How-To: Shelf Styling 101
- Laura Christian
- Apr 1, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 25, 2023
With so many people still spending most of their days at home, we wanted to do a whole post dedicated to shelf styling. We have found ourselves doing quite a bit of organizing & styling; both at home and in our projects, especially shelves! Whether it be bookshelves, floating shelves, office shelves, nightstand shelves... you name it, we have done it. Here are a few tips for you to (hopefully) keep you occupied for a bit, and to help get you through this time at home.
1. Start with a clean slate! Begin by emptying EVERYTHING off of your shelves so that you have a fresh look at your bookshelves. Consider your room and color palette. Is the cabinetry back dark, light, or open? This should affect how you select you styling elements. For example, if the cabinetry is dark, you want to select lighter pieces in order to obtain that contrast. Are you wanting to keep it neutral or add bold colors and patterns to your decor? You can organize your items by category prior to placing them on your shelves. Overall, you want to keep a cohesive look throughout the shelves.
2. Gather varied items. Only use items that you LOVE. (If it's something you are holding onto because so and so gave it to you, it cost a lot, etc, just get rid of it...new topic entirely;) I personally like to use baskets, greenery, geometric objects, pottery/vases, books (duh,) bookends, jars, artwork, frames, candles, and wood trays. I also love incorporating personal items that have a unique value and interest to YOU. For example, nick-nacks, or souvenirs from past travels, personal photos of a memorable occasion, or collectables that mean something to your family.
3. Ground your shelves. I usually start by placing a set of large baskets or trays on the bottom shelf. This really helps it feel more substantial, weighted, and connected at the base of your shelves. It also helps it feel more balanced by using a set of two or three.
4. Largest to smallest. The next step is incorporating the large items first and spreading them out over your shelves so they are not right next to each other. Then, fill in the remaining shelves with the smaller items. Here's one of our best tricks: if it feels like something is missing, add some greenery!
5. Create that necessary depth! You can do this through the use of artwork or trays stacked against the back wall. Make sure items that are similar to each other are not right next to one another. Like many things in life, it's all about balance.
