Literally decorating by the book

Books are so popular in home décor that even people who don't read acquire them. They buy volumes by the yard at Half Price Books. They order from a book décor specialist who ships Danish language books by the foot.

Danish? Well, they aren't meant to be read.

Perhaps the ultimate signal that books are décor came when a recent Pottery Barn catalog showed an entire bookcase with the books turned backward, annoying mismatched spines facing inward, all in an attempt to achieve a neutral, uniform look.

Can't find a particular book on that shelf? That isn't the point.

As a decorating technique, books work even better when they've been read.

Then books become signs of a full life, one of inquiry and imagination. Well-loved books are invitations to linger and relax. They are conversation starters. They are small monuments to our interests and passions. As antiquarian book dealer Michael Utt says, "When you look at a person's books, you can see into his soul."

The trend toward books as décor-only is jarring to book collectors such as Utt.

Book resources


Protect collectible and cherished books from the wear and tear that may come from being used as a decorating accessory. Instead use remainders and surplus books for stacking and other décor projects.

Here's where to find books that may be suitable for use as an accessory:

Books by the yard: Fill your library in an afternoon with help from Half Price Books at www.halfpricebooks.com/bby.html. The company offers Reader's Digest condensed books, reference books, law books and a mix that includes fiction and nonfiction books.

Books by the foot: If your heart is set on having 10 feet of Danish language books that you can't read, visit www.bookdecor.com.

Benefit book sale: The Friends of Seattle Public Library Book Sale happens twice a year. The next sale will be 9 a.m. — 5 p.m. April 22 and 11 a.m. — 4 p.m. April 23 in Hanger 30 at Magnuson Park at Sand Point. Most books will be $1 or less. For more information, go to www.spl.org and click on events and classes.

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Seattle Times staff

"You should collect what you love," Utt says.

Or, at the least, invest in something you want to read.

Here are a few tips on how to decorate with books, as well as how to build a collection.

Tips for decorating

Make it personal: If you loved a trip to Oaxaca, a stack of books on regional Mexican art will evoke memories. That's one way books personalize a room, says interior designer Debbie Chirillo of The ARTEC Group. If Matisse is your favorite artist, a few books of his work will establish your taste. NASCAR your thing? There are books on that, too.

Create a theme: A collection of books on Texas adds to a Western-themed room.

Create platforms: Lamps and accessories stand out when they are placed atop a stack of books, says designer Linda French of Total Interiors.

Show them off: Stack nicely bound books on end tables or on tables behind sofas. Books add height, create interest and make a room feel lived in.

Go for color: Arrange books by color to help establish a color scheme, French advises.

Jackets on or off: Take book jackets off to create a more subdued color palette. (Tip: Store the jacket away from dust and light, and don't crease it if you plan to resell the book.) Leave pretty jackets on art or garden books.

Make a table: Put a pile of large books next to a chair, top the stack with a small piece of glass and call it an end table.

Tips for collecting

Personal favorites: Collect books by an author you love or on a subject that fascinates you.

"That way, no matter what you pay for it, you haven't lost any money," says Utt.

Build a collection slowly: Don't make the mistake of trying to amass too many subjects and authors. Book collecting is more manageable if a collection is focused.

Collecting resources


Where to learn more about book collecting:

• Novices can find clues to valuable secondhand collectibles in Bill McBride's "A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions" (McBride, $15.95) and "Points of Issue" (McBride, $12.95), which discusses exceptions to certain standards publishers use to mark first editions.

• Two helpful magazines are "Firsts" and "Fine Books & Collections."

• Web sites such as www.abebooks.com and www.alibris.com sell secondhand books and are good places to check prices.

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Handle with care: Collectibles need to be kept in pristine condition. These are not the books you keep in a basket on the floor. Even small rips in dust jackets can drastically reduce the price.

First choices: First editions are the sought-after books. Older books, those published before the 1970s, used a multitude of ways to indicate first editions. It's impossible to memorize them all, says Utt. Book collectors often buy other books that list first-edition markings.

Signatures: Autographs from authors do make a book more valuable. However, if an author is an avid signer, the signature is less valuable than if it is from an author who rarely signs.

Any other handwriting inside the book will detract from its future value.