Get inspiration and tips for how to style built in bookshelves around fireplace to completely uplevel your living room design.
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This is the first time I’ve had built in bookshelves in a home, and I absolutely love the look. When we bought our home last summer, the custom built in bookshelves in the living room was a huge selling point. However, the style of the fireplace and shelves needed some major love. I committed to not make any major updates to this home until we had lived here a year, this being the only exception! You can read all about our fireplace transformation in my Gorgeous Marble Fireplace Surround post (with lots of before and after pics!).
Fireplace with Built Ins on Each Side
Built-in Shelf Decor (Left): Silver Frame \\ Rattan Bookends \\ New York School of Interior Design: Home \\ Live Beautifully \\ Blue and White Done Right \\ Joie \\ The Crown in Vogue \\ Jackie, Janet, & Lee \\ The Art of Home \\ Homebody \\ Chevron Frame (similar)
Built-in Shelf Decor (Right): Rattan Decorative Box Set \\ Striped Ginger Jar \\ Silver Knot Sculpture \\ Coastal Blues \\ Made Living \\ Beautifully Organized
Because we have a fireplace with built ins on each side, I had to think about the overall decor scheme, not just one side. When decorating built ins or double bookshelves, think of them as one large unit, versus completely separate pieces. While you can use different accent pieces to style them, they should feel cohesive and connected.
How to Decorate Built in Shelves Around Fireplace
1. Establish Your Style and Color Scheme
Your built in shelves should be an extension of your existing living room style. For me, that is coastal style and the color scheme is blue and white. For you, that could be modern style with neutrals or modern farmhouse with cream and black. Keep your style and colors in mind when selecting your built in shelf decor.
2. Stack Coffee Table Books
Aren’t coffee table books just the most perfect decor pieces? From actual coffee tables to console tables, dressers, and bookshelves, coffee table books make excellent accent pieces. Depending on the height of your shelves, you may need to stack fewer or more books. Stack your books flat as a pedestal for picture frames and decorative objects. Stack them vertically between bookends to create height on your shelves.
3. Use Decorative Boxes as Accents
Decorative boxes are a great way to not only add beauty to your shelves but they can also take up nice vertical space. I found the cutest cane decorative box set at Amazon, and they added a nice organic touch to our built in shelves. Plus, they stack on top of one another and fill the space so perfectly.
4. Incorporate Jars or Vases
Jars and vases are another great way to bring color and style to your shelves. If they’re large enough, they can also serve as your statement piece. I have been obsessed with finding a blue and white striped ginger jar and found a beautiful one at One Kings Lane. It brings in my color scheme and the stripe design is quintessential coastal.
5. Layer in Decorative Objects
Decorative objects can include sculptures, small faux plants, picture frames, or small art pieces. Use a large object like a framed photo, art, or object to fill up an entire shelf or layer them on a stack of books. I incorporated two family picture frames on our shelves. One filled up an entire shelf and a smaller one with a mini faux plant was perfect to pair on a book stack. Plus, it incorporates a sentimental touch!
Built in Shelves Around Fireplace Styling Tips
Fill the Space but Don’t Overcrowd it
Measure the width and height of your shelves. Choose items that fill the space without overwhelming it. I aimed for a 50-75% fill rate. Meaning, I left 25-50% of empty space on each shelf. That felt like a good balance to me. If an item is too small for the space, stack it on some books or swap it for something larger. Don’t feel obligated to fill every square inch. The space should be styled but still be able to breathe.
Balance Visuals Across the Shelves
Choose complimentary decor to sit across from one another. I knew I wanted my blue and white striped ginger jar to be a statement piece. I chose a vertical stack of blue, white, and neutral books that were close to the same height and color directly across from it.
Stand Back and Make Adjustments as Needed
Stand back and look at your shelf styling. Look at the color, style, and size of your decor pieces. If anything feels off or unbalanced, make tweaks. I also highly recommend building a mood board. I took a picture of my bare shelves and saved it in Canva. Then I added in pics of decorative objects I was considering to see how they would look in the space. Drag them around until you find the perfect combinations.
If you have built in bookshelves around your fireplace, I hope this post gave you some good styling inspiration. Happy decorating!
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