top of the bookcase, with the arms directed onto the books below.
6. Channel a fancy decorator. Perfectly straight and symmetrical arrangements and gilded or black frames automatically feel posh. Try a grid of four or six, or a pair of prints hung vertically. Wondering what to frame? You can never go wrong with architectural drawings and vintage fashion sketches.
7. Treat your books like art. Why keep picture ledges reserved for art alone? Mix things up by displaying books with beautiful covers alongside framed photos and artwork.
8. Create a library corner in any room with a round table. Tall bookcases are a welcome addition, of course, but a round table piled with heavy tomes can also stand alone as a mini library. Lean art on the wall or windowsill nearby to add another layer of interest.
If you do have a tall bookcase, try pushing a demilune or long, narrow console table right up against it and stack more books on top.
If you do have a tall bookcase, try pushing a demilune or long, narrow console table right up against it and stack more books on top.
9. Create your own salon. Art hung high and low, lush red drapes, art, sculpture and plants in any combination will give your space the feel of a modern-day salon.
10. Bring art into the kitchen. You already listen to music while cooking, so why not enjoy a little visual inspiration as well? A dark accent wall brings drama to framed art, while a mirror and table lamp add to the feeling that this is a kitchen you can really live in.
11. Go for it — fill an entire wall with art. Have a big, blank wall? Stop overthinking it and start hanging! Work from the center out, filling the entire wall with art of all kinds — don't worry about whether it matches. The fun in a gallery wall is giving the eye lots of different kinds of things to investigate.
12. Gather everything you need in one cozy spot. Do you have that one special spot in your home that contains all of your favorite things? If not, I hope after reading this you will take a moment to create one. Bring your most treasured books, music and art together around a comfy chair or two. Now sink in and enjoy.