Decorating with Vintage Books and Magazines

Vintage books and magazines are more than just reading material—they are a design element that can add character, warmth, and a touch of nostalgia to your home decor. Whether stacked on a coffee table, nestled on a bookshelf, or used as wall art, these items tell stories and infuse your space with a sense of history. Decorating with vintage publications is a simple yet impactful way to bring personality to any room.

Here’s how to use vintage books and magazines to elevate your home decor, from creating unique focal points to enhancing the overall vibe of your space.

1. Create a Bookshelf Feature Wall

A wall of books instantly adds personality and intellectual appeal to a room. Vintage books with weathered spines, colorful covers, and classic typography make for stunning visual interest.

• Group by Color or Theme: For a bold, cohesive look, arrange vintage books by color or subject matter. A shelf full of red and gold spines can be as visually striking as a carefully curated collection of art books or travel literature.

• Mix with Decorative Objects: Layer in vintage accessories—such as globes, brass candlesticks, or antique figurines—between your book stacks to add dimension and texture.

• Try Vertical Stacks: Instead of traditional horizontal shelving, consider stacking books vertically on bookshelves or side tables. This look evokes a more casual, eclectic vibe.

Pro Tip: Use bookends in unique materials, like vintage brass or ceramic animals, to keep stacks neat and add an extra touch of charm.

2. Stack on Coffee Tables and Side Tables

Vintage books are perfect for styling your coffee table or side tables. A stack of well-chosen books can serve as both a decorative and functional accent.

• Use Large-Format Books: Coffee tables benefit from larger vintage coffee table books—think about books featuring classic photography, architecture, or fashion. Their size makes them a striking focal point in the center of a table.

• Create Heights and Layers: Combine books with other decorative elements, such as candles, trays, or small sculptures, to create layers and visual height. The goal is to achieve an artfully curated look that feels lived-in but chic.

• Personalize with Magazines: Vintage magazines, particularly those with retro covers or iconic photography, can add a pop of color and vintage flair. Stack a few on the table with a cup of coffee for a touch of mid-century or 1960s nostalgia.

Pro Tip: For a more streamlined look, use vintage books with neutral or monochrome covers. Avoid too many colorful spines to maintain a refined and cohesive arrangement.

3. Use Books as Art

Vintage books are a unique way to incorporate typography and illustration into your decor. Their beautiful covers, ornate bindings, and timeless designs can make for incredible wall art or decorative focal points.

• Framed Book Covers: Select vintage books with striking or elegant cover art and frame them as standalone pieces or as part of a gallery wall. Antique book covers often have intricate typography, patterns, and illustrations that make them stunning as art.

• Create a Book Page Collage: If you’re feeling more creative, cut out pages from old books or magazines (preferably ones that are already in rough condition) to make a collage. Use them in frames or on the walls to create an artistic, literary look.

Pro Tip: For a more cohesive aesthetic, try framing pages from vintage literature or botanical books. Their natural themes will blend well with other earthy tones and vintage pieces in your home.

4. Vintage Books as Decorative Risers

Books can be used as a functional yet stylish way to elevate other objects in your decor. Stack them to create height or elevate your decor pieces like vases, candles, or sculptures.

• Elevate Decorative Objects: Place a vintage book underneath a vase of flowers or an antique clock to give them added prominence. This draws attention to the object and allows it to become a key focal point.

• Add Layered Depth to Your Tables: Stack vintage books on an entryway table or sideboard and place smaller decorative items on top, such as a vintage lamp, a plant, or a ceramic bowl.

Pro Tip: For a more dramatic effect, use large hardcover books to create a raised platform for objects that need a little more attention.

5. Decorate with Vintage Magazines and Advertisements

Vintage magazines are a fantastic, and often overlooked, resource for adding a sense of nostalgia and personal style to your home.

• Display Vintage Magazines: Find old issues of popular magazines like Life, Vogue, or The New Yorker and use them as coffee table accessories or display them on open shelves. Their covers, with bold typography and imagery from past decades, bring a sense of time and place to your decor.

• Create a Retro Gallery Wall: Vintage magazines also offer fantastic opportunities to showcase the retro advertisements, fashion, or interior design spreads they feature. Cut out or frame the pages with bold, graphic advertisements from the mid-century, 1920s, or any era that resonates with your style.

• Use Magazine Pages as Wrapping Paper: For a unique, personalized touch, use pages from vintage magazines as wrapping paper for gifts. This brings a nostalgic and sophisticated feel to the gift-giving experience.

Pro Tip: Look for magazines with iconic covers or significant editorial content. For example, vintage issues from the 1960s featuring space race imagery or 1950s advertisements are perfect for making a bold, retro statement.

6. Add Books to a Gallery Wall

Vintage books can also be used as part of a gallery wall, blending with framed artwork, photographs, and other objects.

• Lean Books Against the Wall: Instead of placing books flat, try leaning a selection of vintage books against the wall, supported by decorative bookends or within shadow boxes. This casual approach creates depth and layers.

• Create Symmetry: Combine art prints and book stacks for symmetry, creating a visually interesting but balanced composition. Mix the sizes and shapes of the frames to create a dynamic arrangement, and let the books peek out from behind or below the frames.

Pro Tip: Keep the theme of the gallery wall consistent—whether it’s vintage travel, fashion, or botanical illustrations—to ensure the pieces harmonize visually.

7. Repurpose Vintage Books into Functional Decor

Don’t overlook the possibility of repurposing vintage books into something both functional and decorative. With some creativity, you can turn an old book into a piece that serves a purpose while looking stylish.

• Book Safes: Hollow out an old book to create a secret storage box for small valuables like jewelry or keepsakes.

• Book Lamps: Use a stack of vintage books to create a unique table lamp base. Attach a light fixture, and you have a conversation-worthy lamp with plenty of vintage charm.

• Book Planters: Hollow out a hardcover vintage book and place a small potted plant inside for a quirky, charming planter.

Pro Tip: Make sure the book is already in rough condition before attempting any DIY projects, as vintage books with perfect spines and covers are best left as decor pieces.

Conclusion

Decorating with vintage books and magazines is a simple, effective way to bring character, warmth, and history into your home. Whether you’re using them to create focal points, decorate bookshelves, or repurpose them into functional decor, vintage publications offer endless possibilities. Their timeless appeal, eclectic mix of imagery, and unique patinas help create a home that feels personal, lived-in, and full of charm.

The key is to curate with intention. Choose books and magazines that resonate with your style—whether it’s the golden age of literature, retro fashion, or vintage advertisements—and let them tell a story in your space.