Designer Idea for Quiet Bookshelves

Lately I have been dealing with my bookcases that flank the fireplace.

Not happy with them I did some editing and incorporated a 

designer touch that I noticed on Genevieve Gorder's HGTV show.

Genevieve did a bookcase wall in a city apartment for a young lady.

She didn't point it out, but I noticed she had loaded the bookshelves with 

all of the books backwards, pages facing out.

Not so practical if you are trying to find a particular book,

but very effective in creating a quiet display.

We don't tend to reach into our bookcase as we have read them all.

So the books tend to become accessories afterwards.

So I turned them all backwards and layed alot of them on their sides.

Genevieve's bookcases were crammed from top to bottom with 

backwards books and some artful objects.

Have you seen some designers recover all the books with white paper?
That is a solution that I find very contrived.

If you have a library, it is understandable to have it look like this.
However I am talking about decorative book shelves 
flanking a focal point of a room, usually a fireplace.

This image from Architectural Digest is what I am talking about.
It is how my living room is set up essentially,
and for me, the bookcases are visually busy and demanding.
I tried to find the nicest looking bookcase scenario, 
and this is about as good as it gets.
 Most bookcases are horrific to look at.

 Messy and visually demanding.

A typical bookcase that overpowers the room.

Before 
 Before editing and turning books backwards.

After
After editing and showing the pages of the books instead of the spines.

I had too many cards on my mantel,

 and I had too many accessories on the shelves.

Be a good editor and you will be pleased with the result.

A little surprise happened to me as I was turning all the books backwards.

A photograph fell out of a book and it is a treasure.

My cute hubby is on the left with his mom and his brother.

He said his brother called him "pot-shot" because he was a little chubby.

Look at how glamorous my MIL looks~

She was a Swedish beauty and still is today!

Here they are in recent years. 
Mr. Maison Decor is on the right.

 Anyway, I love this inside out idea with books.

I think its genius of Genevieve even if she didn't point it out on the show.

 A little editing goes along way into making your spaces feel right.

 Most of the time, less is more!

linking to 

Metamorphosis Monday

and
Transformation Thursday