I love adding books to my decor, but affordable books that fit my style are not always available. I’ve found an easy way to upcycle thrifted books that look beautiful and can be tailored to fit into any decor style.
Coffee table books make great risers and bases for decor pieces. Smaller hard-back books also can add to your decor. They are prominent in every room in my house. I use them on the mantle to give height to candles and other pieces. Books also appear on my end tables, dining room buffet and other occasional tables.
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Thrift stores usually have large book sections, but finding just the right books is not always easy. Green and brown are my favorite color finds, and if the books look a bit vintage, that’s a plus. Some of the books are novels that I would like to have in my collection, but the colors of the books are not a good fit. I realized that if I changed the color, I could pick up some great books for a song and have the added benefit of using them in my decor.
The power of paint
I started experimenting with paint to change the color of the books. I tried some household paints that I had on hand, but they soaked the books and caused some warping. Chalk paint was the answer. It dries quickly and doesn’t seem to soak the books.
Make them decorative
Changing the color was a good start, but I wanted them to be a bit more decorative. There are several ways to cover a book. If you’re a millennial or older, you probably had to cover some school books. That option would be okay, but it would cover up the paint, and I wanted a more original look to the books.
I’ve bought William Morris calendars for many years and have saved the beautiful calendar pages. The pages were not large enough to completely cover the books in the old fashioned way. So, I pulled out the Mod Podge and covered the books, leaving painted sections showing. Many books are created with the design only covering a portion of a book, so it’s an authentic look.
Creative coverings
Calendar pages work great, but I thought there would be some other good options. When my kids were younger, I was very into scrapbooking and used beautiful scrapbook papers to embellish my photo pages. I thought the pages would work for books, so I jumped online and ordered some old-world map scrapbook pages. They have a vintage look and work great with the Mod Podge method.
But, I didn’t stop there. Downloadable art on Etsy is usually very inexpensive. I download seasonal prints to change up my art with the seasons. I usually print them on photo paper for framing. A search through the file of art that I had already downloaded yielded a couple of results that were good contenders for book covers. I printed them out on plain old copy paper, and they turned out to be another inexpensive option for book coverings.
The process
Find some bargain books. Goodwill often has books at very low prices. Thrift stores and used book stores are other good options. I rummaged through the shelves in my basement and found some books that I didn’t mind ruining if this project didn’t work.
Choose your paper covering. I started this process in the fall (you can see some past fall decor here), so I was drawn to coverings that suited my current decor. Since they are colors that work in my home, I will be able to use the books in other seasons.
Dry fit the paper on the book that you’ve chosen to cover. Wrap the paper around the book and see where it stops. I like to cover the spine and stop about a fourth of the way around the back of the book.
Paint the book before you apply the cover. I paint the portion that will be exposed after the cover is applied. Be sure to paint the edges and inside cover edges as well.
Cover your book with Mod Podge.
Apply the paper. Firmly press the paper into the Mod Podge working out any air bubbles. A plastic putty knife or even a credit card works well to press the paper to the book.
Wrap the cover around the book and adhere it to the spine and the back. To turn the edges into the book, make a cut in the paper where the spine meets the book. Turn the edge down and adhere with Mod Podge. Trim the portion that will cover the spine to about an eighth of an inch. Apply Mod Podge and tuck it into the spine.
Touch up any places that you may have missed with the paint.
Variations
If the paper is too small to cover the book
The scrapbook paper that I ordered was smaller than I realized. If your paper is not large enough to cover the spine, it works to fit it neatly on the cover only. Paint the rest of the book to match the paper.
If there is a title indentation on the spine that shows
If the paper is too small to cover the spine, and the spine has an indented title, you can fix that, too. Just cut a piece of copy paper to fit over the spine (from the crease on the front of the book to the one on the back). Paint the paper in the color of the book. Mod podge the paper over the spine of the book. Fit the edge of your scrapbook page against the edge of the spine cover.
Add decorative stickers to the spine
I found a botanical sticker book at the used book store that was not missing a single sticker. It contained ornate letters and other decorative embellishments. Some of the letters matched my Morris calendar pages. Applying the letters (I used an E) to the spine adds some interest when books are stacked so that the spines show.
Make it vintage
If the scrapbook paper you are using doesn’t cover the front of the book at the top and bottom, cover the edges with the paint that is on the book. I used a sponge to do this and gave the edges an uneven, weathered look. Covering the entire book with antiquing wax adds to the vintage look.
The possibilities are endless
There are endless options for book coverings out there. I’ve linked the products that I used, below. This is a project where you can really use your creativity! I hope you’ll try this and create your own collection of books to style in your decor!
