These Living Room Bookshelf Ideas Will Inspire You To Grow Your Library

Rule-breakers, rejoice: this expertly-styled shelf shows there's no reason to stay inside the lines. Popping an oversized piece of art out in front of the shelves creates a playful, eye-catching effect we love.

Blame it on one-too-many viewings of "Beauty & The Beast" when we were kids, but there's something downright dreamy about a rolling library-style ladder. Pick up a reclaimed piece to add vintage flair to your shelves.

If your built-in bookshelves include lower cabinets, show 'em off. Tactile leather pulls replace standard-issue knobs, bringing a more custom look to the entire unit.

Just when we thought we'd seen every shiplap application under the sun, this clever twist comes to steal our hearts. Add a ton of texture in a small space by confining the shiplap to shelf lining—unlike covering full walls with the material, limiting the application to your bookcase helps you avoid overpowering a petite room.

Floating shelves aren't just for the kitchen. Opt for an ultra-airy feel by employing them in a living room—they balance out heavier architectural elements beautifully.

Who knew built-ins could stand out so much? A bit of on-trend navy paint transforms these shelves into something truly special.

Not ready to commit to a full-on dark blue bookcase? Opt to paint just the back wall of each shelf to add a bold pop of color that will flatter all your favorite knickknacks.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to wall-mounted TVs: one suggests making the TV as unobtrusive as possible through various forms of camouflage...but we're partial to the opposite approach. Frame your TV with shelves and let it be the family focalpoint it is. (Bonus points if you manage to add woven-cane cabinets at the bottom like the ones in this home.)

Art inspires life inspires art. If you're lucky enough to have a truly showstopping masterpiece at home, play it up—framing it out with wall-mounted bookshelves in a similar hue can amp up the impact of an already awe-inspiring piece.

Working within a smaller space? Maximize your impact with a unique tile treatment that does double-duty emphasizing your shelves and providing a sleek surface for mixing cocktails when reading hour is over.

Drop it low. We love the optical illusion of "extending" a few low shelves by colorblocking the wall above with the same paint color. Not only does it add a whimsical touch to standard floating shelves, but it lets you play with proportion too...and add lighting right above your favorite titles.

Everyone knows that the key to a great bookshelf arrangement is "editing", right? Maybe not. We love how Lou Watkins is rewriting the rules, using an impressive wall of nonstop books as a cool backdrop for her ever-rotating art installations.

One more way to get your wallpaper fix: by dressing up boxy white built-ins a la designer Olga Naiman.

Give your favorite book (and a few hundred of its best friends) the star treatment it deserves with gallery-style light fixtures mounted right on the shelves. Nothing but the best for a literary masterpiece, right?

This might be the coolest way to draw your eye upward that we've ever seen. A long and skinny expanse of books positioned at the top third of the room's walls brings a personality-filled accent to this cozy den.

More of a magazine reader? We hear you. This minimal ledge system makes for the perfect place to display all your favorite glossies (and swap them out whenever the latest issues arrive.)

We've never seen dark woodgrain paneling look so chic. Take a tip from Alfie + Oz and let it shine through in a whole new light against bright white shelves.

Take a cue from the grade-school cubbies of yesteryear and opt for a more boxy bookshelf that infuses a little of that childhood whimsy into your space.

Adding angular inserts to a standard built-in bookshelf brings an edgy architectural element we love...and creates opportunities for more playful styling arrangements, too.