decorating with books

Three years ago, when we moved from Nevada to California, I purged seven boxes of books. They're a huge source of weight and space in a move, so we had to part with loads of them, even though both Nick and I love books. I'd gotten our collection down to a manageable size, but then we had two kids and suddenly we're surrounded by more books.

Fortunately, children's books are colorful and fun and we use them everyday. They also make really great decor. I love the idea of functional decor. It definitely jives with my more-with-less approach to design. My go-to book display pieces are all from Ikea: spice racks in the nursery and at Ben's bedside (painted white and light grey) and photo ledges in Ben's room.

 And yes, that's my sweet husband in the form of a doll. 

Also from Ikea: these "B" bookends. I think the "B" is supposed to stand for "books" since this is the only letter they sell, but I'm going with B is for Benjamin.

I've gotten a lot of these ideas from Pinterest (obviously). Follow me there to see what's inspiring me these days. As we prepare for our next move this fall, I'll be tearing through the house, purging unnecessary and unloved items. I'm guessing the books in the boys' rooms won't make this list this time.  

Any favorite tips or tricks for decorating with books or other functional items?