Upcycling: For the love of books

There’s nothing better than the smell of an old book as you crack it open for the hundredth time. If you have a stack of books you plan to give away, or simply want to create a funky new art piece for your house, then you can utilise them in countless ways. Here are eight of the best:

1. A bedside table
Create this by stacking books on top of each other with glue. It’s simple and, by spray painting them white, you create a sleek, modern look to your home. On a smaller scale, you can use this as a lampstand. 

2. Picture frames
Take a patterned book cover, cut out the middle and insert your own photo. Attach a hook at the back and, voila, your own rustic photo frame! Make the photo vintage to keep the book’s charm.

3. Bouquet
Would you like a bouquet of flowers that never dies? Or perhaps a one-of-a-kind wedding bouquet for your special day? For the more artfully inclined, you can take the pages of old books and create your own flowers. With patience and attention to detail, this can become a stunning keepsake. 

4. Jewellery box
By hollowing out a heavy novel, you can create a sturdy and rustic-looking home for your bangles and bracelets. 

5. Art gallery
Take a page from a book, and draw or paint a picture on the text. This eclectic styling is very ‘in’ right now, and can make for a meaningful piece of art. Pictures of animals and quotes on aged pages can make for an interesting gallery in your home.

6. Art installation
Go wild with your imagination and create a sassy wall, a rustic headboard, a light display or a book mobile. This is a guaranteed conversation starter and adds a unique touch to your home.

7. A clock
With some extra effort (and a little mechanical expertise), you can take an old book and make it into a clock. Visit a hardware store for supplies, watch a DIY on YouTube, and this could be the perfect accompaniment for a room. 

8. Storage
Create a box to store your keepsakes in by getting a wooden tub and gluing the spines of books on the side. Place it on a shelf and it looks like a collection of novels, pull it out and you have extra storage space.