I really appreciate clean, minimalistic decorating, but personally it’s never been my style. I tend to find that “more is more” in terms of making our house feel like us: more pattern, more color, more furniture, more items. Thank goodness for bookcases to stash it all.

It took me a while to find my rhythm in making bookcases look good, but here are a few tips I try to keep in mind…

you need more stuff than you think.

I always felt like I had a ton of books – until I put them in a large built-in bookcase. In styling the bookcase in our current home, I rounded up all the items I wanted to display and still had room to work in a few new things I picked up while checking out some Charlotte-area consignment shops for the first time.

CREATE LITTLE VIGNETTES.

One way to do this is to group meaningful things together. For instance, one shelf has 1) a photo book I made of our first renovation, 2) a box with Polaroids from our wedding (we had people take pictures of themselves with it as our guest book), 3) a leather-bound photo album of some of our favorite professional photos from that day, and 4) a candle with the initial “S” that was one of the first things I bought after changing my name. Together, that shelf transports me back to our early days as a couple. On another shelf, I grouped together travel books with an item (tea set) that a family friend brought back from her travels. Several books on writing (my first love) are topped off with a typewriter paperweight I couldn’t resist.

BALANCE SYMMETRY AND ASYMMETRY.

Our living room bookcase has five columns, so I matched the shelf position on the first two columns with the last two so they mirror each other. I also repeat certain favorite items, like coordinating art prints, wooden trays, storage boxes and so on. So it’s not too match-y match-y, I vary other elements. For instance, all of my faux plants are different, as are their pots.

mix up your textures.

Ceramic, clay, wood, different metals, paper, rattan, moss, glass, cloth… Just throw it all in there and watch it start to feel super curated.

SOME ITEMS CAN STAND ALONE.

Especially if they’re unique, sculptural, important or just make you daydream. Think of it as giving that item museum treatment.

think of it as storage.

We have pretty mild weather here in Charlotte, but when I want to weight myself down and feel tucked in, these cozy blankets come off the shelf. I also stash candle lighters and picture light remotes in the boxes. Your bookcase isn’t something you never touch and just dust; it’s something that serves you every day.

turn your books around.

I know some people think this is very controversial, but I love the look and I think it gives the eye a place to rest. These are YOUR books so do what you please. However, I do have all like books grouped together. If I want to loan someone a beach read or reread a favorite memoir, I know right where to go.

keep working it.

There is no shortcut around just putting things somewhere and seeing what works. It takes time to get the composition right, and moving things around repeatedly is kind of the name of the game (at least for me). When you’re done, you’ll know.