The Rural Legend
- Oct 2, 2023

10 Easy Ways to Style with Thrifted Books

I've been sharing a series on Instagram called "What I look for..." It's all about the key categories of decor items I'm always on the hunt for when I'm out thrifting! This week we've been talking about thrifted books, and I thought it would be fun and helpful to put together a list of easy ways to style your home with books!

A dark brown bookshelf along a gray brick wall.

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Why look for books at thrift stores?

If you're a thrift lover like me, you know how much money you can save by sourcing your home decor second hand. Books are no exception as they offer richness and beauty to any space!

How to style books in your home

1. use books to add height

A stack of books on a shelf is a great way to add height, depth and dimension when styling. One of my go to tricks is to stack 3 books and add a small object on top whether it's a brass figuring, a candle, or a small frame.

A white bookshelf with books and a potted plant.

Don't miss my 5 Easy Tips for Shelf Styling!

See them HERE!

2. frame The Pictures

Art books are an amazing thrift store find! They are generally filled with beautiful art prints that you can cut out and frame for incredibly affordable art work.

Looking for more Inspiration? Don't miss these posts!

+ How to style a perfect gallery waLl

+ Easy tips for making over thrift store frames

3. Frame the pages

Frame the pages from a poetry book, a recipe from a cookbook, or even music from a song book or hymnal!

A shelf with framed book pages and artwork.

4. use as holiday decor

Christmas carols, holiday decorating books or vintage children's Christmas books are wonderful additions to your holiday styling! Display them on a shelf or coffee table.

5. use for kitchen styling

I love functional decor and old cookbooks are not only filled with delicious recipes, but look lovely displayed on a kitchen counter!

via sprucing up mamahood

6. remove dust jackets

Neutral, matte books make beautiful decor, so make sure you're taking a look under those dust jackets when scouring the book aisle!

7. Display by color

Books grouped by their color look curated and effortless. Stick with one color on your shelves or choose a different color per shelf depending upon your style!

A color coordinated book shelf with yellow books to orange books to red books

via gold and gray

8. display pages not the spines

If you're looking for neutral decor, turn a stack of books with the spines facing away from you! The texture and color of pages adds organic interest to a space.

A stack of books with a wooden christmas tree decoration.

9. coffee table Styling

Coffee table books are classic and timeless decor. Pile a stack of books on your coffee table for a conversation starter or use a book holder to display a beautiful page.