Novel Idea

Emphasize the lovely muted hues of vintage books by lining them up by color and size on rustic furnishings. Emily sorted her grandmother’s old books on a petite bookshelf paired with a small side table in her living room. Fill out the shelves with stoneware jugs in coordinating glazes to add variety. Heighten the arrangement with bushel basket lids and architectural salvage positioned asymmetrically on the top shelf. On a nearby table, reverse the placement of books to show the patina of the page edges, and use the volumes as a riser for a plant positioned among glass bottles.

Weave coordinating blue-hued treasures through a display of neutrals to energize the scene. If you don’t have enough pieces on hand, hone your shopping skills by heading out with specific objects in mind. “I had such fun searching for (and accumulating) the most beautiful blue planters,” Emily shares. “I loved the blue hobnail McCoys best of all.” She arranged ivory and muted brown accents throughout her cabinet and then placed one blue item on each shelf to move the eye around the space. Floral motifs embossed on the planters, pressed on a canvas and painted on the pottery pieces sweeten the look.