apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I love the look (and I ADORE your bedroom!), and have thought about displaying artwork that way on my book shelves, but I wasn't sure how to do it. My shelves are floating ones from Ikea in a white lacquer finish, and I worried that the finish would be ruined if I started putting in nails in them. Or do you somehow anchor the artwork on a hook behind the books?

I've been considering this, in a disparate attempt to manufacture more wall space (both art and books are trying collections for small apartments). I hate feeling like my books are "second class," which is the reason I haven't taken the plunge yet.

Since I access all the books on my shelves on a regular basis, I'm considering some sort of floating install. The leading theory is to hang a tension-wire curtain system at ceiling height across the wall-o-books and suspend artwork on wire, in light-weight frames, from that. That way, the frames could be slid along the bookcase, as I need to access one section or another.

But it's all theory, theory... most likely I will continue staring wistfully at the stack of paintings I'd really like to hang...

I actually did this with a family photo, but it's tiny - I couldn't put up anything big because I don't have all that much room, and I feel bad for the books that are covered up. That's my neuroses, I suppose, giving my books personalities and feelings.

I love how Pottery Barn shows this detail with custom shelving. Clearly these are plywood and can accomodate a nail.
I have been thinking about this a lot over the past year as I plan to hang pictures from my bookcases once I've finishes construction and have cleared room for them to be installed. At this point, I have Billys from IKEA as that is what fit perfectly into my budget and they fortunately look good in my apartment - but present a problem in attachment as noted above. My two thoughts on this are ...
1) hanging needs to occur on verticals - I think this is not just practical but also visual in that the support running beyond is perceived by the eye. of course, this is just a theory of mine.
2) I don't think I want to put nails through the laminate at least not until I KNOW I want to keep the frames there .... so I am thinking about keeping the image light in weight (a huge consideration of what the frame is) and using the 3M hangers
http://www.3m.com/intl/au/brands/command/products/picturehangers.jhtml
I've had some good luck with these for hanging some things in places I don't want holes ... and they really do come off in my experience. Finally, I would tack the bottom of the frame to the shelving with velcro dots to keep it from swinging every time I hunt for a book.

Domino magazine's April issue features a small apartment that has art hanging in front of the book shelves. It was the only article I liked in that issue.

i love this look. would it work if you slipped a tiny L bracket over the backside of the shelf, hooked a wire to it, ran that under or between the books, then hung the picture from that? i haven't tried it, but that was the first idea that popped into my head.

I am both a bibliophile and artist. Having built hundreds of feet of bookshelves, the latest out of Ikea "Lack" shelving, I have serious reservations about hanging artwork in front of them. Instead what I have done is to super concentrate my artwork on the walls. Meaning that instead of hanging pieces in a row or small cluster, I created a giant cluster of artwork on the wall. On my walls, the clusters can consume 75% or more of the open wall space, but it looks great and leaves my shelves free so I can find books. When the number of pieces in my portfolio becomes too big for my walls to accommodate it, then I might consider hanging pieces in front of my shelving.

I have small framed art on my bookshelves (and on my open kitchen shelves) to hide the uglier things that need to be on those shelves. My art is placed in small picture frames (w/the pop out leg support) and sits in front of the books/ugly dish.

not quite the TOTAL look, but getting there! many people have commented on how they like the look.