Controversial Opinion - Can we just all agree that the trend of placing decor items on a stack of books is just horrible?

Once upon a time, the coffee table book had real meaning. It wasn’t the styling prop that it has become today – but rather it offered a window into the interests, lifestyle and showcase moments of the homeowner.  Think, books about architecture, history, photography, wildlife, sports, gardening - each was chosen because it said something/ meant something. The books invited conversation, they were meant to be picked up, paged through, and maybe even left slightly open to a favourite spread.

Fast-forward to now, and it’s all gone a bit fake and plastic really.   Everywhere you look—social feeds, décor magazines, “styling inspo” reels—it’s the same thing: a stack of pristine designer books (usually featuring the words Tom Ford or Chanel in bold white text), with a décor pot of some sort or candle placed ever so neatly on top. The once-interesting book has been demoted to furniture riser. It’s all part of that “holy grail of design” formula—three items in a triangle: large, medium, small. Tick.

And somehow, that’s become the aesthetic. You see it in high-end décor boutiques, in budget-friendly Chinese online stores, in influencer homes—everywhere. The irony? It all looks the same. The individuality of a home, the small quirks that tell a story about who lives there, have been polished right out of existence.

The trend has now even gone so far that some stylists  are actually turning books around, so their spines face away in order to leave only the book pages showing – what really!  Apparently, this is meant to look cleaner.

But what it really says is, “I don’t actually read books.” But the absolute worst are the “faux books” -empty shells made to look like the real thing.

Have we stooped this far to copy a trend?  I’ve even spotted them stacked on kitchen counters as part of kitchen design inspos! No, no, no. The only books that belong on a kitchen counter are cookbooks—preferably well-used ones that have sauce of cake mix stains on them.

Some call this visual obsession “bookshelf wealth”, a kind of design shorthand for sophistication without substance. It’s all about the look, not the life behind it. But good design isn’t about curating a space for Instagram; it’s about creating one that reflects you. When did we decide that our homes should look like product catalogues instead of places to live, think, and gather?

Yes, stylists will tell you that stacking books adds height, texture, and visual interest. And it can—only if those books mean something to you. But if every surface in your home features the same glossy black-and-white book stack with a neutral vase on top, it starts to feel less like personality and more like a showroom.

Let’s get back to creating spaces that feel personal, with each room should tell a story – your story. Choose books that you’ve loved, that have fingerprints and folded corners. Place them where guests might actually pick them up. Surround them with decor pieces that mean something—souvenirs, family heirlooms, handmade ceramics, or that little treasure you found in a local market.

And if you feel your decor piece isn’t quite tall enough and you’re tempted to slip a few books under it, my advice is simple: buy a taller vase or a more substantial candlestick. But leave the books alone. Keep them in your library, display them proudly on a coffee table where they belong, and bring back the charm of a home that celebrates curiosity, warmth, and real life, not just perfect styling.

At Home Glow Up, that’s what we love – helping homeowners curate spaces that are both beautiful and personal. Spaces that make guests lean in and say, “That’s so you.” Because the most stylish homes aren’t the ones that follow every trend – they’re the ones that tell the story of the person who lives there.

So, if you want less showroom and more showhome, connect with the Home Glow Up team today.