Decorating with Bookends

Bookends look great on dressers, chests of drawers, desk tops and of course, bookshelves. Decorating with bookends can be fun, creative, and inspiring.

Placement in general As mentioned above, bookends set-off almost any flat surface in a home or office. There are certain rules that apply to balancing bookends and books no matter the display surface. For instance, to avoid book damage as well as a cluttered look, do not pack books too tightly between bookends. The idea is to hold the books upright, not compress the bindings. Also, chosen bookends should match the proportions in both weight and height of the books they will support.

Adding personality
Bookends are a quick and easy way to put a personal touch into a room. Bookends are available in many themes to reflect many moods, interests and personalities' of an individual, a family, or even a business. Themes include animals, sports (including baseball), Western motifs, geodes, nautical and tropical themes, and globes. Bookends can also honor different professions, such as lawyers, teachers, doctors and even stockbrokers (the bull and bear). Strategic placement of such character infused bookends in a room is like a personal signature.

Collectibles
If you have a personal library, home office, or den, you have a great place to display a collection of bookends. Bookshelves look neat and organized when books are categorized by theme, or by visual similarities (all-leather bindings, same general color, height or thickness). Bookends can harmonize these different categories; rounded marble and geode bookends are particularly complimentary due to their curved, smooth shaping beside the angular sharpness of the books. Avoid simply lining collected bookends in a row. You'll add more interest, dimension and texture throughout the room by using a more scattered placement.

Signature Pieces
A great set of bookends can easily serve as the inspiration behind a new decorating project for an entire room. If your son loves trains, a set of train-themed bookends can help you decide which colors to use for paint and fabric elements. Likewise, sophisticated marble bookends might focus your choice of style - Mediterranean or romantic, for instance.

Design Styles
Most people have a few favorite design styles. Bookends offer an exciting way to complement that style. French country, Old World, Ranch, Asian, Modern, Colonial, Victorian or Art Deco styles are just a few of the main design focuses that are popular today; there are several varieties of bookends within each style type. So many possibilities!

Bookends can bring fresh excitement to your any of your indoor decorating projects.