Bookshelves are an art form really…an opportunity to let your creative juices flow, display your taste in literature and your particular collections; but they can be a task so overwhelming that you are paralyzed into ignoring them or you pull a Scarlett…”after all, tomorrow is another day”.

We are here to tell you it is time to face your fears, harness your hesitation and jump right into the deep end! Come on in….the water’s fine! Once you get started, it can be very therapeutic and ultimately gratifying.

We thought we’d give y’all a little inspiration from some belle homes in our neck of the woods.

The above photo shows a bookcase that is in a bedroom. Notice the use of all white books to keep everything serene, family photos lend personality and small collections add warmth. By stacking books and layering the objects and pictures, you add interest. Having things that mean something to you is a great way to fill those bookshelves that are in the more private areas of your home.

Above are living room bookshelves. Again, mixing objects, collections and artwork in with the books adds character. We love the idea of adding small paintings and framed pieces into your bookshelf, it has a way of drawing you in…beckoning you to take a closer look. The red in the books is balanced on various shelves . Laying the books on their side is a great way of using them as platforms to display. The mercury glass adds a nice contrast to the leather of books…a little play with texture…shiny and reflective vs. matte and rich. Also notice that you can see the way the collection of horse artifacts runs throughout the shelves.

And books don’t have to be the main attraction as only a few are used in this photo. The focus is really on the collections. They even have a way of distracting from the fact that there is an ancient, no longer used stereo that has yet to be removed…just throwing that subtle hint out there, dear belle…you know who you are!!!

A collection of sliver stirrup cups and jiggers makes a beautiful display and the gathering of pitchers might remind you to use them for drinks or flowers instead of having them hidden away in some storage cabinet. So pull out those pieces you have tucked away and enjoy them…for their beauty and their usefulness.

Open bookshelves in a kitchen don’t have to be boring…forget about the expected cookbooks. Why not display your prettier china? What’s the point of having it if you don’t use it, right?

We belles are big fans of neutrals, but what we love most of all is accessorizing with color. We follow this formula when we dress and when we decorate. Adding this pop of green to the kitchen sure cheers up the joint and is still crisp and clean. This collection of majolica, and lettuce wear brightens up the kitchen and your day.

A whole wall of bookcases can be really intimidating, and this set of bookshelves was, admittedly, daunting. But using the same devil-may-care attitude and just remembering to balance color, books, pictures and objects, it just becomes like the collages we all did in grade school. In this instance, taking one shelf at a time helped. We think it turned out pretty well and creates an element of warmth and character to the den.

This last photo is another bedroom bookshelf. The majority of the books are fashion or home decor books. The pink majolica softens the hard line of the shelves and the books. Again, an effort was made to keep the effect calm and serene. After all, your bedroom should be an oasis. But y’all knew that already….

Anyway, we hope that these photos and ideas get you motivated to give your bookshelves a shot. Please don’t keep “shelving” the task for later. Give it a go. And if you have any tips or tricks of your own, please share.

We belle-ieve you can do it!!

a &ya