Do you love books? I sure do. They spark ideas, bring inspiration and each one is a thing of beauty. Here’s why design books are important.
Books add color, and that’s one of my favorite things about them. Book covers are designed for that reason, so why not embrace it. I’ve never quite been able to understand when I see books turned around to show their white pages instead of their covers, and I certainly can’t understand a bookcase in a room where each shelf is loaded with everything BUT a book.
Makes me wonder – Is adding books to decor a lost art?
I have a confession to make, and it may surprise you.
I’m not a big fan of novels. I’ve never really been much of a reader as far a fiction and nonfiction go. But put a design and decor book in front of me and I’ll reference it time and time again, cover to cover.
I granted an informational interview a couple weeks ago and the interviewer asked me a question that I have not been asked before. Here’s the question:
” Can you sum up who you are to me in one sentence? ”
One sentence? All I could think of was my age and all I’ve experienced in life so far, and being a wife and a mom of two teenagers, and a gal that totally digs having chickens and a few ducks, and he wants me to sum all that about me in one sentence?!
And then my answer came out of my mouth, and one that I knew came completely from within.
“I’m a designer at heart, and a daydreamer to my core.”
And the answer I gave – well, I like that about me. It’s the truth. I talk about how I daydream all the time, and it’s these design and decor books that get me on the path to a good one which ultimately lead to a great design, like this room and this room. Truth is, so many of these books are loaded with inspiration and ideas to pass along to implement in our own interior design. Thumb through the pages of these books, stop at a photo that catches your eye, and then let the thoughts flow; think about how to implement the design or a version of it, in your own decor.
Books Are Delicious Recipes For Home Design
Although the content of some decor books may not quite be my style, I still find each one inspiring. There’s still elements in each that I like, and isn’t that what books are all about, no matter what genre you’re reading? So, let’s take these gems and decorate with them.
I love to decorate with books. I display them everywhere and I use them in a variety of ways. Not only do I reference each and every design and decor book often, I love to display them in a variety of ways, using books to elevate design elements all throughout our home. Sometimes, a bowl on a table looks kinda plain, but when a book is beneath, it raises the design bar a few notches.
They’re great for elevating lamps.
They bring color and texture to a blank surface.
They can camouflage a cable box, if you still have one.
And they’re great to collect.
Here’s a tip if you want to build up your design and decor book library: buy them used. Look for ones in good condition, that aren’t marked up inside, and buy those as opposed to brand new. Design books can run anywhere from $30 and up, and that adds up. I find a lot of mine at library book sales, thrift stores, eBay, and even Amazon has sellers that sell previously owned books.
This is my two cents why design books are important in your decor. So, decorate with them! Place a book or two on a blank surface. The look and feel of a room can totally be enhanced by adding them.
Linda Johnston says
Like you I love my design books and my art ones and travel ones. I still have many children books that my grands love setting up stairs and lounge while reading. I just don’t understand the point of reversing books and not showing the spine or blank book covers. Our books are read and looked at to soak up the beauty within.