Creative Ways to Display Your Favourite Reads and Objects

The traditional bookcase, with its neat rows, certainly has its place, but it can sometimes feel a bit rigid. Our lives, our travels, and our interests are far from linear, so why should our book displays be? Spreading your collection throughout your home allows for a more organic, lived-in feel, making books accessible and visually engaging in unexpected places.

It’s about integrating your passions into your everyday environment, rather than containing them in a single, designated area. This approach encourages you to see books not just as items to be stored, but as decorative elements in their own right, ready to contribute to the mood and story of any room.

For those with a penchant for visual harmony and a touch of playful organisation, colour-coding your books can create a stunning and unexpected display. It transforms your collection into a vibrant, textural gradient that acts as a piece of art itself.

Whether you arrange books in a rainbow spectrum across a series of shelves, or group them by tonal families (all blues here, all neutrals there), the effect is immediately striking. This method works particularly well in minimalist or contemporary spaces where you want to add a pop of visual interest without introducing clutter. Even if you turn the spines inward for a truly monochromatic, textural look, the presence of the books adds a quiet depth and warmth.

The real magic happens when books are integrated seamlessly with decorative objects, forming cohesive vignettes that tell a unified story about your tastes and passions. Books provide a foundation, a backdrop, or a subtle prop for your treasured items.

Consider propping open an art book on an easel and placing a small, complementary sculpture in front of it. Use a stack of books as a base to give a small ceramic bowl or a cherished figurine a little height. A vintage Murano glass lamp next to a clean-lined travertine side table from Maison Flâneur, topped with a stack of inspiring design books, creates perfect balance and intrigue. This thoughtful interplay of elements creates a dialogue, making the display feel considered and personal, rather than simply placed.

Can Books Be Part of Unexpected Decor?

Absolutely! Books can contribute to your home's decor in surprisingly unconventional ways, adding charm and character where you least expect it. This encourages playful experimentation and resourcefulness.

For instance, a sturdy stack of hardcovers can serve as a makeshift side table next to a reading chair, topped with a lamp and a coaster for your drink. Or consider tucking a few slim volumes horizontally into the empty spaces of an open shelving unit, breaking up vertical lines and adding texture. Old, worn books with beautiful covers can be displayed individually on small easels, celebrated as miniature works of art. The key is to see the book not just for its content, but for its form, texture, and potential to enhance your space.