E-books may be gaining popularity, and the hard-cover variety may not populate as many homes as in the past, but the need for a bookcase or two hasn't waned. In fact, on retailer sites it's still its own category, sometimes teamed with storage and shelves, and the old-fashioned freestanding bookcase has been reimagined.

It's still recognizable, but the tweaks have given it a range of styles and looks, and increased modularity has created options -- for those blessed with an abundance of space or those with serious storage challenges. And greater attention is being paid to its expanded function: as a room divider, a spot for artsy objects and collectibles, as well as for boxes or baskets to corral clutter -- or even solo as a decorative tour de force.

Changes are being reflected both in very large formats -- single pieces or modules ganged together -- or more compact, slender units designed for small-scale living. A dominant shift has been to more open shelving, often resembling an etagere. During EuroCucina, part of the massive Salone del Mobile show in Milan last spring, there was an abundance of these shelving systems that integrated seamlessly into living spaces, stylishly defining kitchens and function within.

What is most striking about these components is the mix of materials -- metal or stones and porcelains with wood. Often the shelving coordinated with cabinetry. At Veneta Cucine, for example, the black iron framework look created a graphic rhythm throughout the space, with tall open shelving lined with weathered sabbia wood shelves in the foreground, and medium-height closed shelves framed in brushed stainless steel, with the rich grain of the wood as a backdrop, rising just high enough to mask the work island behind it. The rich columnar cabinets in the back, finished in a metallic liquid mercury look, also were framed in stainless steel, a handsome design melange.

That emphasis on modern design has affected shelving throughout the home.

-- Riffs on the familiar bookcase and etagere mix materials -- sometimes more than two -- introducing color and varying the heights and widths of dividers.

-- Asymmetry and cantilevering unexpectedly throw off the accustomed formula.

-- Undulation within the format or the shape itself adds a dynamic that commands the eye.

-- Playing with positive and negative spaces offers both closed and open options, sometimes with sliding panels that can change up the look.

-- Patterned accents, such as opaque shades that lend a decorative element that stands out, even when nothing is in the cubbies.

-- Leaning ladder styles suggest a relaxed, casual look.

-- Wall-hung shelving also has morphed: While floating shelves have been an option for some time, now the shelves themselves are being housed in frames that may emphasize shape.

Color alone can be pivotal, as anyone who has ever painted a built-in bookcase a bold color like apple green or cobalt blue can attest. Manufacturers more and more are offering choices. A new series at Ligne Roset called Book and Look has several configurations, available in fashion-forward colors like mustard and khaki, with an option of ganging all together for pop. Harto's Edgar shelving actually is a furniture hybrid: an open console on legs, with a column rising from the right side, and bold blue panels to the left and at the base of the column.

One of the most eye-popping introductions in the last year is Marcel Wanders' Dojo cabinet, part of his Globe Trotters collection for Roche Bobois. The black frame is dressed with stunning, highly lacquered blue panels that slide, inspired by sliding doors in Japanese architecture, plus a round golden mirror at the top, a geometric triumph.

Metals range from raw black iron to warm metallics, like the smart brass-finished etagere from Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop lifestyle collection for CB2.

Pattern also has been employed in fresh ways. Etro Home's open bookcase, its framework in warm brass, is decorated with panels that show off some of the Italian fabric brand's signature prints -- paisleys, stripes, along with solids, as well as a rattan weave that lets light in.

In a similar fashion, Roberto Cavalli Home popped some of the palm prints that give alternating panels a tropical vibe, as well as sophisticated embroidered leather panels, especially effective as the modules team medium, narrow and skinny widths.

Just as pattern changes the face of the bookcase, so does form. It can be sculptural, as in a red spiral in plastic that London designer Ron Arad created for Kartell several years ago. Or it can be architectural, as in a simple framework with cross supports at the Italian brand De Padova. It creates a strong backdrop for furnishings, height and solidity without intruding on even large-scale sofas or sectionals.

A dimensional piece like the Portuguese brand Green Apple's newest Hobart is arresting and still familiar, as the elements break down into cubes set on their sides to create a honeycomb pattern. And Wewood turns the bookcase at a seemingly precarious angle -- an open form intersected with an equal size, askew and visually unnerving.

Even the more conventional Everywhere by Christian Werner for Ligne Roset has an element of surprise: Appended to its open shelving is a floating asymmetrical closed door that shifts the boundaries of the piece. That brand is especially adept at addressing multiple storage needs by combining vertical elements, like bookcases, with low-slung consoles or open sideboards to suit entertainment and TV storage needs, with attractive combinations like black marble-effect ceramic stoneware, black-stained oak veneer and black perforated steel back panels (in Clyde), with occasional contrasting brass elements.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the new, minimal Jack bookcase by London-based Cypriot designer Michael Anastassiades for B and B Italia. Its bare essential dual support poles pierce the shelves, stretch to the ceiling and taper at ends to single rods.

For those who don't want to commit floor space, the number of stylish wall-hung shelves has been growing. The French brand Harto channeled a bit of mid-century with a hint of eastern style in the staggered look of pole supports, most striking in black with gold accents (also in natural), that create a fetching composition, even before decorative pieces are added.

A very different look at Anthropologie combines Lucite with brass supports (that read as accents) in a compelling arch, with transparent shelves. That retailer also features a piece reminiscent of curios, this one in an exaggerated oval.

Whatever you call them, these new storage solutions are useful in just about any room in the house.

-- Place a slender etagere as a focal point at the end of a foyer.

-- Divide space with a larger piece, perfectly suited for loft-style living.

-- Position open shelving in front of a window with a less than attractive view.

-- Add a sculptural or architectural bookcase to ground and add visual verve.

Even with brilliant solutions for containing, your job is not finished. Now it's up to you to act as curator, editing your own collections so they'll look fabulous on your new shelves.

Sources

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- B & B Italia, 1-800-872-1697, www.bebitalia.com

-- CB2, 800-606-6252, www.cb2.com

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- De Padova, 212-431-8282, www.depadova.com

-- Ethnicraft, at ABC Carpet and Home, 646-602-3101, www.ethnicraft.com

-- Etro Home, 212-247-1200, www.etro.com/en_it

-- Green Apple, info@greenapple.pt, www.greenapple.pt/en

-- Harto, contact@hartodesign.com, www.hartodesign.fr

-- Ligne Roset, 212-375-1036, www.ligne-roset.com

-- Roche Bobois, 312-955-0275, www.roche-bobois.com

-- Snaidero, 310-516-8499, www.snaidero-usa.com

-- Wewood, at Arttitud, authorized dealer, 415-252-8888, www.wewood.eu, www.arttitud.com

In the most soigne magazine spreads, and at designer show houses, hotels and major retailers all over the world, lighting has become much more than a footnote. It can be a tour de force. Thousands of pieces of porcelain flutter like birds from the ceiling to the ground floor in a multistory stairway, commanding as much attention as a Dale Chihuly sculpture. Feathery poufs stretch across a dining table, an ethereal glow within. Light shines through pastel glass lamps to create an enchanting scene.

Sometimes edgy and often brilliant, modern lighting designs go beyond lighting a room. About four years ago, the French brand Blackbody lit the way to innovation at the Maison et Objet trade show in Paris. An overhead constellation dazzled, in a sinuous composition of staggered-height OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes). It was unlike what designers had seen before, intended to be experiential. Then, in 2016, another installation showed the capabilities of bendable light, which was applied like irregular pieces of stone or wallcovering against a black ground.

Bolstered by such impressive installations, lighting has moved into the worlds of theater and even art. At the SOFA (Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design) show in Chicago in November, artist Anthony James created the 5-foot Portal, a polyhedron with 20 faces, fitted with LED tubes illuminating mirrors within, giving the illusion of infinity.

Even more conventional forms are elevated with staging. British designer Lee Broom set up his minimalistic light fixtures in a series of narrow spaces for effect; the Observatory collection launched at Salone del Mobile last spring in Milan. And in April, all design eyes will be on that show, because it's time for the biennial Euroluce, where the most innovative lighting will be introduced.

While LEDs have expanded creative tools for designers with their compact size and capability of changing color, a mixture of materials has broadened the range for more conventional lighting as well.

Tom Dixon has tapped into special production and finishing techniques, creating glass orbs that look like melting-hot blown glass and other iridescent pieces that appear to look like oil on water.

So, now, homeowners who want lighting that's directional, decorative and inspiring have plenty of choices in scale, height and width, with long horizontals and verticals. Materials range from warm and cool metals, which can be very architectural or sculptural in highly polished to matte finishes, to textiles and beads, shells and wood to crystal and glass, which offers a rainbow range of color and opacities.

YLighting, a catalog with the tagline "The Best in Modern Lighting," suggests that modern "isn't just about a look," explaining that "modern design ... pushes the boundaries of innovation and possibility, propelling you into new frontiers of technology, material and artistry."

Designers, of course, take their inspirations from a variety of sources, including fashion. When Martyn Lawrence Bullard debuted a new collection for Corbett Lighting at High Point in the fall, one stunning piece was a circle studded with metal and hand-blown glass flowers. His muse was Chanel -- namely, the silk camellias in the fashion designer's atelier, and the piece reflects his take on her whimsical elegance.

Bullard's collection includes aged beaten brass sconces that look like pea pods, fixtures covered in hand-blown Venetian glass butterflies flirting about a gilded metal frame, mid-century-inspired acacia shades on sculptural chandeliers that pay homage to similar designs from 1950s Italy, striking with the mottled wood finish paired with black and a touch of gold. Simple frosted globes in chic burnished brass take inspiration from '40s Parisian cafes.

"There's a very strong visual," says Bullard, "very sexy lines. I wanted to create this aged image -- like lights in a French diner where someone was smoking for the last 50 years. We managed to do it without the nicotine, just wax," he says, laughing.

Some of the smaller pendants, he says, would be great in a kitchen, where they may not be expected. "That's really what this collection is all about -- for designers, homeowners to create their own look within the fantasy."

Gold, paired with either black frames or white spheres, has been enormously popular, just like the appeal of this warm metal in other areas of home decor.

"I feel that lighting is like jewelry," says the Bullard. "It's a finishing touch. It sparkles in a room." In one frosted glass globe suspended in a gold framework, he sees a beautiful earring pendant.

Even the details on vintage crystal chandeliers may well be reminiscent of jewelry. A few years ago, chain mail was popular as a medium, lending a kind of punk rock vibe. Sea shells and beads lend themselves well to coastal or boho looks. Regina Andrew presented a similar look in painted wood beads, enchanting in a blush hue in drum or chandelier styles. But the beads took on a new hip attitude as a lampshade topping a squarish wood column base.

Los Angeles-based designer Windsor Smith riffed on a strapped bench that she had previously designed for Arteriors for a new table lamp. She repeated the gray suede straps and applied them to the base of a table lamp, which she topped with a simple white rectangular shade.

Another West Coast designer, Jonathan Browning, reached back to the '60s and '70s for his latest collection for McGuire Furniture, which he says pays homage to the brand's "quintessential California ethos." The Morro chandelier is visually light, with shapes of dandelions in antique brass and plated steel stems that flow out from a solid core, dotted with handmade porcelain spheres.

And Browning's Jalama pendant features hanging strands of vintage brown bottle glass, like those worn from sand and surf, that recall the eclectic doorway dividers once a mainstay in 1960s California.

Using sustainable materials also is a strong development in current lighting design. One Thai brand, Ango, employs rattan, cocoons, mulberry bark and metal filigree.

Another area poised for growth is that of acoustical lighting. Though designed primarily for office and hospitality spaces with materials that absorb sound, these innovative pendants and sconces are particularly useful in condos or apartments, as well as hotels.

Drama created by light is not a new concept -- think sound and light shows at historic monuments like the Pyramids or the Acropolis. But new technology, unique combinations, unexpected materials and refined finishing techniques are generating the wow factor today.

It may be a statement piece -- organic, sculptural or architectural, color-changing lights that add a new dynamic, textiles that celebrate tactility, materials that baffle sound, or synthetics designed for outdoor use that look so good, you want to bring them indoors.

With such an enormous variety, it may be a challenge to choose. Check out design magazines, blogs and retail catalogs for some insights. Here are some ideas on how to light up design:

-- Set an artistic tone with impact lighting in the foyer.

-- Take advantage of height in a two-, three- or four-story stairwell with lighting that can extend from the ceiling to the ground floor.

-- Try a sleek modern piece in a traditional setting -- like a light tube framed in gold, which will add a warm touch.

-- Go small for a big statement, perhaps ganging a trio of pendants at the same or staggered heights.

-- Use a long corridor as a canvas for two or three large-scale pendants.

-- Make a powder room memorable with lighting that reflects with glass prisms, crystals or polished metal

Sources

-- Ango, available through wakaNINE, www.wakanine.com, 512-284-9672

-- Artemide, www.artemide.com, 212-925-1588

-- BlackBody, www.blackbody.fr/en, New York showroom, 212-625-0050

-- Bover Barcelona, www.bover.es/en, 404-924-2342

-- BuzziSpace, www.buzzispace.com, 336-821-3150

-- Corbett Lighting, www.corbettlighting.com, 626-336-4511

-- Lee Broom, www.leebroom.com, 212-804-8477, available through YLighting or Lumens

-- McGuire Furniture, www.mcguirefurniture.com, 800-592-2537

-- Regina Andrew, www.reginaandrew.com, 734-250-8042

-- Roche Bobois, www.roche-bobois.com, 212-799-0090

-- Se, www.se-collections.com; in the U.S., through Atelier Gary Lee, 312-644-4400

-- Y Lighting, www.ylighting.com, 855-726-1962

Although nostalgia still kindles much of the decorating fever for the holidays, there are modern options to satisfy those looking for pops of color other than traditional red and green and seeking inspiration for fresh ideas to incorporate with the family-standard, tried-and-true.

Few probably deck their halls with boughs of holly -- at least not the fresh variety, mostly because it's not available everywhere, its shelf life is short, and curling and wilting are not so attractive.

The aroma of fresh garlands made of Douglas or Fraser fir or pine, though, are hard to resist. Others love that southern favorite: magnolia leaves, with their shiny dark green foliage and distinctive cinnamon backsides.

If you prefer no-fuss garlands that can become part of your annual ornamentation wardrobe, that category has exploded. It's not really surprising, as all social mores have morphed to a casual modern standard. To wit, a welcome mat that says: "Come in if you have prosecco" (at Grandinroad.com).

So if you want easy-maintenance greenery, there are convincing lookalikes. Even better, if you like them embellished, you'll find a choice of ornaments, pine cones, metallic balls, bells, berries and ribbons, even some with a pre-lit option. If you fret about missing that amazing aroma that comes with the real thing, just light a pine candle or squirt with a woodsy room spray (at Williams-Sonoma), which will make your home smell like an evergreen forest, with pine, cedar, patchouli and citrus notes.

Of course, garlands can be crafted from anything bendable -- so you can swag, drape and festoon over a variety of surfaces. Old-fashioned stringing of popcorn, cranberries or pine cones, mixing in lemons and oranges with greens for a popular Colonial Williamsburg style still is a popular family tradition.

Just the suggestion of such a humble approach -- the stringing of iridescent capiz shell buttons on a Christmas tree (available at Ballard Designs) -- is a charming nod to retro and homemade. One striking new look is that of black wooden beads (on trend with the elevation of matte black in home decor) at Crate and Barrel, and especially striking doubled up on a white marble mantel. And who says berries have to be red? A delicate spray of blueberries from Terrain can shift the decorating dynamic. They're enchanting around a gilt framed mirror.

In recent years, decorations have been tailored to interior decor styles. And with the range of colors and materials, from simple and textural to natural, including pine cones and berries, and even blingy -- think gold, silver and copper beads or even glittery -- there's a special appreciation for the artisanal and craft.

Garlands are an easy way to add a dash of seasonal cheer for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's. What's cool about the variety and price range (from around $20 to $500) is that you can mix up styles that blend with your existing decor. Metallic shines in both traditional and modern rooms, adding warmth and sparkle, especially with candlelight. Suzanne Kasler's mercury glass ball garland does that with lustrous tarnished silver (from Ballard Designs).

For Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke of Madcap Cottage, an interior design business and home product development firm in High Point, North Carolina, known for mixing patterns, the holidays are the best time for busting out all their tis-the-season-to-be-jolly decorating moves.

"John is a mini Martha Stewart," says Nixon. "There's a whole section of our attic for Christmas, with vintage, like grandmothers' glass balls. We have two trees. It's very tasteful. But we go all out."

And there are garlands. "We mix it up -- always some pine, some preserved magnolia," Nixon adds. "Often, we wrap them in trim -- pompoms are a favorite for us. Trim is having such a big moment (in home decor) right now. So we like to bring it into the home at holiday time. We love grosgrain ribbon. Nothing better than bows."

Besides bows, tassels and fluffy pompoms are lending a hygge (pronounced HUE-guh, that Danish description for cozy), celebratory spirit. From single hues to variegated multicolors or pastels, as well as gold, standard scale to oversized, these garlands are versatile because they're easy to handle. One imaginative garland pairs faux fur pompoms that look like mini snowballs, with skinny red and white candy-cane-like strands in a sweet design from Anthropologie.

The look and feel of handcrafted is playing a larger role in garland design. The use of felt is reminiscent of homespun DIY ornaments and tree skirts. At Anthropologie, one colorful felt garland combines embroidered leaves and berries. Another at Crate and Barrel is a modern take on leaves and berries, with flat shapes and dimensional berries.

Nixon says that he totally gets the crafts

"We were kids of the '70s, so ... construction paper," he says. Like the handmade link garlands often made by children in school.

A festive garland at West Elm is crafted from gold-spattered black paper in pennant shapes. With its modern vibe and on-trend black-with-gold combination, the garland is perfect for ushering in the new year. Some metal chain garlands are so much like necklaces that you can imagine them dressing up a mantel all the way up to Valentine's Day.

Spread the cheer all over the house -- even in spaces that might get overlooked, like powder rooms, bedrooms, even the laundry room. Tiny bell garlands like those from Jim Marvin at Crate and Barrel can be nestled into bowls on a table (perhaps along with fairy lights) or festooned around a rolling bar cart or one spread out with hors d'oeuvres or dessert.

Colorful glass ornaments in unexpected brights like magenta, pink, citrus and turquoise separated by small gold beads from Horchow assume an important role nestled around the arm of a chandelier. A massive garland from Frontgate, dotted with glittery gold ornaments and ribbons, becomes lavish wall ornamentation above a brass console table.

Banisters, of course, can be dazzling with garlands; some like to hang stockings there as well. In the Frontgate catalog there is a particularly elegant example, as the stairs are lined with flameless candles and one railing hosts lush faux greenery.

Hang garlands above door frames (outside and in), around mirrors and chandeliers, across windows -- a shock of red berries is equally powerful on a white or a black frame -- around the posts of a four-post bed or at the footboard.

So enjoy whatever kind of garland delights your imagination ... anything to get into the spirit of the season. Before long, you might have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head.

Sources

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- Frontgate, 888-263-9850, www.frontgate.com

-- Horchow, 877-944-9888, www.horchow.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- Terrain, 877-583-7724, www.shopterrain.com

-- Wisteria, 800-320-9757, www.wisteria.com

-- West Elm, 888-922-4119, www.westelm.com