Five ways to brighten up your school library on a budget

June 30th 2021

If your school library needs a makeover that won’t break the bank, investing in colourful, statement accessories is a budget-friendly, hassle-free way to transform your reading space. Accessorising makes brightening up your library child’s play – whether you want to make the most of your space, freshen it up or add to a developing library. From innovative book displays to comfortable seating, our affordable range of quality accessories has exactly what you need to enhance your space and inspire your pupils to develop a lifelong love of reading. No matter how big or small your project, our library design team can help advise and support you in choosing the right accessories by creating life-like visuals of your new-look library.

Here are five simple and effective ideas to brighten up your school library on a budget:

1. Bespoke wallpaper

Introduce an exciting focal point to your library with personalised bespoke wallpaper. To encourage pupils to relax and read a book, introduce a sense of calm with a nature wallpaper to bring the outside in or have fun with a cartoon mural (subject to copyright laws). Whatever design you have in mind, our team will work with you to create the perfect wallpaper by providing a quote with striking visuals to help you make your choice. 

2. Vinyl graphics - artwork and graphics

Vinyl graphics are the perfect addition to your library’s walls, windows or furniture. Use colourful characters, words or art to brighten up your space and add personality and fun. Introduce inspiring and meaningful quotes on the walls to educate and engage with pupils or bring the books to life with a selection of book quotes. Our versatile range of vinyl graphics includes a range of scenes perfect for creating a themed reading zone. Options include a woodland scene with trees and woodland creatures; an under the sea scene with sharks and turtles; and a dinosaur scene with a pterodactyl and a T-Rex. Our team can also print your school logo or vision statement onto vinyl graphics for your walls or furniture.

Take a look at our vinyl graphics and displays range here.

3. Soft seating – cushions, beanbags and beanpods

Make your library comfortable and inviting to encourage pupils to sit, relax and get lost in a book for individual or group reading. Our accessories range has lots of cosy seating to choose from in durable fabrics to complement your décor. Our accessories range has lots of cosy seating to choose from in durable fabrics to complement your décor.

Our beanbag selection includes giant floor cushions, reading pods, sensory touch and even an octopus-shaped beanbag to seat up to eight children during imaginative play. This unique beanbag will liven up an existing reading area or form part of an attractive under the sea themed learning display.

Our bright and practical beanpods include popular Oi Frog! designs with bold illustrations based on Kes Gray’s hilarious and award-winning storybook. Vibrant, fun and comfy to sit on, they’re durable, safe and light enough for children to carry. 

Cushions are essential in any school library and we have sensory, bright and stackable options to choose from. There are even cushions that look like logs, books and the solar system to delight pupils.

4. Book display

Use our book display accessories to help you create displays to promote a specific author, add to a theme or simply decorate a wall. Peters’ Senior Library Designer Jess McCoy recommends including front-facing books in your school library design.

She said: “Front-facing books are very important when organising your library. We’re all drawn to them initially, so using our attractive front-facing display accessories will help you to create focal points on your shelves and walls.”

Our book display range includes acrylic book stands, a floating bookshelf, a rainbow shelf and a book display house for displaying new titles, key themes or highlighting an author.

5. Mats and rugs 

Our bright and colourful mats and rugs will enhance your library and are ideal for story time, especially in spaces with hard floors. Choose your rug from a range of cheerful designs including dragons, jigsaws or a water world theme. Our folding floor mats have striking prints including daisy, bark and galaxy which can be used with complementary seating to create a themed scene.

Take a look at our mats and rugs range here.

Work with our experts

If you’d love our experts to help you choose appropriate and affordable accessories to upgrade your school library, contact our library design team  at designservices@peters.co.uk. They can’t wait to get started on your project.