For many, they’re a symbol of learning. For others, they’re just a dumping ground for bric-à-brac. If your home or business prides itself on making a good impression, it’s essential to ensure your bookcase is giving off the right signals.

From coffee shops to hotel lobbies, having the right books on display can make all the difference. If you want to achieve that subdued scholarly look, or feel a more cheery colour palette is required, Curated Books has a truly compendious range of options for you. To provide a bit of insight into the decision making process, or to help you discover where changes are needed, here’s a handy guide to finding out what to stick between your shelves…

Stripped Books

Nothing says professor-chic quite like well-worn, spine-shedding book covers. Seeing a row of these ravaged volumes on display, one of two scenarios are possible. 1) You’ve been through these books thousands of times. 2) You own a cat with a grievance.

If chaotic intellectualism is your look, then these book designs will provide the ideal complement for your interior. Perfect for homes and businesses alike, these books look great stacked up or in haphazardly organised rows. Upon viewing these well-worn volumes, guests and customers alike will be in wonder at the arcane wisdom you or your company appear to possess. So whether you’re a wannabe wizard or want to impart some gravitas to your decor, stripped books are absolutely worth considering.

Vintage faux leather

For a stately, sophisticated appearance, look no further than our vintage faux leather books. With their understated colour scheme, these editions provide a warm, reliable consistency to your bookcase. Think long evenings spent with good company in front of a roaring fireplace. Opening Christmas presents. Gumming a handful of Werther’s originals.

To create that ultimate candle-lit winter hideaway, these books are a great and affordable way to get what you’re looking for. Available in green and red, or as a more modern multicoloured set, these volumes will instantly transform your space. Expect all the classics: Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen. Just don’t bank on receiving the latest Katie Price autobiography…

Childrens’ vintage books

Our childhood memories are often the fondest. Rediscovering long lost playthings; chatting with old friends; watching vintage films – all have the capacity to generate tidal waves of nostalgia. But what of those retro books we read as a child? Before our reading habits shifted to stock markets and investment portfolios, entire worlds opened up to our imagination.

Including such authors as Enid Blyton and Charles Kingsley, these books have the potential to delight and titillate baby boomers. And with a recent trend towards retro entertainment, these books are a great way to introduce some real conversation starters to your interior. Vivid covers, exquisite illustrations, colourful spines. These editions are a must-have for any dedicated nostalgist.