Use Dollar Tree Books To Make The Perfect Coffee Table Decor

Beautiful coffee table books can be an instant way to add style and character to any space. They'll obviously work on coffee tables, but shelves, consoles, bedside tables, and other spots would also benefit from their charm. Not only do they add visual interest, but they can also be used as risers for other décor, making it easy to create levels on any surface. However, these books can often be quite expensive when bought brand new, with some high-fashion or art books costing well over $100. This is especially true for titles that crop up again and again in magazines and social media shoots like designer Tom Ford's sleek black retrospective of his past work with Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. There is, however, a trick for getting the same look and style for much less. A quick scan of TikTok can yield many different cool ideas for creating faux coffee table classics on a budget with some inexpensive hardcovers, paint, and other materials.

These custom faux books can be created from any hardcover title, including budget-friendly books from Dollar Tree, thrift store books, library sale scores, and other secondhand book finds. This is also a great way to repurpose books you are looking to get rid of. The bigger the better, but you can also make faux covers for smaller books to create variations in your stack. You can mimic the look of high-end or visually interesting coffee table books, or get creative and make your own unique design.

Begin by removing the existing slip cover of your book, leaving only the hardcover below. Use some spray paint to paint the book your desired color and cover up any existing print or image on the original. This is also a great chance to add some luxe painted edges along the sides with spray or acrylic paint. If you don't plan to open the book, you could also add some glue to the text block to keep it stationary and all one piece.

To create the cover accents, print out the graphics and lettering, either at home or in stationery stores like Staples or Office Max, which can print good-quality images on high-quality paper in an abundance of sizes that you can glue onto and around the book. You could also create letters on a Cricut in vinyl to adhere to your book or use stencils to add lettering. To protect your book, add a clear acrylic coat at the end.

There are numerous ways to customize this project, including using cool visual techniques to decorate the outside of the book, like decoupaging pretty paper designs, wrapping the book in fabric or leather, or creating your own original art for a new printed slip jacket. You can also add three-dimensional accents like appliques and pieces of jewelry to the front or sides.

Use these books all year or create seasonal versions that you switch out with your decor, like altered books to make your Halloween décor even spookier or fill out your Christmas mantel. Leave the interior of the books as/is or use the recess inside in clever ways, like creating a memory box for souvenirs and photos or creating a clever hidden book safe by removing interior sections with an X-acto knife. You can also use slender boxes instead of books with the same technique to create hidden storage in plain sight.