Ask Amy - Uncluttering Bookcases

This week's Letters to Lucketts is all about bookcases.  Amy stages and designs most of the spaces in The Lucketts Design House, our monthly interior show house. 

This column is all about Amy tackling a real question from one of our blog readers while imparting some of her design knowledge and ideas for your spaces.


The Question

Hi Amy:

I'm completely stumped.  I can't seem to accessorize and stage my bookcases so they look like...anything worth looking at.  The freestanding bookcase is a favorite piece that sits in our hall entry.  It was supposed to house favorite books, collections & items.  It's 4 feet wide by 6 feet high.

Did I put too many books in there?  Should I display other objects too?  If so, how many?  When arranging books, should they all be upright, or should I lay some sideways?  How do I make them look uniform --- organize by book subject, color?

The second issue is my bookcases on the sides of the fireplace.  I have small kids, so my treasured items become props for super hero battles.  I want these bookcases to showcase a few special pieces and some of my antique books but everything ends up getting moved around and it all looks cluttered by the end of the day (pictures attached).  Any suggestions?  Help, I don't want to live like this!
 
Theresa

Amy's Answer

Ok Theresa, I'll take your question in two parts.  Here's what I would do... Make the glass door cabinet all about the the books.  Remove everything else and load it with just books.  They can very in color, shape, and size.  It doesn't matter because the theme is books...just books.  Have fun with it stacking some horizontally and lining some in a row.  Let the organization be random and a bit haphazard...like a well loved bookcase that is visited all the time.  The random organization will be consistent with the random size & color and voila...you have a theme!  Here are some examples below:

Next, a good way to mix storage and display in your open bookcases is to mix attractive baskets into the display.  The baskets can house any "not so pretty" item while becoming part of the display themselves.  It is also a good idea to unite your photos in similar frames. They don't need to be the same frame, but pick a theme or style of frame and be consistent. This will give your bookcases a more harmonious and uncluttered look. You can then mix your favorite items to display amongst the baskets and books.  Have fun with it...play with different arrangements until you find a balance that you like.  Here are two examples below.  Hope this helps and good luck!

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Go Ahead, Ask Us Anything!

{photo credit: Katherine Cobb}

We will be inviting our readers to write in to our blog in the new year and ask us questions.  Suzanne will be leaning upon her 17 years in business as owner of the Lucketts Store to help tackle your questions about what it's like to run your own small creative business.

Amy, our lead designer at the Design House will also be open to readers sending in Design questions you may have regarding your home.  We will ask for you to send in photos of the trouble areas and specific questions for Amy, and she’ll do her best to help you out.

If you have any questions and would like our humble advice, send your questions (and pictures) to luckettstore@gmail.com (please reference “letters to Lucketts” in the subject line & in your note, so we know its intended for the blog column.)