If this year's breakout 'bookshelf wealth' trend taught us anything, it's that books can easily double as timeless home decor. No longer relegated to tucked-away shelves or left in the attic to collect dust, our (sometimes sprawling) book collections are allowed a starring role.
Thanks to bookshelf wealth, interior designers and homeowners have both found creative ways to store books; from decorating their shelves with picture frames to adding in trinkets galore, and inventively organizing their tomes. But Taylor Migliazzo Simon, an interior designer based in Brooklyn, is thinking beyond just bookshelf ideas. Taylor took to TikTok to share her list of eye-catching, interesting ways to store a book collection of any size, and she's offered some clever ideas we can't wait to try out.
Whether you've already got shelves but have more volumes to display, need a non-shelf solution to your book-shopping problem, or just want to get more innovative with your most-prized collection, Taylor's got the answer.
Unconventional ways to make your book collection work double
@intayriors ♬ original sound - Taylor Migliazzo Simon
'If you have a ton of books, here are some fun ways that you can display them without just having them on a bookshelf,' Taylor says, starting off the video. Showing off images of book collections stored in unconventional ways, she talks us through her favorite ways to store books sans shelves. And easily enough, the first one makes use of something all of us have easy access to: the floor.
Make use of an unused living room corner by stacking your collection in vertical towers, arrange carefully, and play around with the layout to see what looks best. You might want to color code the books for a vibrant set of stacks, or take a more laid-back approach and stack by size – putting larger coffee table books at the bottom will reduce the risk of your collection toppling over.
Plus, Taylor says, 'you can simply put a piece of art over it, and it looks really finished.' This book storage solution doesn't require much effort, but goes quite a long way in terms of style. 'It's both form and function because they look really good, but then you can also take one out and read it,' she adds.
'If you have a credenza or a piano and you want to add some decorative elements that you'll also use, stacked books are a great use case for this,' says Taylor, adding another idea to the mix. Adding decor to console tables, credenzas, or even the tops of pianos isn't groundbreaking – often it's our first design instinct! But bringing books into the mix makes any surface look elevated and intriguing.
Taylor shows a short console table laden with stacks and stacks of books, and a piece of art is 'propped up against the wall' on top – 'I really love this one,' she says. In another example, pictured above, a small curation of blue books makes a statement atop a vintage dresser. Placed alongside flowers, decorative objects, and a stately gold frame, the books serve as a chic (yet still functional) choice for decor.
Stacks of books don't need to be relegated to the corner or pre-existing furniture, though. Taylor says she likes the 'kind of messy look,' so suggests creating tasteful stacks of books throughout your space.
'It looks more homey and used. I think this works more so in a more eclectic home, so there's a lot of art, there's a lot of books, there's a lot of layered lighting,' says Taylor.
Maybe there's a bit of extra room in front of an already-full bookshelf, or maybe a large desk in your home office has an empty corner practically begging for books. As long as they won't get in the way as you go about your day-to-day, thoughtfully arranged stacks take your design scheme to the next level.
Looking to add books to the bedroom? The stacking trick works there just as well. 'If you don't have a nightstand, no problem – just stack some books, put a plant on it, and you're good to go,' says Taylor.
If you have some bookshelf overflow, but not enough to justify a whole stack, Taylor says your extra books can find a fitting home for coffee table decor ideas. Going beyond the typical selection of two to three coffee table books, she shows a photo of several stacks, side by side, on a rectangular wooden coffee table.
Reminiscent of designer Shea McGee's library table trick, which the designer declared 'in' for 2024, this book storage hack is perfect for small collections of inspirational volumes. Leave a bit of empty space for other decor (and practical bits like coasters), but don't be afraid to make a style statement with the best of your collection on the coffee table.
Whether you're opting for unconventional shelves or have ditched the idea altogether, there's no shortage of ways to store your book collection, no matter how big or small. Make use of a neglected corner or spruce up an empty surface, and you'll be channeling bookshelf wealth at its best in no time.
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