Book Decorating – The Subtlety of Decorating With Words
Books come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and the cover can have any combination of colors, however it is not just the appearance of a book that gives it its personality. That is because written on the pages between the two covers could be anything, and everything. Those simple paper sheets can hold philosophy, romance, adventure, wisdom, or truth, they can make you think, or even make you feel, and choosing to engage with a book and actually read it, can change your mind and alter your personality forever.
Generally books around the house are functional pieces, left out because they are being read, or slowly devoured, for the purpose of entertainment or education. However that seemingly innocuous little square is actually screaming the secrets of your personality to anyone who sees it. What you have to understand is that when someone sees a book in your home, they use that as a cue to understand your mind and personality on a deeper level.
Once you understand this subtle power you can use it, combined with form and aesthetics, to create an ambiance that says exactly what you want it to. Consider for instance a perfectly lined up row of matched books on a sharp looking shelf. They would tend to evoke a very exacting and precise décor. However if on closer inspection the books are all filled with children’s fairy tales, it would evoke a rather different spirit.
On the other hand, you can consider the difference between large quantities of law books stacked in random piles throughout a room, and contrast that against the same books lined up in height order, in an appropriate shelf or between bookends. One situation makes you think of the library of an absent minded professor, while the other elicits the sense of serene power and dignity associated with a real law office. In this way you can understand the importance of matching theme and layout to achieve the desired effect when choosing to decorate with books.
The actual color and appearance of a book is another factor when decorating with these items. While most books have standard brown or black covers and spines, many are actually colored in a variety of bright and vibrant hues. They can also contain almost any type of art, or imagery on the cover of the book. When placing books into an aesthetic situation, considering the color of the cover may help to draw the whole room together.
However aesthetic and color matching concerns really have to take a back seat to reading preference. You can’t read a novel just because the cover matches your sofa. Color matching is only for display books, publications that have already been read, or which lend themselves to re-reading and browsing at leisure. A common example of this is the coffee table book, which is a centerpiece in many people’s homes. The interactive nature of the book adds depth to the room’s décor, providing a conversation starter and a source of entertainment.
One of the best ways to show off your love of literature is to make space for a library in your home. While it is wonderful if you have the extra space to dedicate an entire room to this endeavor, you can achieve the same effect by just dedicating a wall, or the corner of a room, to shelves of your favorite tomes. In some ways this is preferable, as it will bring literature and books into the everyday pattern of your life.
