Styling bookshelves is an interior designer's secret sauce. They all have their own favorite methods, must-haves, and little tricks to creating the perfect bookshelf vignette – but how does that work at Christmas time?
Often a large focal point of a room, your bookshelves can often be overlooked when it comes to Christmas decorating in favor of trees and tables. But this prime real estate in your space ought to get a little festive treatment too.
Here, we speak to interior designers and Christmas experts to get their take on achieving Bookshelf Wealth with a holiday twist. From twinkling lights to artfully arranged garlands, your shelves can become a canvas for Christmas creativity.
How to decorate your bookshelves for Christmas
Your bookshelves deserve a little attention too this Christmas, so start from the top and make your way down adding a little bit of magic as you go.
'It’s easy to overlook some of the most obvious places to add a little festive magic, and one of those locations is bookcases and shelves,' says creative director Gisela Graham. 'Offering natural height and different levels for added interest, they’re a perfect place to display a curated collection of your favorite Christmas ornaments and decorations.'
Just like styling a credenza or Christmas mantel, styling a bookcase at Christmas creates little pockets of holiday cheer that help to continue your seasonal scheme throughout the home. So to help you achieve such a festive feat, we asked the experts for their tips for decorating a bookshelf for Christmas.
1. Swap any framed photos for holiday snaps
The beauty of decorating your bookshelves is that you don't really need anything entirely new to give them a festive makeover.
Suppose you've already achieved the ultimate Bookshelf Wealth with a characterful mix of decorating with books, trinkets, bookends, personalized pieces that make your heart sing, and framed photos. Might we suggest taking stock of all of these and making some holiday-ready switches like replacing any vacation snaps with photos of Christmases past?
'Swap in family holiday photos (or photos with Santa) throughout the years in existing frames,' suggests Kirsty Williams, chief design officer at Serena & Lily. 'Print them out in black & white for visual continuity – the older, the better!'
2. Add drapery with garlands and greenery
Much like your mantel, your bookshelves will benefit from a Christmas garland too. Try foraged or faux foliage or get creative with paper garlands, as seen in this cozy living room above by Neptune.
Alternatively, you could lean into the bows Christmas decor trend and try a ribbon garland or adorning ornaments, as Lucy Uren, creative director and founder of Rowen & Wren suggests.
'As a firm believer that everything looks better tied in a ribbon, try adorning small ornaments or even the spines of cherished books for a whimsical, personal touch,' says Lucy. 'It’s all about layering seasonal charm while preserving the character of the space.'
'You can also hang some decorations over the edge of the shelving or bookcase on velvet ribbon, or suspend beneath the shelf,' agrees Gisela Graham.
Paper chain garlands are an easy DIY project, but these candy cane loops from Pottery Barn do all the work. Made of sisal, they'll add a sweet accent to your shelves.
From velvet to plaid, ribbons are a big part of Christmas decorating. Try adorning your garlands, books, and festive figurines with some beautiful big bows.
Drew Michael Scott shared this artificial Norfolk Pine garland on his Lone Fox Amazon storefront and it truly is one of the most real looking faux foliage garlands around.
3. Use festive ornaments as to spruce things up
'I like to add subtle seasonal touches to my bookshelves for the holidays to just add a touch of fun and festivity without going over the top,' says interior designer Kathy Kuo.
'You can't go wrong with sprigs of greenery, holiday-themed books, scented candles in seasonal scents, and holiday-inspired trinkets and heirlooms are all great additions to your December bookshelf vignettes,' she suggests.
Additionally, Kirsty from Serena & Lily loves to arrange small wicker trees in the shelves as book dividers, and 'fill bowls, vessels, or something unexpected like a large shell with vintage ornaments or pinecones.'
'Curate your bookshelf for Christmas with the addition of seasonal accessories such as winter sprigs, colorful glassware, and ceramic accents like tealight holders to transform your shelves into a festive display,' adds Fred Horlock, design director at Neptune.
A beloved Serena & Lily holiday ornament, these rattan Christmas trees have been hand-crafted with cheer and can be bought individually or as a playful set of 3.
Hand-carved and hand-painted, this charming candle holder rotates and animates to create a whimsical scene. Use it as a beautiful bookend or a way to divide up vignettes.
Create a display of these brass holiday houses and fill them with LED tealights and place them between your books and existing decor.
4. Create height with your displays
The beauty of bookshelves, whether built-in or freestanding, compact or enormous, is that they provide a space to display things you love while creating a sense of height and grandeur in a space.
Build up vignettes on your shelves using stacks of books or a tray as your base and 'then start adding in decorations, one at a time, layering in more and more until you have the effect you desire, remembering to add in height with different shapes and sizes,' Gisela advises.
If you have room above your bookcase, make sure to give this some festive flair too. You could try a row of bottle brush Christmas trees, as seen above by Studio McGee. Alternatively, 'drape a garland across the top of a bookshelf for a makeshift mantle,' adds Kirsty Williams.
Deceptively large, this rattan sleigh can be placed atop your bookshelves to add height. Fill it faux wrapped gifts for a truly special display.
Create a playful Christmas scene with this set of 8 metallic bottle brush trees. I'm looking to line them up along my shelves for an alternative to a garland this year.
McGee & Co.'s holiday collection is filled with elegant pieces like this gold leaf Menorah. Featuring delicate metal leaves, this will add a gleam of gold to your shelves.
5. Don't forget some sparkle
Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without twinkling lights. Whether in the form of candlelight (be careful when lighting around your favorite novels!) or LEDs, finish off your bookshelf styling with a warm glow. 'Finally, add in battery lights for extra twinkle and Christmas magic,' Gisela agrees.
'Drape a delicate garland along the edges of the shelves, weave warm fairy lights amongst your favorite titles, and add thoughtful touches like baubles or candlesticks for a soft, flickering glow,' suggests Lucy Uren.
If you’ve already decked your halls and adorned your tree and are looking for a new victim to give the Christmas treatment, try this tips to help you decorate the perfect festive bookshelf.
