11 Creative Ways to Decorate with Books

Somehow, my home is always overflowing with books. I stack them on my windowsill, line some up on shelves, and hide others away in boxes, and still—more books for me to deal with. I don’t know what it is about them, but somehow I find myself buying more and more—even when I haven’t opened some of the ones I already own. (Let’s be real, it’s because they’re pretty. Plus, it’s easy to justify spending money on education, entertainment, self-improvement, or whatever else my latest purchase promises to bring me.)

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Given my affinity for stocking up on literature, it’s become vital for me to figure out how to decorate with books. It’s not enough to stack them in a corner and call it a day. I want to be able to see the beautiful covers I’ve invested in—plus, one stack wouldn’t be enough for my massive collection, anyway.

Here, 11 creative ideas that will help you figure out how, exactly, to decorate with books. Because it’s definitely a challenge, but if you do it right, it can also be an affordable way to stylishly fill space in your home.