Decorating and Styling Shelves Ideas

We get it, styling shelves can be daunting, overwhelming and exhausting. We do it for our clients and it still takes us time to get it just right! But we are happy to help the best way we can. These are our top ten rules to styling a bookshelf, open shelving and even floating shelving! You can use them intermittently as they fit your space. And don’t worry, we are providing plenty of visual examples to make it a little bit easier for you. 

1. Books

When it comes to shelving books is where we always start! They hold space, have height where needed and color where you want it! We like to remove the book jackets from all books we style with. From there we like to organize the books by colors. This is extremely important when you are trying to add color or spread out the color you are using. 

2. Vary Book Placement 

Now when it comes to book placement you want to make sure you vary the book placement. The goal is to not make each shelf look the same. That will feel too matchy matchy and challenging to move away from as you continue to build out your shelves. Instead, think of staggering your books. We like to look at shelves as a diagonal or triangle! 

3. Space Out Colors

We love adding color to shelving. However, you want to be purposeful with how you place your color. You’re not adding color for the sake of doing so. If you want to have a fully colorful shelving make sure to spread the color throughout each shelf. On the other hand, if you want to be more selective with your colors make sure you pick items that work within your color scheme. 

4. Balance 

When it comes to placement on your shelves you want them to feel balanced. You don’t want one side to feel too heavy while the other side is too light. Yet, you don’t want your shelves to be cluttered. Negative space on your shelves is important because it helps keep balance. We like to place larger and heavier items on the bottom.

5. Use Art

We love to use art on shelving! This is a fun way to fill the back of shelves. You can layer smaller pieces in front of the art to create balance so your art work doesn’t feel too heavy.

6. Make It Personal

You don’t need to go out and buy all new things when it comes to styling your shelves. Use personal photos…a few, let’s not get crazy here. We aren’t making a photo gallery on your shelving! Add in items from travel, things you’ve collected over the years or just pieces that make you happy and smile when you see them.

7. Plants

This shouldn’t come as a surprise but we love to add plants to our collections on shelves. We are fans of real ones. But totally get it if that’s just not you. There are a ton of faux plants that will do just the trick! We love to layer them throughout the shelving and use books to give them some needed height! Also plants work great as bookends. 

8. Group Objects 

We like to group objects together. Think sets of 3 to start. You can build on from there. Odd numbers tend to make us happy and they feel intentional and pulled together for the vignette you are creating. 

9. Use Different Textures and Materials 

You want your shelving to have personality! Textures and mixing materials is the easiest way to do this.

10. Mix Old With New 

This has to be my favorite. Mixing old with new. Not everything you put on your shelves needs to be new! We love pairing vintage finds with new items. There is not right or wrong way of doing it, just do what brings you joy!