When a Bookshelf Starts Telling Your Story

At first, a shelf is only a practical piece of furniture, an object used to display your books.

But then, it grows.

A novel that you have returned to time and time again, the souvenir from your favorite vacation, the framed photo that always brings a smile to your face, the plant that makes your room feel more like a home, and that one collectible that makes you feel like you. 

Before you know it, that lone shelf is filled with your favorite things, all the things that make you, you.

Right then, you realize that your bookcase is much more than a display.

Every Shelf Is One of a Kind

The next time you are lucky enough to see someone's shelf, take a close look. It will be different than any of the others.

Some shelves hold their books in a certain order, some display the books you have read and loved, souvenirs, and collectibles, while others display their well-curated (or non-curated) collection of beautifully displayed things. 

Just by looking at the shelves of any one of these people, you can tell that the people who own them are people that care about what is on their shelves. Because every shelf tells a story.

The Objects That Mean the Most

The most interesting shelves are those that have the things that mean the most.

A story that reminds you of your childhood, a souvenir from the best vacation you've ever been on, the collectibles related to your favorite stories, the life giving plant on your shelf, and maybe even your most loved photos hanging amidst your well-loved books. 

All of these little objects might seem unimportant on their own, but together, they tell a beautiful story of the adventures you've been on and the things you love.

They are the things that make you, you.

Where Book Nooks Find Their Place

On the shelves that house your favourite books, book nooks find their place.

They are the objects that add color and interest to book-filled spaces. They bring curiosity, they draw the eye, but they still manage to make way for the stories you love most.

During the day they nest amongst your stories waiting for their turn in the spotlight, and at night, they cast long shadows that make a bookcase into something different, something special.

While a book nook adds interest to your bookcase, it also acts as a reminder of the wonder that stories bring.

A bookcase is much more than just storage space for your books and the objects you love to display. It is a place where beloved stories are shared and re-told, where the world is explored at the speed of thought, one piece at a time.

Wherever your book nook leads you, be it the wonder of a lovely little side street in Tokyo, an interesting little shop in downtown wherever-you-are, a whimsical forest, or another world entirely, it certainly adds character to your shelf.

You never know how much a book nook just might say about you, but it certainly has the potential to say a lot about the stories that share its space.

A Shelf That Grows With You

One of the best parts about a shelf is that it is never quite finished with you.

No matter how many books you have, no matter how many souvenirs you save, and no matter how many book nooks you collect, you will always have room on your shelf for just one more thing, just one more place to put your stories.

The shelves that are the most interesting are the ones that tell the story of the person who owns them.

They might start with the first book you ever loved, but they'll grow as you travel farther, collecting souvenirs along the way

They grow with you, changing as you do, becoming beautifully unique to you.

More Than Decoration

The next time you meet someone who asks you about your favorite things, they will surely have a few questions about what you see on your shelves. 

Your conversation will start (or continue) with an exclamation about how much you love that certain book or that you have such lovely vacation souvenirs.

They'll ask if you know anything about this or that as their curiosity grows, and, before you know it, they'll be asking about the other favorite things in your life.

Just take a minute and think about how special that is, how special it is when someone looks upon your shelf and feels such joy that they have the opportunity to meet you in the middle of your curiosity and ask you about the things that makes it uniquely you.

That is one of the reasons that a nice collection on your bookshelf is so special. It reminds you of the wonder and beauty of the curiosity that makes you who you are.

What Does Your Bookshelf Say About You?

Your shelf probably says a lot more than you think about who you are, what you like, and what kind of person you want to grow up to be.

It says something like, "I love stories!" and "I'm passionate about traveling!" and "I love beautiful things!" and "I like this," or "I love that!" It says a lot about your interests, hobbies, and favorite memories.

There are so many different ways to put your favorite things on display on your shelf, but what matters most is that it represents you and you alone.

After all, your bookshelf is about much more than just your books. It's about making your own space, putting something beautifully unique together, one shelf at a time.

And if you need help making your shelves shine with personality, telling their unique story, and holding display space for all your favorite things in your life to come together in one beautiful place, you can find what you're looking for right here:

By Anavrin