Monday, April 28, 2014

Decorating with Books!

The Headlines:

I like to decorate.

I don't like to decorate like everyone else.

Use books.



Do not get me wrong.  Decorating is completely individualistic.  There are so many styles and tastes in the world… that's what makes it fun.  Nothing is off limits.  Nothing is wrong.  Weeeeellllll….  maybe I shouldn't go that far but you know what I mean!  Personally, I like the "antiquey" shabby chic, cottage style mixed, subtlely, with the desert influences of where I live.   You may know I define my style as "Desert Cottage."  In fact I wrote a whole "page" and post on "Defining Your Style…"  you can check out the post  here … and/or go back to the home page to find the label on the toolbar marked "Define Your Style".

Back to the topic at hand: finding cool looks and decor items to put in your home is never easy.  I just can't hang with too many Pottery Barn type things in my house.  I use them… but sparingly.  So when I went to my friends house recently and saw her interesting decor choice with books - this picky chick was impressed.  Maybe even obsessed!  Now I will warn you some people may look at this and go… huh?  I don't get it.  Hello my father-in-law!  But others will totally get it.  It's this...

Yes, that is what it looks like… books with their covers ripped off.  Who knew it could look so cool with such a beachy, shabby chic vibe to it.  Call me crazy but I think it accomplishes so much.  I fell for it.  I ordered a bunch of books from the website Books by the Foot.

Click  BOOKSBYTHEFOOT  if you want to check out their website.  

They have books galore.  Sky is the limit - order one color (like a bookcase with all red or blue or white books) or a type of book, even books, literally, but the foot - hence the name!!  It's awesome.  Now, don't get me wrong, as my mother pointed out, I could have done this on my own.  You know, find old books and then rip off the covers.  But the leg work on that (barring me scouring the internet looking for a library going out of business) would be enormous and it was worth it to have these people do it for me!  It's not very expensive… but there's a catch... shipping will set you back as much as the product!

How did I use these books?  See, back in the 90's (possibly before and after too) here in Arizona, parts of California, New Mexico, Nevada, etc… home builders were putting cubbies galore all over new builds.  Homeowners were then left with the difficult task of what to do with them.  I have seen some lame cubby uses.  Fake bright green plants being the number one.  Then I have seen some ideas that are better than lame.  Now, many people have chosen to get rid of them all together opting for built ins.  We have not.  Ours have actually started to grow on us.  There's always the option to change them later but for now I will keep them.  This is what they looked like before the books.

Before Books
This is what they look like after the books.
After Cubbies
Total success!  Granted that whole big tv cubby space is a huge eye sore - which I need to figure out how to handle - but at least now the cubbies surrounding it look so much better.

I also had a few left over to put in a couple other places around our pad.  On the baker's rack which I don't really use for it's known purpose…


and also on the side table in the formal living room I'm working on finishing.


This picky chick is super happy with it.  I love the look, haven't seen it much, except at my friend's house who lives around the corner.  Heeee heeee.  You know what they say: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!  Heck, that's what they whole blog is about - imitate away!






4 comments

  1. I love that idea. Totally shabby chic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Lame cubby use" LOL!!!! Love the look, you need to be on an HGTV show giving design tips!! ;)

    ReplyDelete

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