Looking for an easy way to organize a messy bookshelf? You might consider turning all the spines backward.
Although it’s not too functional, the backward bookshelf is one of the easiest ways to clean up a hodgepodge of texts. It’s also an interior design craze that’s about as culturally divisive as national politics in America.
Advocates tout the simplistic texture of the pages. Opponents argue that the idea is just plain stupid since you can’t see which books are which. Generally speaking, you love it or hate it.
The backward bookshelf began to trend in the last decade as an artistic styling tool on small-scale design blogs or bookshop websites. Now, big-box retailers such as West Elm and The Container Store have incorporated backward bookshelves into their product displays.