How to use books to style your home interiors

Books can be an untapped tools for home interior stylists

Ikea's Mosslanda picture ledge can also prop up eye-catching book covers (55cm length €7).

During a recent rainy Saturday tidy-up of my bookcases, I reacquainted myself with a second-hand bookshop find called Books Do Furnish a Room (Merrell, 2009), by the late interiors writer Leslie Geddes-Brown.

It had sat forgotten, sandwiched between a bodice-ripper and a Booker Prize winner, but its unearthing (while in pursuit of a reread of the bodice-ripper), warranted tea on the sofa to gorge on aspirational book displays in gothic castles and super-cool apartments.

Both are a long way from most home book displays and bedside yet-to-be-read piles, especially in space-strapped homes, which might be requiring books to sit two deep on the shelves.

But with a bit of display innovation, books can enhance our home interiors in ways we didn’t think of before.

Newbridge-based interior stylist Barbara Taylor maintains the old adage “never judge a book by its cover” doesn’t apply when it comes to styling a space with books, having been influenced by the strong visual element of her grandparents’ travel and cultural book collection as a child.

A book pedestal creates a sturdy tower of books to add height and an interesting room feature (Pex unit from www.sklum.com, €129.95).

“In this case, it’s all about the cover,” she says. “Using books in your décor can really add a sense of warmth and character to your home and can reflect your personality and interests in the space in an aesthetically pleasing way.

“When styling a rectangular coffee table, I start with two or three books at either end and stack in order of size,” she explains. “In the centre, I like to add a tray with a vase of flowers, a hurricane candle holder or a couple of candlesticks for some height, and then I will add some interesting objects to garner interest.

“A cute decorative bowl, a luxury scented candle, a pack of playing cards — a decorative pack of Hermès bridge playing cards is on my interiors wish list — or a cloche of matches along with some trinket boxes are great options for coffee-table styling.”

For those without book collections to indulge in the book-styling trend, Barbara offers sources ranging from preloved online and locally, museums for art and history books and books relating to specific exhibitions.

Barbara Taylor, interiors stylist.

“I always check under the dust jacket,” she says. “Hardback covers often have a lovely design element to them that you can miss. Book series like the classic orange Penguin books, old encyclopedia books and even copies of National Geographic magazines with the iconic yellow trim can be creatively displayed in your home to great visual effect.”

Coffee tables can be the focus of your styling projects with attractive books rotated by season, Bloomingville Riber coffee table, €724 at www.sweetpeaandwillow.com.

Margaret Connolly, interiors content creator, brings her styling skill to the topic, telling me, “Books can add character and a timeless appeal to your home interiors. However, if you’re an avid collector and have run out of space on your bookshelves, there are other ways in which you can get creative with your favourite reading materials.”

First up is her suggestion of a book pedestal, sometimes called a book tower, which gives height and structure to your book displays.

“I would recommend large, weighty, hardback books for this to be successful,” she says. “Once stacked into a sturdy tower — yes, it’s the adult version of building blocks — you could display decorative items on top; maybe a plant or a lightweight table lamp, for example. Avoid candles unless they are flameless LED ones.”

Her next focus is the coffee table, with its blank canvas top to style and restyle as the mood or even the seasons determine.

Margaret Connolly, interiors content creator.

“Opt for a sizeable table with a lower shelf as well as the tabletop, allowing for the careful curation of anything from 20 to 30 books,” she says. “Don’t over-stack. Your books can be displayed and rotated as you wish around both levels of your table. Place those with eye-catching covers on the top of the pile.”

Going off-piste, Margaret suggests turning our more attractive books into wall art, and no, there won’t be any denuding of covers or ripping up pages to craft collages.

“Just as vinyl record covers can be displayed as works of art on your walls, so can your books,” she explains.

“Ikea’s picture ledges are perfect for this and can be easily positioned wherever you wish to create areas of decorative interest throughout your home. Plus, if a new book catches your eye or you’re a serial home styler, changing things around couldn’t be easier.”

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