5 Stylish Ways to Decorate Your Dark Wood Bookcase
(Without Making It Look Like a Random Pile of Stuff Exploded)
If you’ve got a dark wood bookcase, you already know it’s the superstar of storage—sturdy, stylish, and ready to hold everything from your favourite novels to that weird souvenir you bought in 2010 (we don’t judge).
But how do you make sure it actually looks good and not like a chaotic shelf-of-doom?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are five easy ways to style your dark wood bookcase so it’s more “Insta Shelfie” and less “Uh Oh Help Me.”
1. Show Off Your Books (No, Don’t Just Shove Them In)
Books are the obvious place to start—it is a bookcase after all! But there’s a bit of an art to it. Try arranging your books by colour, size, or genre. Work across both diagonals, placing around 5 books (vertically or horizontally) for balance.
Plus, the rich tones of your dark wood bookcase make those colourful spines pop—think of it as functional art, but way cheaper than a gallery.
2. Plants: Because... Well, Plants.
This goes without saying, but a little greenery goes a long way. Toss in some small potted plants or trailing vines to soften everything up. Tuck them next to your books, and aim for visual balance across the shelves.
Bonus: Plants make your dark wood bookcase look like it belongs in a cozy, lived-in space, not a sterile showroom. Extra points if they survive. (If not, fake plants work too. My fingers are sadly not green. No judgment here.) 
3. Big Statement Pieces: Go Bold or Go Home
Next up: the heavy hitters. Think large ornaments, vases, bowls, framed artwork, or photos. These pieces add texture and personality, giving your dark wood bookcase that “wow” factor.
Pro tip: Limit it to two larger pieces per shelf, max. Distribute colours across shelves diagonally—for example, if you’ve got three black items, space them out on the top, middle, and bottom shelves. It creates flow without overloading any one spot.
4. The Power of Threes: Small Items Make a Big Impact
Now for the fun stuff — small decorative pieces. These are the little gems that pull the whole look together. Place them beside your book groupings, keeping them in small clusters with breathing space between.
Stick to three main colours across your décor items for a cohesive look, while still letting your books show off their own personality. Designers swear by the rule of threes — and it works every time. 
5. Keep It You
At the end of the day, your dark wood bookcase should reflect you. Add in a photo of your dog, a candle you’ll never light, or that odd trinket you bought on holiday and refuse to part with.
Keeping things tidy, stylish, and personal is what makes your dark wood bookcase really shine.
Happy styling — and don’t forget to take lots of shelfies!
If you would like to purchase our Dark wood bookcase, take a look here!
