Kitchen Shelf Decor With Books: Open Shelving Ideas

Kitchen shelf decor with books works when the books are on the right shelves. Open shelving away from the stove, kettle, dishwasher vent and sink is a good home for a short run of cookbooks or a small stack of decorative hardcovers. Books add warmth and color that dishes and jars alone can't. Keep to a short run or a three-to-five-book stack per shelf, mix them with everyday objects, and choose spine colors that match the cabinets and tile.

Below: where books work in a kitchen, protecting them from steam and grease, color ideas, five shelf formulas, cookbooks vs. decorative books and common mistakes.

Where books work in a kitchen

If a shelf gets warm or damp when you cook, keep books off it.

Protecting books in a kitchen

Steam and grease are the main risks. A few habits help:

• Run the range hood when you cook, especially when boiling or frying.
• Keep books at least an arm's length from the stove and sink.
• Watch humidity. EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent, to control mold. Kitchens that run damp are hard on paper.
• Dust gently with a soft brush or a dry cloth. Avoid sprays near the shelf.
• Keep spines out of strong sun. The Library of Congress notes light damage is cumulative, and spines on a sunny window shelf fade faster.

For more on cleaning, see how to clean old books. Many of the same moisture tips apply in bathrooms, which have even more humidity than kitchens.

Colors for kitchen books

Match the books to the cabinets, counters and tile:

Bright cookbook jackets can look busy. Remove the jackets and store them, or turn the loudest spines around. See books by color for decorating for more ideas.

Five kitchen shelf formulas

1. Stack and crock: three hardcovers laid flat with a small plant on top, beside a crock of wooden spoons.
2. Cookbook run: five to eight cookbooks upright between a heavy bookend and a stack of bowls.
3. Jar line-up: glass jars of pasta and beans along most of the shelf, a short stack of books at one end.
4. Plate and books: a plate leaning at the back, a small stack of books in front of one side, a cup on top.
5. Coffee station: a short stack under the canister, two mugs hanging or stacked beside it.

Alternate left and right from shelf to shelf, and keep each shelf to three groups or fewer. To see how many books a shelf holds, try the bookshelf calculator.

A sample set of three open shelves

1. Top shelf: a large serving platter leaning at the back, a stack of three cream hardcovers on the left with a small pitcher on top, a short row of glasses on the right.
2. Middle shelf: eight cookbooks upright between a heavy ceramic crock and the wall, jackets removed, with a small herb pot at the other end.
3. Bottom shelf: everyday bowls and plates stacked in two groups, with one small stack of books between them to break up the dishes.

Step back after each shelf. If you see more than three groups on one shelf, take something away. The books should look like they belong with the dishes, not like a separate bookcase dropped into the kitchen.

Small kitchens

In a small kitchen, books usually work best in one spot rather than spread around. Pick the shelf farthest from the stove, give it a short stack and one object, and leave the rest of the shelves for dishes. A single well-placed stack does more than books scattered on every surface.

Cookbooks vs. decorative books

• Cookbooks you use belong where you can reach them, usually the lowest open shelf or an island end. Pull off the jackets if the spines underneath are calmer.
• Decorative hardcovers do the color work on higher shelves you rarely reach.
• Mix the two. Group the cookbooks by color so they blend with the decorative books.

A five-book stack is often all a kitchen needs for decoration.

Kitchen bookcases and nooks

A small bookcase at the end of an island or in a breakfast nook can hold more books.

• Style it lightly: about 1 foot of books per shelf, with baskets for napkins or linens on the bottom.
• Use cookbooks and decorative books together.
• Add a lamp if the nook is used in the evening.

For a short bookcase plan, see how to decorate a 3 shelf bookcase.

Styling tips for open kitchen shelves

• Leave space. Open shelves look best about two-thirds full.
• Repeat materials. Wood, ceramic, glass and cloth spines look good together.
• Use everyday items. Plates, bowls and jars you actually use keep the shelves honest.
• Bring forward, don't push back. Keep books and dishes near the front edge so they're visible.
• Add one living thing: a small herb pot or a cutting in a jar.

For more object ideas, see what to put on bookshelves besides books.

Common mistakes

• Books over the stove. Heat and grease damage them quickly.
• Too many books. In a kitchen, a stack or a short run per shelf is enough.
• Loud jackets. They make shelves look busy.
• No room for daily use. Keep the dishes you use most within reach.
• Ignoring dust. Kitchen dust can be greasy; dust books regularly.

How many books for kitchen shelves

Our lots are real hardcover books sorted by spine color, about 10-12 books per foot: $39.99 for a five-book stack, $69.99 for 1 foot or $129.99 for 2 feet, with free shipping to the continental U.S. and D.C.

Books for your kitchen shelves

Start small with a five-book stack from our decorative books shop, or browse palettes on the books by the foot page for a kitchen bookcase or nook. Not sure which color? Take the palette quiz.

Frequently asked questions