Compendium of Heavy Metal

How To Tell A Story By Merchandising Your Bookshelves   by Carmen Overly

Most people use bookshelves not only to hold books but also to display memorabilia, family photos and other decorative items such as handmade metal wall art. One way of combining books and mementos is to display them together in a complementary fashion that is not only decorative, but also tells a story.

Tell the Story of Your Family History on Your Shelves
Family photos, including vintage photos of ancestors, as well as other treasured family mementos can be combined with books to tell the story of your family’s history. Go for books that feature your family’s mother country, or books about the type of lifestyle your ancestors had. Books about your family history or family tree are also great to bring in to this kind of collection.

Reminisce About a Favorite Vacation
Vacation photos and metal artwork souvenirs are also a great subject for a story bookshelf. For example if you recently went on a beach vacation, displaying sea shells that were gathered, and family photos that were taken, along with books about the beach or sea contemporary metal wall hangings can make a very decorative and meaningful display. Or, try creating a scrapbook page from vacation mementos, framing it in a 12 by 12 inch frame to add to the shelf. Not only will you enjoy reliving the memories of your vacation, but it will also add a beautiful touch to the room.

Bookshelves with a Sports and Games Theme
Another fabulous topic for a bookshelf is sports. If you have a favorite sport or sports team, experiment with combining pictures, autographed memorabilia, and other sports-related items with a book or two featuring the team or sport. For those who play sports, adding individualized sporting awards or other types of mementos can lend a personalized focus to the display. Favorite games can also be used to great advantage to create an interesting bookcase display, perhaps by featuring a beautiful vintage game board or game pieces, a photo of your family’s game night, and a book or two on the history of the game, or a rule book.

Telling a Story Only with Books
Although adding other items to your bookshelves besides just books can add a lot of visual interest to a display, it is also possible to tell a story strictly through the titles of the books on the shelves. Feature a favorite hobby by displaying multiple books on the subject, or your spotlight your favorite author by using an entire shelf just for his or her works. This kind of display gives you the opportunity to display what you love while creating a shelf that others can enjoy.

Creative Methods for Displaying Books
Instead of lining books up in a row on the shelf, find other means and visually interesting ways to display them. Stacking half of the shelf vertically, then placing a heavy object or bookend on the shelf, followed by a stack or two of horizontally stacked books can look very interesting. Stacking one or two books as a platform to display another object, such as a couple books about the beach topped with a beautiful sea shell, is another way to combine objects to not only tell a story, but add beauty and interest to the room.

About the Author

Carmen Overly is a popular contributor for AmericanArtisanArt.com.Visit the site for deals on handmade metal wall art and contemporary abstract wall art.
HEAVY METAL TEST – Happy Wheels – (Episode 27)