Stack Your Bookshelves

Make sure your bookshelves are as interesting as the titles you've so carefully collected. Designer Charlie Birdsong develops a road map for loading them up with style

Michael Arnaud, story produced by Rebecca Sowell Hawkins

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Lighting Basics

Lighting is important. I like downlighting the backs of shelves to remove shadows and uplighting the fronts to illuminate the spines of the books and objects placed alongside them.

Sometimes there is a spot on a shelf for a small lamp. Sconces on the outside of open bookshelves are lovely with opaque, half-round shades. That way, light is directed just at the shelves and does not interfere with lighting in the rest of the room.