When
decorating your home, one of the most functional pieces of
furniture you can add to a room are bookcases with multiple
bookcase shelves. The problem with furniture bookcases is
that they are overlooked as a decorative element in the room
and become a collection point for all sorts of books,
magazines and files. The result is clutter and an unsightly
mess of objects. But it doesn't have to be that way. In
fact, arranging and decorating bookcases and organizing them
properly can add interest and character and still be
functional. Most modern bookcases are wall mounted bookcases
made from hardwood such as cherry, birch or mahogany. Wall
mounted bookcases that cover a full wall and run from the
floor to the ceiling. Such wall mounted book cases or
built in book cases can be decorated in a variety of
different ways to give the overall room the accent of a well
loved den or library in your home.
Here are
some arranging and decorating tips you can use to decorate
and organize your bookcase shelves
so that they become a decorated focus in the room, instead
of clutter.
1.
Remove all
the books and other items from all the bookcase shelves.
This may be a chore, but in order for you to be successful
in getting your book shelves to a professional decorated
status you need to start with a clean slate.
2.
As you are
emptying the shelves get rid of the old stuff that no longer
has any value, especially old magazines and knick knacks.
Never discard a book regardless of how old it may be. They
are often treasures that have been forgotten.
3.
Organize
your books into several stacks, sorted by size.
4.
Starting
with the bottom shelf and arrange the largest heaviest items
either by subject or author.
This is also a good spot for magazines and woven
baskets. The point here is that the heaviest items should be
placed on the the lower shelves.
5.
Arrange all
the smaller books, not by size, but by either authors name
or subject across the full length of shelves. If you run
them just by size alone you will probably have a lot of
difficulty locating a book when you want it.
6.
If you don’t
have enough books to fill the entire bookcase select at
least one or two shelves to leave blank of books.
Place some items that you truly enjoy such as, framed
picture, a statuette, model car or ship, a small plant, or a
small lamp. Use any item of interest that you enjoy.
Don’t clutter the
shelves with these items. Place two or three items on each
shelf, balance the space.
7.
For all
loose items such as photographs, papers, or files place
these items in decorative containers. There are all kinds of
magazine holders, boxes, baskets and file boxes that can be
used to hold these loose items and look great on a bookcase.
8.
If a shelf
is not full of books place a decorative object to fill the
remaining space. Use bookends if necessary to contain the
books on a partially filled shelf.
9.
One of the
most neglected areas of a bookcase is the top shelf. Don't
leave it bare. Place a floral arrangement in the top center
or if you have a lot of family framed pictures arrange by
size starting at mid point across the shelf. A set of really
nice small lamps placed on either side of the arrangement is
a perfect way to add some mood lighting to the room.
Kid
bookcases can be arranged in a similar matter as adult
bookcases. The problem with children’s bookcases is that we
fail to get rid of child books as the child grows older. The
result is a cluttered mess that has no useful purpose any
longer. Make an effort to weed out old books that the
children have out grown by donating them to a charitable
organization or store them away in the attic. Never store
books in a damp basement because they will absorb moisture
and deteriate very quickly. Arranging
and decorating bookcases is one of those tasks that can be
either an ongoing decorating chore or adventure for most
homeowners. With a little planning a well decorated bookcase
can add style to a room.
Home
Improvement Plus Perks 
