The real treasure of a book is what’s inside of it — but that doesn’t mean the exterior can’t be alluring, too. Here, we chat with artist and interior designer William McLure, who treats his collection of books as decor, and get his tips to an artful (and intellectual!) display.

My pro tips to stacking books…
1. Think of a stack of books as a customizable piece of sculpture that can fill those awkward gaps in your interiors: under a console, between a sofa and a chair, in a corner, etc.
2. Use a stack as a cocktail table with a chic coaster on it.
3. Remember to put your best/most interesting books on top. Books can tell a stranger an awful lot about the person who owns them.

I organize my book displays by…
Size — largest at the bottom and smallest at the top. I have one stack of colorful books that I arrange in the rainbow color spectrum.

Genres I collect…
As an interior designer and artist, I have a combination of those two genres in my book collection — primarily the design part. I don’t have a television, cable or even internet so when I have any down time I’ll pull two or three books out and look through them. You can look through them 60 times and see something new in a room each time.

Some of my favorites books in my collection…
Vogue Living: Country, City, Coast — I love the colorful cover, but the best part is that it offers a huge array of different interior styles, all in one book. Each space is special in its own way, well layered and thoughtful. And Past Perfect: Richard Shapiro Houses and Gardens — it features the designer’s two dream homes and his huge collection of both modern and antique furnishings and art. He’s a master at mixing these two styles and layering them within each space.