Shelf styling! It’s one of those things that either is a quick fix of throwing things on a bookcase or you spend days analyzing the perfect balance of everything. I would love to say I’m super chill and just throw things together but I’m more on the side of overthinking things.
We have lived in our current house for just over 3 years now and for the first two years never used our basement living room space. It sounds strange to just completely disregard an area of our home for so long but we were quite content on using only our upstairs living room. Also we had just moved from an apartment and did not have the furniture to fill a whole new room!
Last year we got a big sectional and rug and coffee table to fill that living room (oh and my husband would love to mention the BIG TV). The wall we wanted the TV on had a floor to ceiling bookcase on it. We discovered the top half shelves were easily removable and the bottom half served as a perfect entertainment center!
Now came the fun part: decorating! I love using things I already have in my home to decorate. I was actually pulling things out of boxes from when we moved years before! I took things from around the house and went to work.
I’m not gonna lie, I messed with these shelves A LOT. It was the first time I could decorate something on this scale and make it exactly how I wanted. So every few weeks it would look a little different.
Here was the latest version before I dismantled everything:
After months of tweaking and learning I came up with a system that I think will help me in the future and will help you style a shelf perfectly! So here we go!
Tip #1: Remove everything and dust
The first thing you have to do is clear those shelves! Take everything off and place it on the floor so you can see everything. In this project I used only what I started with and added only one or two things. I ended up taking more away than I put on actually!
After everything is off, DUST. You’ll thank me I promise. Get a little dust rag and dust down the shelves, clear the cobwebs, and wipe off anything that’s been neglected for a while. For me, that was basically everything!
Tip #2: Start at the bottom
We are going to start at the bottom. This lower shelf is going to hold your bulky or heavy items. I like putting blankets on a shelf to add texture and functionality!
Tip #3: Make things beautiful and functional
That’s actually the next tip! The basket I have here with the lid can hold toys, remotes, or movies. Always think of how you personally will use this space and how it can best benefit you!
Tip #4: Add large or favorite items
What I like to do next is stick things up there that I absolutely know I want on the shelves. That way I can work around what I love. This also works with the biggest items so you can get an idea of how they will fill the space.
Tip #5: Incorporate seasonal or kitchen items
Take inspiration from around your home! I always forget about my winter signs or fall decor. Those things don’t have to be just seasonal objects.
Kitchen things can also go in living rooms. Sounds crazy but put your collection of wine bottles or a vintage scale on your bookcase. See how you like it!
Tip #6: Turn those books around!
Want things to look more uniform? Flip your books around so the pages are showing. I love doing this with my vintage books because you can see the different tones and textures of the worn pages.
Tip #7: Use a custom sign
Want to add some personalization? Use a special saying on a lightboard. Find a letterboard to spell out your favorite quote. Or draw a winter scene on a tiny chalkboard.
Tip #8: Utilize empty candles
Have you ever bought a candle just because it looked cute? Or loved how a candle looked and couldn’t bear to throw it away when it was completely burnt out? I save those empty candles! Especially big candles with a fancy label or a fun print or a wooden lid like this one, I put them on a shelf! One mans trash is another man’s decor.
Tip #9: Always have plants
Plants are a staple decorating trick. And don’t worry, they don’t need to be alive. None pictured here are! I can only keep plants alive if they are sitting in my kitchen window right behind my sink so I’m forced to look at them and water them.
By incorporating plants in your decor, you add life to the room and little pops of happy color!
Tip #10: Edit
This is probably the most important step! Look at what you’ve created and see what you can remove. Sometimes it can be difficult to take away something after you’ve taken all this time to make it perfect. But the biggest problem I had when first styling shelves is over-saturating the areas.
Give your clusters of beautiful objects a little room to breathe. Don’t shove everything you own in one corner of your house (I’m so guilty of this!). And maybe this means taking a few days and evaluating what you’ve done. Remember it’s your project and your masterpiece and you can do what you like! Which brings us to my final tip . . .
Tip #11: Only use what makes you happy
Don’t just fill the space to fill it. This was so hard for me at first. I wanted to utilize every inch of shelf real estate to its maximum capacity! A brand new naked shelf that needs clothing!
Sorry but no. After tweaking it 4, 5, 6 times I finally realized the way I was the most happy with the result was when there were less things up there and more of the things that brought me joy.
And now every time I look at it I get a little bubble of happiness because I made something that’s perfect for me and it’s just the way I like it!
I know there are many more things that make shelf styling an art to perfection but you have to start somewhere! Begin with these tips and you have a good foundation. Make it your own and I’m sure you’ll love it!
