An interior designer’s mission is to curate spaces that reflect the unique stories and personalities of their clients. An emerging trend, dubbed “bookshelf wealth”, provides a remarkable opportunity to help further achieve this goal. The aesthetic is quickly gaining traction, marked by its departure from the perfectly manicured, clean-cut homes of recent years. With over 1.7 million views on TikTok, bookshelf wealth is not just a trend but a movement towards more personalized, meaningful home decor.
What Is Bookshelf Wealth?
Bookshelf wealth transcends traditional interior design norms by embracing a curated selection of items that hold personal significance. This includes books, artwork, and collected objects, all displayed in a style that feels lived-in and authentic. The essence of bookshelf wealth lies in its rejection of prescriptive trends, opting instead for a space that reflects individuality and personal history. Also, historic elements and personal mementos play a significant role in these designs, adding layers of depth and storytelling to the home. For example, designers like Kailee Blalock (House of Hive) and Avery Cox (Avery Cox Design) emphasize the importance of displaying books and art in unconventional ways, creating a space that feels both casual and refined.
Authenticity as the Core Principle
The heart of the bookshelf wealth aesthetic lies in its authenticity. This style champions the idea of mixing and matching items that have been collected over time, suggesting a narrative of growth, exploration, and personal discovery. By embracing this eclectic approach, spaces that are not just visually appealing but also rich in stories and memories are created. This method encourages designers to step away from rigid design conventions, allowing for a more dynamic and personal approach to interior styling.
Implementing Bookshelf Wealth in Design
In practice, achieving the bookshelf wealth look requires thoughtful consideration of each item’s placement, ensuring that the overall arrangement speaks to the client’s life and experiences. This might involve layering books with personal mementos, integrating artwork in unconventional ways, or incorporating natural elements that add texture and depth to the display. The aim is to craft a space that feels intuitively arranged, with each element contributing to a cohesive yet distinctly individual narrative.
The Role of the Interior Designer
The interior designer’s role in this process is to guide the clients in selecting and arranging items in a way that best reflects their personality and journey. This involves a deep engagement with their tastes, histories, and aspirations, allowing for collections that are not only aesthetically pleasing but emotionally resonant. By adopting the bookshelf wealth aesthetic, designers have the opportunity to redefine the concept of luxury in interior design, moving towards a more personalized, story-driven approach.
Bookshelf wealth is not just a trend but a philosophy that reimagines the relationship between space and occupant. It encourages interior designers to design spaces that truly mirror the personalities and lives of the people who live in them, characterized by genuine authenticity and the warmth of a well-lived-in home. By adopting this aesthetic, designers craft spaces that are not just beautiful, but also rich with meaning and character, creating sanctuaries that genuinely feel like home.
Resources: Elle Décor, Home & Garden, Apartment Therapy
