Back to School

• For a bit of whimsy, use your bookshelves to add a touch of "classroom" to your decor. Display a globe or map of the world over the top shelf. Place fresh cut flowers in chemistry beakers, and display botanical or insect posters for a lab-inspired look. You can also feature vintage Dick and Jane or etiquette posters. To make a reading area, add a vintage school chair or two near the bookcase. If you need pullout storage for a child's room, use locker-style metal bins in bright colors to store small toys, books or art supplies.
  
  

Decorate with Books

• If you actually need to use your bookcases for their intended purpose, you can decorate with just books alone. If you don't care that the books are organized by content, divide them by color and color families. Place all the orange and red books in one area, the green and blue in another, for instance. This method gives your library or room spots of bold color. If you have built-in shelves along one wall, simply filling them with books can add texture, depth and color to the entire room. If you don't have built-ins, you can get the same look by removing the backs of your standalone units and setting them flush against the wall.
  
  

A Home for Your Collections

• You don't have to be a reader to love your bookcases. Use them as a display for your collection of thimbles, teapots or sea glass. If you don't have a collection, you can always collect a group of a certain item, like apothecary jars, colored glass or succulent plants. and display them on your cases. Play around with grouping the items close to one another or neatly spread out, though avoid stuffing too many items on one shelf, or you'll have clutter instead of a display.
  
  

Paint and Decals

• If you're not interested in putting knick-knacks or plants on your bookcases, you can still make them an accent piece with a fresh coat of paint. Use a bold accent color for smaller cases, or go with a light or neutral color, and paint with a texture technique like rag-rolling or a faux suede or linen finish to add a subtle elegance to the room. If you're looking for something more playful or graphic, apply decals on the cases. Apply a chain of tiny decals along the shelf edges, or apply a series of decals on the inside of the case, on the back, creating a large image. This, of course, only works if there isn't anything obstructing the design.