9/2/10

The Domino Effect

A few years back, while reading Domino magazine,
I first came across the
whole color coded book case trend.

 At first, I didn't know what to make of it...
but the more I saw it, the more it appealed to my sense
of order in design.


Eventually, I decided that
 I wanted to emulate this look in my own home...
Last month, I finally tackled the 
big bookcase in our family room.

{here it is "before"}


and...
 {stylishly organized "after"}


I know some people think organizing books by
color is a bit contrived or ridiculous.
But, for a decor trend that literally costs nothing,
is reversible, and is based on organizing things...
this just makes me happy!

87 comments:

  1. Looks great! And I agree, if it's free and easily reversible why not give it a try! xx

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  2. I absolutely adore this idea! I did it with my bookcase in my office and it makes me happy too! It started because I color coordinate my clothes in my closet too! I love your before and after pics, it looks Fabulous now! Nice work and great post!

    -Amy Bird Tweets
    xoxo

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  3. I like what you did and this is inspiring b/c I have a bookshelf that needs some work. I don't even know where to begin!

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  4. I love it! Looks so great! Such a great idea, job well done!

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  5. I've done that too a while back and when I have friends over they so love the whole colour coded book idea:)....You did so well:) Really love how it looks:)
    Kisses my dear and have a sunny Thursday

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  6. What a great idea! Your book shelves look wonderful. :)

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  7. I think anything organized by color is pretty...I like the trend. (and for those of us who remember a book by its cover) it makes books easier to find. Great post.
    -- Gretchen O.

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  8. The shelves look great!

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  9. When my parents were getting rid of about 20 years of National Geographic magazines, I took them to use as a design element on our built ins in the family room. The yellow looks great!

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  10. Love how your bookcase redesign turned out! It is also fun to see more of your home!

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  11. Love the shelves! They look great!

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  12. I don't know anyone who thinks it is ridiculous! It just really brightens up my day too! I actually find myself just buying books for the colour of its spine - white or black spine, no thank you!! Ha ha.

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  13. Any design that is easy on the eyes and appears to give a room less clutter, I love! I organize books by color in certain spaces!

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  14. nice job, sue! want to come do mine? :)

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  15. I think it looks great. And as you said - a pretty simple fix when you are tired of the look. No need to second guess yourself - you are always stylish and chic!

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  16. I like it ! Rooms are for living in, and in my humble opinion, when it's organized you live better ! Ok, now I need to take my own advice ! ;)

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  17. I love it! I think it makes the bookcase go from just another bookcase to something very eye catching.

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  18. Quite a difference, Sue. It looks great!!

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  19. u did a great take on it! - good job!

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  20. Beautiful job! What a difference a little organizing makes...I off to declutter.

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  21. I love color-coding, it looks so much cleaner when you have big blocks of similar tones.

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  22. Ok, we really do like the same things! I have these same pictures saved and just reorganized my own bookshelves by color! I tried to do it in ROYGBIV order, but ended up mixing it up. I love the way it turned out. I like that you have your black and white ones at the top!

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  24. I think it looks good! and surprisingly, it's the one thing I haven't tried with my books. I've covered them and flipped them 'spine-in' so now I gotta try by color!

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  25. I love the look!

    And RIP, Domino. I miss that magazine dearly.

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  26. well nay-sayers can shut it! I love this look---I think you pulled it off very well! ESPECIALLY---the top shelf, how awesome do the white books and black books look!??!

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  27. Oh wow! It totally makes a difference! I just might have to try it myself!

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  28. I love that idea!
    It looks less scattered than most book shelves.


    xx
    Nikki

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  29. Wow it looks great.

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  30. It looks so much better. I've never seen that. It's such a great idea, but I wonder...how would I find the book I'm looking for (I have a ton) if not organized by subject? I will have to think about this...maybe book covers!

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  31. I agree! Easy and makes a nice change.

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  32. looks fantastic! xo e

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  33. I love it and like you said it cost nothing. Great job!

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  34. I don't think I could handle putting my books out of alphabetical order, but it looks so good that I'm going to try to do so anyway! I love how yours turned out.

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  35. Anonymous9/02/2010

    What a big difference! Looks beautiful! I will have to try this ... Hopefully, it will look as good as yours!
    Have a lovely Thursday

    xo

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  36. Anonymous9/02/2010

    Whoa, it looks great. A notable difference indeed. Hmmm....maybe I too shall try it.

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  37. I LOVE this! I find it so clean-looking and very visually appealing.
    xo Josie
    http://winksmilestyle.blogspot.com

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  38. Great job! I don't know if I would have the patience to colour code, but it looks fab.

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  39. I love it! You have a really lovely bookcase to start with too :)

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  40. Love this Zhush...definitely appeals to my OCD-ishness!

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  41. Bravo, very chic. I've done only my closet.

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  42. Your bookcases look fantastic! What a great tip that costs absolutely nothing!!!!
    xo Elizabeth

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  43. Cute! And who knew you
    had so many RED books???
    I guess we don't really
    know how many we have of
    one color until we try
    this....And you are right,
    the price is right : ) !
    xx Suzanne

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  44. What difference it made. (:

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  45. I think it looks fabulous! So much more organized and easier on the eyes. I might have to give this a shot too. Thanks for the idea :)

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  46. I'm a fan of this too. You did a great job!!

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  47. looks awesome! You gave me inspiration!

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  48. This makes me happy, too! I love your book case and color-coordinating the books is a great idea!

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  49. It looks great!! You're so right. It's easy to undo, and for now you enjoy it!

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  50. I love fun new ways to spruce up your home! I never thought about color coordinating our bookshelves but it looks great! I might just have try it this weekend. Thank you for the idea!

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  51. that's a pretty good idea... mine are organized by topic... business, design, food, sustainability and micsellaneous... but they are organized horizontally... have a nice one!

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  52. Wow Your bookcase is fab colour coded or not! But I do love the colour coded..it really does make an impact. NIce work!

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  53. I am totally loving this as well. Sadly, I don't think I have enough books to carry this out! I edited when I moved east to west! Love, love, love it though.

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  54. I definitely love this look!!! I've been wanting to try it.

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  55. Your bookshelves look great! I have yet to do it in my own home, but I have done it at client's houses and a model home I did recently. It is trendy, but who cares. Like you said it is free and reversible. Love it.

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  56. This looks AWESOME!! LOVE it.

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  57. Looks great.

    I was recently in a house that had no books :(

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  58. Love the first image, I could look at that for hours...such fun!

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  59. well, clearly we are all of the same oppinion! i admit to have done thins in my own home, and it - too - looks so great and orderly!
    great job on your book case,

    northern light

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  60. i love what you did and such a small thing made such a large impact. i actually do this with my clothes in my closet. it just makes me feel better, less cluttered.

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  61. Wow! Matching up the colors really does create a wonderful effect ~~

    xoxo Laura

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  62. Oh I love it! I've seen this done once before but thought they purchased the books to run the color spectrum. Never occurred to me that I could re-org my own shelves like this. Heading to the library now!!

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  63. It makes you happy, surely that's the important part. The fact that it looks great is an added bonus ;-) Love from London x

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  64. Oh well done, it's fine unorganized but even better organized, and less distracting for television watchers.

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  65. Oh Sue, I love it! I would love to color coordinate my whole house.

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  66. fantastic! it's always fun to see real-life projects.
    xx fallon

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  67. I had my books this way for a good while...yep, anal like that...so I get the need for order. And, then depending how many I've taken out to read or reference...they get uncoded and random again!

    I think the change looks great! It's as if the bookcase can now breathe easier.

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  68. Aarrgh!! This is my pet peeve. Books come first, design second for me--end of story. I organize books by category, for quick reference. They are all over my house, but by category so I know what room to go into to find a book! The only designy thing I do with them is put the tallest ones in the center, with smaller decending in either direction. Also, I'm a stickler for all the bindings to be at the exact end of the shelf. Needless to say I also own a kindle for print only books. I am constantly curating my collection. I am a secret librarian!
    Cheers,
    Liz

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  69. I love that idea! Brilliant! I've never thought to organize books by color. I'm such an organizational freak, so I am loving this little tip!

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  70. No, I love it! It's fabulous! XX!

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  71. I love what you do! The bookcase looks so stylish the organized way, but I have to group my books so I can find what I want. It would probably be better if I just got rid of a few!! As always, I'm grateful for your comments on my blog. I appreciate that you're a faithful follower!

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  72. I just did this at our new house on the wall of books! I knew I wanted to long before we moved in...it looks amazing..when I'm ready I'll share pics!

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  73. Anonymous9/02/2010

    I love it! It makes such a difference and looks beautiful!

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  74. Looks productive, looks orderly, looks lovely, looks like you did a really-great-job!!! Kudos to you and your total bookalicious score :) XO, Kelly

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  75. I say colour code away! It's how I do my wardrobe :)

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  76. I love the new ordered look! Good job you did my friend!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    xx
    Greet

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  77. i think it looks awesome zushie! man i need to tackle some of this kind of detail in my place.

    hope you have a great weekend darl xx

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  78. Love the 4th photo!
    http://styleandoutfit.blogspot.com/

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  79. Love the Zhush, firstly. this is one of those trends I wish hadn't come along. all round not a fan of color blocking in any case. When amassing a huge collection of books this doesn't work well, I should think-finding a particular thing would be impossible. It is hard enough for me as it is-Mine are by genre and then alphabetized. pgt

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  80. I have to confess.. I have some of that going at my house as well! Trendy or not. I love it!

    You did a great job Sue -- now show more of your fabulous house! Much more!

    Happy weekend! ox, Mon

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  81. amazing how such a small change can make a big difference!!

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  82. I like it. And I agree with all of your reasons why!

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  83. Like it! Nice work. And cost nothing.

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  84. your bookcase looks good. organizing by color makes it look so neat and tidy. thanks for sharing

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  85. ooohh I JUST did mine too...I was reluctant because it meant putting books by the same author (same series even, like part 1, part 2) in opposite corners...then i figured, I don't actually READ my books in an orderly fashion, so I kinda like the randomness that happened through strict colour coding...am I making any sense? Love your bookcase!

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  86. It looks so great!!! I think I need to do this with my white bookshelves...but I'm also so OCD about keeping genres together....we'll see!

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