My Kitchen Bookshelf: Beyond “Just Books”

Recently I set out on an unexpected journey of self-discovery as I attempted to decorate the bookshelf in my newly-remodeled kitchen using only those items I already possessed. This was no small task because I’m constantly striving to find a balance between those parts of me I freely reveal to the world {I know, a bit ironic coming from someone who has a blog} and those that remain the exclusive domain of my close family and friends. Decorating a bookshelf is a highly personal thing. That trinket box I purchased while on my honeymoon, the figurine my parents gave me as a birthday present, and those treasured photographs that captured special moments in my past each tell a story about who I am and what I hold most dear.

A scavenger hunt throughout my home revealed several cherished keepsakes, items I haven’t displayed in years but couldn’t bear to part with {and I’m so glad I didn’t}. One thing in particular that I learned about myself is that I’m obsessed with birds. I always knew I liked birds, but over the years I’ve amassed a collection of rooster, peacock, and game bird {particularly pheasant and quail} figurines and artwork that would rival many museum collections on the subject.

I started by placing an assortment of leather-bound books in random groupings throughout the bookshelf, making sure to leave plenty of room for my tchotchkes. Among them is a pair of cookbooks that once belonged to my grandmother and are engraved with her name. I displayed most of them vertically, creating the visual height I would need to balance the smaller, more decorative pieces. A couple of books with fragile binding I stacked horizontally, creating a platform to showcase particularly meaningful objects.

I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that “less is more”, especially when it comes to decorating bookshelves. There is a fine line between stylized and cluttered. For this project I chose only my favorite items {sorting them by height, size and color}. Then I pared it down even further.

Playing around with the layout to see what worked best together, I placed the bigger items first and then filled in the empty spaces with smaller ones until I had just the right composition.

The first items to go up where my giant rooster and a vintage Gerz tureen--brought over from Germany by a dear great-aunt, who worked there as a civilian for the Department of Defense shortly after WWII. Two antique cast iron flat irons make fitting bookends. The remaining spaces were filled with smaller keepsakes: additional rooster & chicken figurines; cast iron fleur-de-lis; and even a snow globe. I added a platter and rooster painting in the background where I felt additional height was needed.

There are no hard and fast rules to decorating bookshelves, but by layering my cherished books and objects I was able to achieve a polished look. And while there are certainly ways I could have improved the look if money were no object, I think using what I already owned better represents me.