Today I’m ready to reveal our library and how I arranged our bookshelves. Since our recent move consisted of more books boxes than anything else, the fact that our new (to us) house has a library is a good thing. The room is not large, but there are two walls covered floor to ceiling with shelves. Plus the cabinets down below hide my crafty messy stuff.
OhBeStillMy❤❤❤
Look at the possibilities. I’ve always wanted a room devoted to books. And this one reminded me of the Beauty and the Beast library—on a much smaller scale.
naked shelves – before
In case you are curious, the paint color is Benjamin Moore HC-109, a historical color named Sussex Green. The shade is moody and restful and perfect for a library.
For a week, the room became a catch-all. We dumped everything in there.
We organized other rooms in the house before attempting the library. That space was a huge deal because a) I love my books and b) it’s where I will do lots of writing so I need the room to feel comfortable and inspirational.
Naturally, I turned to Pinterest and plowed through photos of bookshelf arrangements for examples. Let’s be clear. I am NOT a decorator or a designer, but I do enjoy organizing things. Even so, our bare shelves were somewhat intimidating at first.
I discovered there are various schools of thought about book organization beyond those library rules from my Keiser Elementary School days. Apparently it has become popular to turn books backwards to create a monochromatic look like this display by cline rose interior design.
Backwards books – via Design in Bloom by clinerose
Wha?
While I can appreciate this clean look as a backdrop for other art or collectibles, there’s no way this would work for us. First of all, we actually read our books. Book titles are somewhat key in the process of book selection. I keep staring at the picture above wondering which sad books have been turned backwards. (But I do love those wooden clothespins.)
Another popular organizational style touts displaying books by color. While this is an interesting idea and looks visually pleasing to the eye (I think?), this sort of arrangement would keep me awake at night because bottom line it seems odd. I simply don’t think of books in terms of color. Hmmm, now where did I put that book with the orange cover I read last summer? Oh yes, it’s in the orange section.
Nope. Not for me.
I decided to loosely arrange our books according to genre. Traditional. Common sensical. Maybe boring to the rest of the hip world especially those who use books merely as props.
My process took several hours spread over two days.
First I made leaning towers of books, stacking books all over the room until genres were separated. It got worse before it got better.
Piles and piles of books.
I started with the top shelves and finished one shelf before moving on to the next. I varied the look of each shelf, placing some books horizontal, others vertical. Adding antique vases, pottery and family pictures provided interest, layers and memories. I left space to add more books because let’s be real, it will happen.
we are obviously missing a few of our hardback Harry Potters…hmmm.
While our books may not be as uncluttered and color coordinated as some, I can find what I need. We have a large section of fiction and a separate section for classics. Hemingway (and Hemingway related) has his own section as does Donald Harington. There’s a religious section that includes our collection of family Bibles and my mother-in-law’s Last Supper artwork.
Next to the Jesus section is Horror and Sci-Fi. I have a group of books about writing and poetry. There’s an entire shelf devoted to Arkansas books. I lumped Texas, westerns and history together. There are business related volumes and of course, a section on gardening. I even have a shelf of children’s classic and comic books, most vintage.
John Grisham section; my original Tarzan/Nancy Drew/young reader books; Donald Harington section
I know you will be surprised to learn I did not alphabetize the books within sections (yet).
While there’s no right or wrong way to arrange your bookshelves, when you hit upon a design that works for you, you’ll know. It will feel good.
Now I’m curious. How do you arrange your books? What do you think of the backward books and the color scheme design? Do tell.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Coming soon: arranging photos for wall groupings—lots of photos, not much space.
Musical Pairing:
Beauty and the Beast Library Scene
Being the former librarian/English teacher that I am, I organize my books close to Dewey Decimal classifications: History, Languages, Crafts, Writing, etc. I love the idea of color coding but it’s just not feasible if you intend to actually USE your library. I have a separate bookshelf for cookbooks (a la Crescent Dragonwagon) so I can find recipes fairly swiftly.
My problem is that I need new bookshelves. Mine are falling apart and the silly putty I used to keep them together is not working that well anymore. If I get money back on taxes, that’s what I am going to get.
I have an entire shelf of cookbooks in my pantry for easy access. Silly putty – ha! I hope you get new shelves soon!
What? Arranging books with the spines facing inward? What kind of…no. Just no. Seriously with the no. And what’s more? No!
I arrange mine alphabetically. But I have a slight problem. the room I use as my library / second guest bedroom is . . . overflowing. I have stacks of books in every room of my house except the bathroom. I have computer books in my office alongside writing reference books and collectibles like the 75th anniversary Lord of the Rings and the complete Calvin and Hobbes collection. I have audiobooks strung along the top shelves along with big, coffee-table sized books that won’t go upright. I have books I’ve had since grade school alongside books I haven’t read yet that I bought last month.
In short, I need help. 🙂
Alphabetically by author, I meant to say. And for series, in series order inside that. For instance, under “Butcher comma Jim” goes first the six books of the Codex Alera series followed by the first fifteen books of the Dresden Files series. As it should be.
I could help you with that but sometimes you have to be willing to weed out a few hundred volumes… I like your detailed way of organizing. Makes sense to me.
I love your bookshelves and your arrangements. Although I am an avid reader I do not have a lot of books because I use the library frequently and let them deal with the storage and sorting. NO on backward or sideway spines and NO on color arrangement. Happy reading and writing in your new room.
No on the backward spines. I have 5 different-size book cases so books are sorted fiction/non-fiction/writing/ Phillip’s. Not really satisfactory. Other odd stacks on various flat surfaces. On an end table is a sideway stack I need to read and return to their owners. LOVE your library.
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My future plan involves the library. I really shouldn’t buy any more books. The Fayetteville library is so cool. Plus, I need to get busy reading the books on my shelves that I haven’t read yet.
I’m in love! I’ve always wanted the library from Beauty and the Beast! 🙂
Mine are arranged loosely by genre and author as well. I just need more bookshelves.
I saw lots of bookshelves at Fayetteville Yard Sale today:))
I second the NO on backward spines… Especially Gary’s vehemence! Lol …. Wrong, just wrong! And the color issue is not much better … Not in my house anyway! Love love love your library, but then I pretty much love your house(s) sight unseen.
Thanks Kathy! I’m glad we are all in agreement!
My boys are into Spognebob too, there are many nights we spend together watching it. I love that time with them, as I’m sure you do since latley time with your boys has been scarce. But I bet it is nice to spend some quality time with Avery! As you know, they grow up fast!
THANK YOU!!! Backward books make me crazy! (Not mentioned but I also do not care for when books are all wrapped in fancy paper!) Arranging by color would make me crazy. We would have to split up books in a series–no. Our arrangement is similar to yours only not as neat! Unfortunately, we have run out of space on everyone’s shelves. Some books have to go sideways on top of other books, which drives me crazy! Then there is the every-rotating pile next to the bed–sigh.
Love the color of your shelves. Looks like you will enjoy your new space.
I already have a few sideways on top. And yes, stacks by the bed are a given. Thanks Peggy!
We arrange in a very similar fashion! LOL
For me this is one of the most exciting parts of setting up a new home, Talya. Now we’ve run out of shelves and are sticking to e-books!
Glad to know that you’re settling in well! 🙂
Thank you Corinne. It is fun!
Backward placement? Ridiculous! Color me guilty on the color coordinated books on my den shelves. Obviously, for effect. The rest of my books in other places are organized loosely by genre. Guess I’m not detail-oriented enough to alphabetize. Your shelves look great. Now, I feel the need to work on mine!
Your house always looks designer arranged!
Valeu Christian.Eu curti bastante a Nespresso também… Nao tem muita diferença pros cafés dos coffee shops aqui na Aulslária.Vateu pelo comentário e pela visita.Abs
I’m all for the Genre, alphabetical by author style. It is the only one that makes sense to me. If you just want to use the shelves for decoration, I suggest vases, plates or other collectables.
Yes on the vases and plates but I don’t think a room is complete without books.
Id be interested to learn more about your “collection of family bibles”