Page 102 - Southern Oregon Magazine Fall 2018

welcome home | design

BOOKCASES

& BOOKSHELVES

101

Take a good hard look
at your shelf space

KRISSY MILLNER OF TERRA FIRMA HOME

s I thought about what to write for this issue, I didn’t need
to go far. I have been designing and styling bookshelves and
Abookcases for 20 years. With that in mind, here is a challenge,
dear reader.

Stop. Take a look at your bookcases. Are they filled with old paper-
backs? Bright or faded, unattractive, and maybe poorly designed book-
bindings that scream, “I am old and tired!” Maybe it’s time to clear the
clutter and start fresh with a new look. Having beautiful and thought-
fully arranged bookcases is a way to personalize your home and add
warmth and character.

I love books. My home has hundreds, but I don’t want to feel over-
whelmed by my love of novels, art, photography and design books. If the bookshelves. It’s nice to have that collection in one space. In our
you want to make a change in your interior, consider rearranging your office upstairs, which is not a public space, I have novels, reference
bookshelves and here are some ideas: and business books. These aren’t that great as a group, but in our pri-
vate office it works and feels cozy. We have them organized, so if I’m
1. It’s okay to let things breathe. Just because we have a bookshelf, we in the mood to revisit a novel or book on poetry, I can easily find it.
might feel the need to fill it end to end. Take everything off your
bookcase and put aside books that you really don’t need to see. Make 3. Bookcases don’t always have to contain books. Leaning artwork,
room for art, family photos, maybe some sentimental memorabilia. vessels, or other art objects is another way to refresh a bookcase.
Leave spaces. It’s a fresh, modern look when things have negative Recently, I designed bookshelves in a master bedroom and set up a
space between them. Stack books both horizontally and vertically bar on the shelves. A tray, some lovely bottles of liqueur and glasses
for interest. Consider taking out or readjusting your bookshelves turned a space that seemed predictable into a whole new mood.
to open up the space. Painting or adding wallpaper to the back of a
bookcase can add interest. We recently added a deep, textured grass- 4. Reframing your photos is another easy fix. Have you really looked
cloth behind bookshelves in a living room, adding more depth and at your photos and noticed the frames are old and unconnected in
richness to the space. style? Are some of your pictures framed edge-to-edge, with no mat?
(A pet peeve of mine.) You can’t really focus and appreciate a picture
2. Make sure your bookcase has a point of view. Group collections of that has no mat. Or, if your eye is trying to decode words and objects
favorite pottery, dishes, art. When our son moved out, we turned his on a picture frame—“family,” flowers, sports objects, etc.—it’s hard
room into a quiet space for yoga, stretching and exercise. We set our to truly focus on the image. Reframe them with crisp, cream mats.
collection of travel guides, language books and meditation guides on Then your eye can relax and enjoy what is in the frame.

100 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | fall 2018