How to Decorate with Coffee Table Books + My Favorites

Anyone else a book nerd like me? Raise your hands because this post is for you! I have always loved books. I found myself reading more than anything when I was younger. Then I went to design school and the books I started collecting were the big magazine worthy coffee table books. I could not get enough of them. They inspired me as a design student and in my days as a designer. I would love to grab a cup of coffee and sit down with them in Barnes and Noble for hours.

I have honestly collected design coffee table books for more than 10 years and love to see where my interests have traveled. I originally started collecting books on thrifting and antiquing and have now traveled to collecting books on coastal interiors. That maybe because we are not living near the beach anymore and I want to jump into the pages of my new books! My collection has really grown over the years and besides the insides inspiring me, I love decorating with coffee table books and thought I could share some of the tricks I’ve learned over the years about how to style a coffee table with my favorites.

Great Escapes Europe book | Decorating with Antiques Book | Gold Turtles (similar) | Driftwood Votive holder (similar)

One of the easiest home accessories to decorate with is coffee table books. Over the years I have come up with some tips and tricks on how to decorate with coffee table books effortlessly and which ones are my must have books. You can use them in your family friendly living room, kitchen, bedroom, guest room, in various entryway ideas – you name it! What is so wonderful about them is their gorgeous covers and graphic bindings. They can elevate the accessories you already have, creating levels to your display. They can be your pop of color on a shelf. Coffee table books can act like a tray or catch all for a group of accessories. The ideas are endless.

Wood Bowl (similar) | In The Company of Women Book | HOME Book | Garden Stool

So hopefully I will inspire you to use the books you have in a fun decorative way and introduce you to some new ones you might want to add to your collection.

How to Decorate With Coffee Table Books:

1. stack 2-3 books on a shelf, table or coffee table to separate your accessories

This is a great way to break up all your decor and for it to not look crowded. Sometimes if I have a rather large coffee table, I will use multiple stacks of books and put different accessories on top of each to give it a unified look. The idea is to make things not look to overpopulated with stuff. Use books in a cohesive color to create a neutral base.

2. use the colors you are decorating with in your home to pop the color

If you have blue in your pillows or rug, use the same shade or something in the same family but richer to make the colors pop more. I love to do this in a neutral space. It is a inexpensive way to add color into a room.

Blue Rug (similar) | The Hotel Book | Driftwood (similar) | Bamboo Tray (similar)

3. collect books in a common theme. For instance, fashion, landscapes, home decor, etc.

I like to have a grouping of books in similar topics when stacking them together. It creates a sense of unity in your collection. However there are a few crossover books that really go with any collection and such as this Tom Ford book, Vanity Fair book, and Dior book. These are all classics from the fashion industry and are so timeless.

4. when stacking, place the largest book on the bottom with the smallest on top

You want your biggest book on the bottom. It just looks better to have them going from large to small starting at the bottom for proportion purposes.

5. in bookshelves, use books horizontally and vertically for variation

It is eye catching to switch the way you use your books up in your bookcase. This technique is key to styling a bookcase, so have 3 or 4 vertically and then one or two with a favorite accessory piece. Have one shelf all of books. Whatever it is think of variety when placing your books in a bookcase.

6. stack all your books to make a little side table and top with a tray

This is a very eclectic way to style your books and such a fun way to show them off! This is perfect to do next to a little chair in a living room or as part of your guest bedroom ideas to create a welcoming and comfortable space for visitors. This could even be really pretty to do in a ombre color effect or even in three different colors to tie in to the other decor in the room.

Suzanne Kasler Book | The Hotel Book | Gold/White Vase (similar) | Gold Candle Holder (similar)

Well, I hope you loved all those ideas on how to decorate with coffee table books in your home! I have so many that I am constantly trying to get creative on how to use them. And if you are trying to build up your library of coffee table books, here are some of my favorites.

Here are my favorite coffee table books to decorate with. 

{just click on the photos to purchase the books}