How to Stack 7 Books 7 different Ways
a girl with pretty blonde hair, decided she needed a bookcase. She also needed highlights, so she had a decision to make.
After much thought and debate she went with the bookcase. And the highlights.
Photograph by Donna Griffith for Style at Home
When I redid my house I knew the first thing I wanted to do was get my books out from under my couch and into a bookcase.
I had books everywhere and whenever someone wanted to borrow one or I wanted to re-read one (I can do that because I tend to forget anything I’ve read/watched/heard within 2 months of reading/watching/hearing it) I had to go searching willy nilly all over the house. At any given moment a book I was looking for could have been a) under the couch, b) in the basement behind a large sparkly reindeer and 2 dead centipedes, c) under my bed or d) shoved under the leg of a table I found in my neighbour’s garbage.
The bookcases I chose are Billy bookcases from Ikea because they’re only 11″ deep and don’t take up a lot of space. It took about half a day to put the bookcases together and secure them to the wall.
It took another 2 months to fill the bookcases in a way that I liked them. How do I know this is the final configuration? I haven’t broke out into a sweat and come running downstairs from a dead sleep to rearrange it in 2 years. That’s a pretty good sign I’m satisfied with it. It’s also a pretty good sign that I’m crazy.
The odd time I’ll change a stack around to look a little different. Just for fun. Just changing the way the same few books are stacked can completely change the look of the bookshelf.
So if you too have a bookcase, or even a shelf with books at home, take note. There’s more than 1 way to skin a cat. And there’s more than 1 way to place a stack.
The Bias Stack and the Sandwich Stack II are great if you have a book cover you really like or want to show off. You know. Something that makes you look smart. Not that my to cover choices make me look smart. A bit odd perhaps, but I haven’t kept that a secret from you. I haven’t even kept it a secret in this post.
So if you’re looking at your bookshelf thinking it looks like stink, it probably does. You know what your problem is? You just haven’t lost enough sleep over it. You haven’t woken up with crazy hair in the middle of the night and re-arranged it. You haven’t laid every single thing out on your floor and placed it back in the bookshelf one by one over a 17 hour period eating only bits of stuff you find in the carpet. You haven’t obsessed and stared and gotten angry at it enough. Quite frankly, and I hate to be rude, but the plain truth is … you probably just aren’t crazy enough.
Bridgette Taylor
This is very true, and you don’t really consider the different ways to arrange books until you’re in the thick of it. I am still unsatisfied with my bookshelves, but it’s a work in progress.
Also- Geek Love is such a great book!
Karen
Bridgette – Geek Love is a FANTASTIC book. But I don’t recommend it to a lot of people because … well … you know. Not everyone would appreciate the subtle nuances of breeding your own Geek show. Loved it. ~ karen
Erica
Geek Love is one of my favorite books! And, as a Librarian, I would NEVER recommend it.
Karen
Erica! When I took my aptitude test in highschool that’s what it told me to be. A librarian! I would have loved it. I ended up a television host who reads and writes a lot. :) ~ karen
Ran
I have to chime in here on my love for that book, my only lament is I can’t find a hardcover copy to replace my well read paperback.
Karen
Ran – I got my hardcover copy on Ebay! ~ karen
Jamieson
Girl, you crazy.
Karen
Yes.
Jeanenne
I know this posting is all about the stacks but it’s worth pointing out-again-that Geek Love is one of the best books ever. Odd and wonderful in right and wrong (very, very wrong) ways.
Karen
Jeanenne – So true. :) ~ karen
Lynne
Karen I’m so glad I’m not the only one who forgets what they’ve read/watched etc. That way l can look forward to re-reading/re-watching good books/movies etc. over and over again !!
Pam'a
Karen, are YOU the person I lent my copy of Geek Love to? I can’t for the life of me recall who it was…
A well-arranged book shelf is truly a thing of beauty, and your photos sum things up nicely. But I’m not sure I’ll ever achieve it. My problem is that I have WAAAY too many framed pictures (small ones, of various family members) to contend with. Any thoughts on that?
I suppose I could just make a clean sweep and actually put BOOKS in mine. That’s… sort of a revelationary thought.
Karen
Pam’a – Try putting all your family pics in the same frames (from Ikea) or at least the same coloured frames. Also, group them all together so they aren’t scattered around the bookshelf. They’ll look more important and impressive then. And just because a picture is small doesn’t mean it has to be in a small frame. Bigger will also make it look more impressive. In fact, if you really want you can take all the pics out of your bookshelf, put them in varying sized identical frames and then hang them “gallery” style on a wall. There. Done. Get goin’. :) ~ karen
Pam'a
Hmm. All my family pics ARE in the (nearly) same black frames already, and in groups… That must mean I’m done! Recess!
Julie shinnick
Well….I guess you had to state that you were crazy for those that are not familiar with your ways!
Crazy=interesting=nutso=good value!
Karen B
Lovely shelves. Most of my book shelves look like they were arranged by the nurse from “One Flew Over the Cuckcoo’s Nest”. I am intrigued by the framed art peeking out from behind the chair.
Karen
:) Heh. ~ karen
Amy Schmucker
Nature Girl by Hiassan, in your stack. That was pretty funny. Right now I am reading chicken soup for the soul.. family matters. I am definetly Not laughing like I thought I should be.
Now I had a bookcase built with different sized “Nooks” for my important Nick Knacks that I wanted to show off. I have my books all arranged in different order also.. But I also understand you can have too many books no matter what kind of stack and it looks cramped. At least that what the guy.. the cute guy on Oprah said. Nate, I think is his name.
You have inspired me to take a picture of my bookcase. Because it does look so cool. I will post it sometime this week. I love wacky people like us. Stack away…
Amy
Karen
Thx Amy! ~ karen
Brenda
What are the tan/red books that are stacked to the left? Those look interesting! I have a 4-year old that LOVES books and I would love to do some fun things with her book stacks (especially with all of the big wide books that she has) but alas, she is such a reader that I know she would want the one book that is at the bottom of the cool Spiral Stack as soon as we were done. Happy New Year!!
Karen
Brenda – The stack of books to the left is “The Practical Encyclopedia of Good Decorating and Home Improvement” from the 1970′s. You wouldn’t believe how great they are. I’ll do a post and feature pics some time maybe. It’s shocking how relevant they are even today. ~ karen
Jan
What great books! I recognized these in your magazine photos, since I had a treasured set I sold on eBay a few years ago. I accumulated them one book at a time when they were new, yes, NEW…in the 70′s! Haha – I agree they are great – I’ve made a bunch of stuff from their inspiration over the years…ahem…decades. Toyboxes and sandboxes for the kids…That fold-down table that doubles as framed art on the wall? Upstairs in my sewing room as we speak. Thanks for the memories. :)
muscratlove
Billy! The squareness just had me assuming Expedit. I’m another weirdo happy to see you showing off your Geek Love.
Karen
Muscratlove! I have to say I’m both shocked and impressed at the number of people who read my blog who have read Geek Love. I think that says a lot about all of us. :) ~karen
Leslie
“I haven’t broke out into a sweat and come running downstairs from a dead sleep to rearrange it in 2 years.”
This sounds WAY too familiar…as in, I did this last night. My linen closet and my clothing closet look great, by the way. And my laundry closet.
Thanks for these ideas! I’ve been trying to figure out ways to break up the vast sea of books on my bookcase. Most are just standing straight up like the Classic Stack 1.
Lindsay
Hi. I just maniacally rearranged all of my bookshelves. I am pleased. Thank you!
Karen
Lindsay! LOL. Good job. It may take a few go rounds before you’re completely happy with it so don’t get discouraged. Or sweaty. :) ~ karen
giggles
Karen,
I know we are sisters, you have some of my favorite books on your shelf, like Geek Love. Also one of the best authors, Carl Hiaasen. I do move my book quite often, by the bed, on floor and also they take long rides in the car.
giggles
Lynn
1. We read the same books, so where is my/your copy of Colorado Cache? I need that borscht recipe stat!
2. Love, love, lovity love that chair. I have a huge lambskin on the back of my couch that I run my fingers through and my cats sleep on.
Lesley H
Do you think you could send some kind of note to my boss as I fear I must run home RIGHT now to rearrange my stacks. I’m feeling very inspired by the sandwich stack. Thanks for the practical fun:)
Traci
Oh my gosh!!! I thought I was the only person that read Geek Love! Have you also read Truck? It’s amazing and disturbing at the same time!
KarenB
I have shelves of books! They look like they were arranged but the nurse from “One Flew Over the Cuckcoo’s Nest”. Thanks for the tips. I am intrigued by the art peeking out from behind the chair.
Liz
My bookcase looks like hell at the moment and i’ve just bought two shiny new bookcases to fill up with Crap (yes, with a capital C).
It doesn’t help that my books are all trash fiction paperbacks that i should really be hiding under the bed rather than displaying proudly.
Emily
I heart well managed bookshelves, so neat, so tidy. If I could just get the rest of my apartment to look like my bookshelves. I have found the best way to organize my books is by color. It sounds crazy OCD, but its worth the one time effort.
Bev
I have seen examples of this and it looks incredible – however when I tried all my books just had sludgey dark spines, not the mesmeric rainbow effect I had hoped for, so I have reverted to a random composition of classic, half and half and sandwich stacks, that I find pleasing to the eye. Have managed to colour arrange my shoe rack and wardrobe though :o) … Reading that last bit back, I am suddenly very worried about me. Crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it.
liz
These are great! I have to try a few of these configurations!
Valentina
Karen, let me mention also the OCD stack! (something like this: http://www.paintitblack.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/tumblr_kz5hk9i0RD1qzzh8ko1_500.jpg)
this is probably what my bookshelf is going to look like as soon as I finish unboxing! But I have to admit that the On The Bias Row is very intriguing! :)
Karen
Valentina – I LOVE colour blocked books. The problem is finding that many books in such pretty colours! I’m just looking across to my bookshelf right now thinking …. Maybe I’ll try the colour block thing. Here we go again … :) ~ karen
Karen
Valentina! The link is gone! The link is gone! I was just going to look at it again. :( ~ karen
Valentina
I think that you just need to take out the parenthesis at the end of the link afer .jpg anyways, the picture can be found in this post: http://www.paintitblack.it/mensole-librerie-idee/ (sorry, I didn’t mean to spam my website but the original source is not working anymore!)
sundeep @ designwali
i need to get me some bookshelves!
Andrea Claire
Your comments are as entertaining as your blog.
:) LOL
Karen
LOL. Yes, I’ve heard that before! I have some good commenters on this site! ~ karen
Michelle
I sacrificed a night out with the girls to stay in and style my new bookcase. Like your staggered stack why didnt I think of that? I know what I’ll be doing this weekend, superstyling again!
Brenda Massey
Great looking bookcases! I know you said in your post that you attached the bookcases to the wall, but did you have to attach them to each other to keep them lined up properly? And if you did, can you tell me how you did that?
Karen
Hi Brenda! The Billy bookcases come with everything you need to attach them to the wall and to each other. They’re held together side by side with little pins on top. Other than having to be accurate with your measurements, it’s easy! ~ karen
Shauna Rudy
Beauteous. I can’t help but notice that almost all of your books are impressive looking hardcovers. Any ideas for cheap-o me who owns mostly paperbacks? My husband has an impressive collection of hardcover first-editions, but he hides them in his office where the rest of us and our grubby fingers can’t touch them.
Oh, and Wow! I can’t believe how many of your readers share my love for Geek Love. Great read.
Karen
Shauna – Thanks! I find that paperbacks look best when they’re really neat and straight. Since they’re usually smaller than a bookshelf nook requires I stack them like the Classic Stack II side by side. If you look at the first picture of my bookcase (the big full one) you can see a whole shelf of paperbacks. They’re the centre row (under the antlers) 5 shelves from the top. Also arranging paperbacks by colour would work really, REALLY well. It’d make them look prettier and more impressive. ~ karen
Liz S
Ok… So many people have made such a big deal about Geek Love that I have ordered a used copy off of Amazon for $4.
Karen – I am all the time sharing your blog with my friends via email and on Facebook. We love you!
Karen
Thanks so much Liz! I can use all the help I can get if I’m going to keep this blog going. :) Every reader helps! ~ karen
Karen
Oh! And by the way … Geek Love is NOT for the faint of heart. It’s a very dark book so be prepared! ~ karen
Liz S
I like the dark books. I’m always looking for something new and off the wall to read. I am always a sucker for books that friends rave about. I have been looking for something else to read anyways.
You need to come to Nashville, TN sometime. We would love to meet you.
Barry
I’ve been following your blog off-and-on for several months and finally had to comment just to say…. that Geek Love is an awesome book! I named my two cats iphigenia and electra. unfortunately, people think i named electra after that god awful movie. Anyway, love your blog! (And the cupfakes are awesome!)
Karen
Thanks Barry! I’m glad you finally commented. Funny it was Geek Love that brought us together. ~ karen
Liz
Karen,
Can I comment even though I’ve never read Geek Love? But about your bookshelf – it’s so beautiful. But about your table – is it a Jonathon Adler? But about you – love your blog, and your musings, and your writing and your house. You always crack me up. Thanks.
Karen
Hi Liz! If you’re talking about the silver pedestal table in my foyer … nope. It’s just a no name thing. I do have a Jonathon Adler sofa table in my living room, but I don’t think you can see it. So you probably aren’t talking about that one. Unless you’re peeking in my window at the moment. :) ~ karen
Amanda - VintageDutchGirl
LOVE this! We are adding bookcases to our office and I was wondering how to best display books….aka make it look like a Pottery Barn photo :)
susie
Oh, ho ho, but I HAVE gotten up out of a dead sleep and rearranged pictures on the wall or made feverish drawings of furniture reconfigurations. These actions prompted my husband to ask if I had skipped my meds that day.
Veronica D. Slater
had to tell you: not only are my living room shelves looking fabulous, but yesterday I finally got my second hand version of Geek Love in the mail. Based on 20 pages, I am yet to determine what is more disturbing: the story line or the fact that I cannot put the book down… Just love it. Thanks ladies! :)
tammy@InStitches
ha, I’ve been doing the spiral stack for years and didn’t even know it’s name ! Love your blog….
Karen
Thanks Tammy! Um, confession time … I made up the names of all the stacks. :) But feel free to turn the names into everyday language. ~ karen!
Leanne
You’re a genius. And really skinny. (Totally unrelated but I’m jealous and it’s worth mentioning.)
Karen
Leanne – Yes I am and yes I am. Both come naturally to me. ~ karen
Shannon (8foot6)
oHHH i am in the middle of my bookshelf styling session! I am in my third trimester, and yes, I got up in the middle of the night, hobbled down to remove everything off 2 boards and adjust the heights and swap the stuff….i am up before my toddler to “research” where I am going wrong :
sandwich stack II is required
and a little more crazy!
Beatrice
Came across your site while googling how to stack books without bookshelves and I’m blown away! I love how they’re stacked. I’d love to do all the different styles; once I have a place of my own with a mini library that is!! Thanks for the post :)
kty
Love the bookshelves and yes i know what you speak on the gettin’ up in the middle of the night etc to tackle a bookcase. What i was wondering is what type of lighting is that on the top of your shelves?
Karen
Hi Kty – They’re just standard Ikea bookshelf lighting. You can buy them separately or in a 3 pack like I did. ~ karen!