Books

22 Times Rainbow Shelves Were #BookshelfGoals

by Emma Oulton

There's a huge trend going around in the bookosphere — and it is serious #bookshelfgoals. You know what I'm talking about: pretty rainbow bookshelves are the best way to organize your precious collection. Take it from the bookstagrammers: you won't get anything prettier than that.

We all have different ways to organize our books. Some of us do it by height, or by genre, or in alphabetical order. Sure, that might be the most practical way to store books — but it's certainly not the most beautiful. Rainbow bookshelves can breathe a whole new lease of life into even the most battered old collection, and I'm here to show you how it's done.

You're going to have to start from scratch here. You'll have to take every last book off your shelf, and pile them all up on the floor before organizing them into colors. If your collection is spilling off the shelves as much as mine is, then this might take a while — but trust me, it's totally worth it. And if you don't believe me, I'm going to let Instagram speak on my behalf. Here are 22 of the most awe-inspiring rainbow bookshelf photos on the Internet. If you learn from these pros, you'll be taking the best shelfies in no time.

1

The Classic

You really can't go wrong with gorgeous rainbow shelves like these.

2

Add Some Fairy Lights

Some well placed lights will make your rainbow shelves pop even more.

3

Go For The Messy Look

Pile in as many books as you can, and add in some color-coordinated props. Mess has never looked this good.

4

Show Off The Darker Colors

Rainbow shelves don't have to be bright; this rainbow of muted colors is just as breathtaking.

5

Pile Them Up

Instead of stacking your books traditionally, making a series of rainbow piles creates a wonderfully unique look.

6

Keep It Confined...

Rainbow shelves look stunning bringing light to one little corner of a room.

7

...Or Spread Out

Or, of course, you could just go for a rainbow that takes up the entire room.

8

Build One Statement Shelf

Just one rainbow shelf can bring new life to the whole bookshelf.

9

Collect A Series

A rainbow effect is particularly stunning when the books form one gorgeous collection.

10

Pick Your Favorite Color — Whether It's Yellow...

14

...Or Green!

Can we talk about those bright green pages for one second?! Incredible.

15

Maybe You Can't Pick Just One

Using two bright colors looks super-sweet for a mini bookshelf display.

16

Floating Shelves Can Keep Things Simple...

Black and white stripes on the wall are particularly striking.

17

...And It's Easy To Change Things Around

Like this adorable Valentine's Day themed display.

18

You Can Even Get Festive!

How Christmassy are these red and green shelves?!

19

Go Vertical

This amazing bookshelf totally reinvents the rainbow concept with unusual vertical stripes.

20

Stay Minimalist...

Keeping all the whites in one place makes your bookshelf look effortlessly glam.

21

...Or Use Every Color In The Rainbow

These bookshelves cover the entire rainbow spectrum and I am here for it.

22

And Of Course, If In Doubt — Add A Cat

You're welcome.