5 Easy Ways to Decorate Your Bookshelves for the Holidays

‘Tis the season to decorate your home in festive colors, dressings and cheer! Kick off the most wonderful time of the year with a few easy tips to style your bookshelves for the holidays. We’ve chosen our favorite simple ways to deck the halls—and they’re also easy to swap out, should you want to switch up styles for next year or to leave up for the winter.

5 Easy Ways to Decorate Your Bookshelves for the Holidays

By Kerrie Kelly, ASID

Bring festive color to your holiday bookshelves

Image via: Blog Lovin’

1.   Apothecary Jars

One of the oldest tricks in the interior design book is including apothecary jars in your home décor. Use different shapes and sizes to add a touch of elegance and interest to your bookshelves. Fill them with twinkling lights for a soft and romantic ambiance, or add sweets and treats for your guests to munch on during your holiday party. Decorate the exterior of the jars with twine, burlap or colorful ribbon for an extra festive touch.

2.   Garland & Wreaths

Adding a wreath or a garland swag is one of the most sought after pieces of holiday decor. Outfit your bookshelves with a healthy helping of fresh pine leaves, evergreen sprigs or slices of spruce. Sprinkle in touches of Christmas-themed decor like pomegranates, pinecones or lights to really emphasize the space. You can hang the garland on the outside in a sweeping motion, or let it lay naturally on the shelves for a more organic feel.

Add garland and wreaths to your bookshelves

Image via: Birmingham Home & Garden

3.   Covered Books

Most bookshelves are used for, well, books. To add a little holiday cheer, wrap your books in decorative wrapping, plain brown paper or holiday ribbons for a subtle nod to the season. We recommend looking for patterns like plaid, tartan and polka dots and dark, bold colors like navy, coffee and burgundy. Add some spice with stamps, ribbons and tied-on twigs.

4.  Organic Elements

If your holiday style is more natural than ‘Noel,’ consider adding organic elements to your bookshelves. Fill your vases and decorative dishes with pinecones, nettles, twigs, fruit and leaves, finishing them off with a tautly tied ribbon. Not only will these details liven up your shelving, they will also fill the entire room with an inviting holiday aroma.

Sprinkle organic  and metallic elements into your bookshelves

Image via: Target

5.  Metallic Details

Lately, metallic finishes have had their moment in the sun as a way to add glitz to an otherwise simple space. For the holidays, metallic details can lend a sophisticated vibe to your bookshelves in the form of candleholders, plates, figurines and knick-knacks. Mix gold, bronze and silver decorations with touches of greenery and an earthy color palette for a natural, no-nonsense shelf. If you want to up the elegance, consider pairing gold or silver-outfitted trinkets with a lighter color palette full of bright white decorations and pastel finishes.

Whether you have floor-to-ceiling shelves, a stand-alone unit or a few wall bookshelves that are in need of some serious style, these tips can be mixed and matched to create the perfect holiday look for your home.

Kerrie Kelly heads up the California interior design firm Kerrie Kelly Design Lab. Kerrie has advised her clients for many a holiday season on how to create a festive look in their homes. Kerrie writes her tips for The Home Depot. To view Home Depot’s holiday decorations selection, you can visit the company’s website.

For more holiday decorating on Stagetecture, click here.