Nate Berkus' Simple Bookcase Styling Tip Will Instantly Elevate Your Space

Bookshelves serve as both a decor element and a functional storage space, sometimes making it difficult to navigate on exactly how much on a shelf is too much. Or, how much is too little? HGTV's Nate Berkus may have the perfect solution for unruly and uninspiring bookshelves, allowing you to maximum book storage while not overwhelming the room with a solid wall of spines. In a recent Instagram reel, Berkus showed off how to expertly arrange a balanced mix of decor and books on the shelf to help create and control visual interest while still maximizing their storage potential.

This can keep your bookshelves from feeling too sparely decorated or, at the other end of the spectrum, too packed full of books. By putting Berkus' idea into practice, as well as keeping a few design principles in mind, you can tame your shelves without losing space to house the things they are meant to house.

Nate Berkus' approach is simple. Instead of adding books vertically like one would see in a bookstore or library, create small horizontal stacks of books on each shelf in addition to a few upright titles on the same shelf or the next one over. This variation breaks the continuity of the eye, making for a much more visually interesting layout. This works especially well for large coffee tables and art books that may look bulky or not fit upright on the shelf. On top of the horizontal stacks, you can add small decorative objects to further add some interest and display things like natural artifacts (crystals, stones, small plants) or vases and other pottery pieces.

To further break up the uniformity of a wall of books, set aside some shelves for decor only. These will allow the eye a bit of a rest when looking at the shelf and allow you to easily display some of your favorite things like vases, bowls, or statues. You can even mix in framed photos or art (either upright or hung on the back wall of the shelf.) Or, add pretty storage boxes for small items or things you want to keep out of sight. You can even add some picture lights above the shelves to add extra light to the room for a stylish layered lighting scheme.

Whatever objects you use to organize and style your bookshelves, keep in mind a triangular arrangement of elements. Nate Berkus describes a similar concept with the pyramid created by a crystal on top of a stack of books. It's an approach to easily arrange both individual shelves and the layout of the entire unit. In individual shelves, vary the height of objects and arrange them to create a highest and lowest point. Pair a taller vase with a low horizontal stack perched with a decorative bowl on top. Or, place tall books upright on one end and a shallow trinket box on the other end to guide the eye upwards. 

Apply this same approach to the entire bank of shelves by guiding the eye from the bottom of the shelves, which can be more densely populated with books and objects, to the tops which work toward a highest point along the top. Giving a unified and cohesive look to perfectly decorate the shelves of your bookcase with ease.