If I had to choose one area of decorating I love the most, it would be styling shelves. It’s the spot you can have the most fun with and where you can really make a statement. And as an avid hunter of treasures old and new, it’s my favorite way to display those found and cherished objects in a meaningful way. There are a few “rules” you can follow to create a stylish (and uncluttered) look, but the main thing to remember is to keep an eye on the overall composition, play around and have fun with it. Sounds easy, but where do you even start? In this blog, I’ll share the simple steps I followed to style two bookshelf units in my home with my favorite pieces as the focal points.
What are the “rules”?
I’m not a real “rule” follower when it comes to decorating, but here are a few helpful guides:
- Composition – The key to a styled look is to make sure that the pieces you’re using relate to each other in some way. It can be through theme, color, style or a mix of those things.
- Layering – You’ll want to create dimension by layering your pieces in interesting ways. Start by putting the tall items in the back and then layering smaller things on top or in front. This is where you really start to play around and see what works.
- Scale and Size – Balance can be achieved by selecting items of varying sizes and shapes to fill your shelves. Personally, I like things to look a little eclectic and off balance, but it’s really about individual taste.
Styling in 7 Easy Steps
- Clear everything off – It’s best to start from a blank canvas rather than trying to reconfigure what’s there. Empty the shelves and place the things you’d like to include in the reset to the side and take away anything you won’t be using again.
- Gather – Pull together all of the books, art, photo frames, favorite vintage finds and everything else that you might want to use all in one spot. Think of it as shopping your stuff.
- Select the Key Pieces – I always start styling with the most important pieces and work everything else around them. If they are larger items, start by placing them so you can layer around. With my office shelves, I started by placing the two largest pieces – a vintage sketch of John F. Kennedy that I picked up at a flea market years ago, and my dad’s old globe that has much sentimental value. I balanced them by placing one on each side of the unit. Put the key smaller items aside so you prioritize them as you begin to place and edit.
- Add Your Books – Believe it or not, this part of the process is the most time consuming. Finding the right balance, deciding how to group them and how they should be displayed. I spend a lot of time trying different things until it feels right. I always think books look most interesting styled in different ways – stacked, layered, some sitting horizontally and some vertically…mixing up the orientation on each shelf. It’s also important to think about how you want to group them. It really depends on the look and feel you’re going for. The most practical way is to group books by theme, especially if you plan to reference them often. I personally prefer to group them by color because of the overall palette in my home. I usually take the covers off and display according to the color of the hardcover book. This is an especially beautiful way to display vintage books.
- Layer in the Smaller Key Pieces – Here is where the real fun begins and you can add your personal touches. Once the key larger elements and books are in place you can look for those special small items you put aside earlier. On my office shelves, I placed my Dad’s old desk nameplate next to his globe, along with a silly trinket of E.T. he always had on top of his computer (no idea why, but it reminds me of him, lol). For the dining room shelves, I wanted to display all of the beautiful vintage clocks I’ve been collecting over the years while treasure hunting. Adding special framed photos is also good in this step.
- Fill in Holes – Now that the main elements are in place, notice where there may be holes in your composition. Kinda like a recipe that needs just a little more salt. Now you can look at the items left that you’ve gathered and add what fits – vases, jars, decorative boxes, etc.
- Finally – Step back and take a long look. You want to make sure the size and weight of the shelves seem balanced. If you see too much on one shelf and not enough on another, don’t be afraid to move things around. Now is the time to edit and work at it until it feels like the look you want. As long as you achieve that, it’s a success.
When it comes to styling a bookshelf the most important thing to remember is to have fun with it. If you’re using things that are important to you and that reflect your personality you can’t go wrong. Bookshelves can bring life to a room and are natural conversation starters. It always makes me smile when guests gravitate to my shelves…especially when they ask me about a special piece. That’s when you know you’ve styled them just right.
~ Beckie