17 Best Tips to Decorate Shelves For a Stylish Home

If you find shelf styling is a bit of a challenge, don’t stress. Whether floating shelves or a full bookcase, you can create a focal point with these 17 best tips to decorate shelves for a stylish home.

I recently posted a picture on Facebook of a cabinet that I had painted and a few people asked about the way I styled the shelves.  It can be frustrating if you’re not sure where to start and it’s one of those things that takes a little practice and a bit of trial and error.  So today I’m sharing 17 tips for decorating shelves like a pro. Let me also say too, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and you  need to like how YOU decorate first and foremost.  After all, you are creating your beyoutiful home. 🙂

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Here are 17 tips for decorating shelves like a pro. 

1. Start with a clean slate.  

The starting point when decorating should always be to clear out the space and giving it a good cleaning. 

2. Have an overall design in mind.

Know what your overall design will be and have enough things on hand to choose from to be creative. For a cohesive look, keep the type of pieces similar (farmhouse, modern etc.) Don’t bring everything but the kitchen sink, though because then you will have too many choices and will over think it.

 

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3. Group shelf decor items together

Group your shelf decor items together close by so you know what you have to work with. Then you can play around with different options.

Some of the decor I like to use to decorate shelves:

• smaller vases
• small baskets
• picture frames
• decorative items such as wooden boxes
• your favorite books – vintage is my favorite 
• faux plants
• small sculptures
• artwork or family photos
• pottery

4. Choose a color palette.

Have a color palette planned out. This will help to give it a cohesive look. Too many colors can overwhelm the eye so keep it to 1-2 and neutrals. What is your inspiration piece for the room? Here I used the small art pieces on this hutch to pull out the greens and yellow for summer.

 

 

 

You can also create a monochromatic color scheme like this shelf display with the book spines turned around. This is a great example. 

 

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Here, I chose to use all white pitchers in this hutch for a clean look.

 

 

5. Pay attention to scale. 

Make sure the pieces are to scale and they are not all small or large pieces. Have a variety so the eye moves around.

 

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6.  Place larger items first.

When you place the larger items first, you can go back and then fill in with smaller pieces.  Don’t crowd the space – you need to give the eye a rest as it moves from one thing to another. You can also give your eye a break with one large item. If you are doing just one shelf, start with an anchor piece and although I like to center it most of the time, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the middle. You can see this project here.

 

 

Or here…

 

 

If you are enjoying this post, check out my new e-Book, BeYOUtiful Interiors. 

7. layer pieces front to back.  

 

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8. Create visual triangles. 

 

 

If you do have one piece, it should be large enough to stand on it’s own like the toolbox above. 

9. Use different heights.

Make sure you don’t have everything the same height in one line across on a shelf.  When you vary the heights and use tall objects mixed with smaller items, it creates visual interest and your eye has something to bounce around to.  

 

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11. Use pieces in groups of odd numbers.

For some reason, odd numbers always seem to look better on any surface really. It also helps with build out the triangle you are trying to create. 

 

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12.  Use a variety of textures.  

Using different textures adds visual interest. Have enough textures/materials to make it interesting but not too many that make it look too busy. I mixed in the floral prints here and used greens and the basket and rope for texture.

 

 

 You may also like:

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13. Use books for height.

For you book lovers, (I am!), books are a great addition because they are a wonderful way to add height as well as texture as well as pops of color. Place small objects on top of a stack of books.

 

 

14. Add in artwork or family photos.

Art is perfect for shelf decor (especially when it’s thrifted) because it can act as your inspiration piece, your height and layers when you need it as well as add a pop of color.

Why not hang a picture on the back of the cabinet or book shelf?

 

 

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15. create a curated look.

Be sure to use a “personality piece” or something with meaning. Think of it as a conversation piece. I love these binoculars or the door handle on this industrial shelf.

 

 

16. Don’t over fill it. 

It’s always a good idea to leave enough empty spaces (negative space) so that it’s not too overwhelming.

 

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17. Look for balance. 

Make sure one side of the shelf is not visually “heavier” than the other unless there are multiple shelves and you balance it up and down. 

So there are 17 tips for decorating shelves like a pro. Take a step back every now and then and look and see how everything comes together.  You’ll discover that you will find your own groove and eventually your “style” or look. Remember, it should be what you like and you need to create your own “younique” space.

Decorating shelves by room: 

How to decorate shelves in the kitchen.

 

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Living room.

 

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If you have an open shelf, you could create a gallery wall and just use different size pieces of art.

 

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Dining room.

 

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How do you decorate shelves in a bedroom? 

 

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For bedroom shelves, you can use the same type of decorative objects you use in the living room but maybe have a few more personal items or functional items like a beautiful brush and mirror. 

PIN IT FOR LATER!

 

 

You don’t have to be an interior designer to have beautiful spaces. I hope you found these bookshelf decor ideas helpful and will use some of these tips in your own home. Do you have a specific way you decorate your shelves or a go to method? How do you make it your own? Leave a comment below. 🙂

Happy decorating! 

Col

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