I love styling a shelf, it’s probably one of my most favourite things about interiors. If there is a shelf or a surface that needs styling, I’ll be there. But I also know that a lot of people struggle with what to display on a shelf and how much/little should be on there. So how do you style a shelf? I thought it would be useful to share my basic tips…

Before You Start: What Makes a Shelf Look “Done”

How do you know when a shelf is ‘done’? There are a few tips and tricks that I use to get that perfect shelf.

• A ‘hero’ or ‘anchor’ piece. This item will be the main focus of the shelf. Probably likely to be the tallest, or definitely the most dominant item. The rest of the shelf is styled around this piece.
• Height – well, varied height. You need to give the eye something to follow, to travel with. Ensure that you have low, medium and tall pieces in your grouping.
• Odd numbers. I use this through my styling. Groups of 3 or even 5 always look more natural than a pair or four of something. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
• Texture. Try to vary the textures displayed. For example, next to a ceramic piece, a woven basket with a plant, or a small stack of books would help break things up and create interest.
• Greenery. Plants or flowers add a living element to a shelf (even if, like mine, they are fake!), they feed into both the height point (trailing plants look fantastic) and the texture point.
• Depth layering. Ensure that you have pieces at the front, middle and back of your shelf, rather than all in a row. Again, it gives much more depth and interest to the eye.
• Space. Last but not least (although I’m not so good with this one, LOL), breathing space is as important as filling it. Leaving some space ensures that your shelf looks intentional, rather than just you running out of space and needing somewhere to put things.

The Layering Method — How to Style a Shelf Like a Designer

The secret to a shelf that looks curated rather than cluttered is all down to layering. Start with your tallest items and arrange them nearer the back and middle, then add in your mid-height pieces as you move forward. Then your lower items at the front to anchor things. If you have any trailing plants, then placing them nearer the outer edge of your shelf helps to balance things out. I read somewhere that if you think of it like a landscape, back, middle, and front. Keep that in mind when you next style a shelf, or look at a shelf you have and see if it follows this method.

How to Arrange Books and Decor on a Shelf Without It Looking Busy

I love to use books alongside decor to style a shelf, as they are so versatile. A quick tip is to ensure that they sit within a similar colour palette to create cohesion. Look for books you already own whose spines (I like to remove the outer book cover if they have one, as it’s usually a little plainer and has a nice matte texture) tone in well with the other items you will be displaying. If you have a tall vase or ceramic piece, stacking 3 books flat, spines facing out, adds not only texture but also height variation. If you need to create height, you can stack the books upright, or again sit them flat and put a smaller item on top.

Floating Shelf Decor Ideas That Actually Work in Real Homes

We see hundreds of floating shelf ideas on Pinterest, which have all been carefully curated and probably with a much larger budget than us normal folk, and no need for real practicality, such as storage. The trick for floating shelves is to resist filling every inch (again, this is the bit I struggle with) and leave some breathing space. Depending on the size of your floating shelf, simply a plant (or two), a couple of objects with different textures, and something that adds height are enough to make it intentional.

Living Room Shelf Styling: How to Make It Feel Intentional, Not Accidental

A living room shelf does a lot. It needs to be decorative yet functional, and is usually the first thing people see when they walk in. Editing is the important thing to remember! It’s the difference between a styled shelf and a dumping ground. Take a hard look at everything on the shelf; not everything needs to be on display. Maybe it’s time to remove that item that looks really out of place, but is only there because there was nowhere else to put it at the time.

How to Style a Bookcase Without Losing All Your Books

Less is more in this case. The focus should be on the books, so don’t overstyle. The occasional object can help break up a long run of books if needs be. If your books allow it, then colour blocking is a fantastic way to style your bookshelf. Also, as mentioned before, some height variation works well to create rhythm (some vertical, some horizontal stacks). A bookshelf should be thoughtfully arranged, rather than styled with lots of objects; it will always look better!

How to Style Open Shelves in a Kitchen or Alcove

Smaller shelves such as those found at the end of a run of kitchen units, or in our case, a funny little ‘window’ halfway up the stairs, or a weird ‘nook’ in the office. Using the principles mentioned above, just a few simple pieces can make all the difference. Plants, candles and unique pieces can really add some character to small spaces. Carefully selected cookbooks in a kitchen add a practical element whilst still keeping with the style.

Shelf Styling for Beginners: The Mistakes Worth Avoiding

The most common mistake made isn’t what you put on your shelf, but how much!. Too little and it looks bare, too much and it’s looks overcrowded. The second mistake is being a little too ‘matchy matchy’. Identical heights, colours and textures don’t give anything for the eye to focus on and travel along. And lastly, styling your shelf and leaving it… Take time to refresh and re-eit your shelf. I would always re-style for Christmas anyway, so take the time in January to re-fresh your shelf, maybe re-arrange or add/remove a few pieces to freshen it up. Think of it as a living display.

How to Style a Shelf on a Budget (Without It Looking Cheap)

My favourite thing. I don’t think I’ve ever spent very much on styling my shelves. It’s all the things I’ve collected over the years. Charity finds, boot sales finds, pieces borrowed from another room, supermarket steals. I’m always on the lookout for things that might look nice. Start at home and scour your home for pieces that might look nice. When unpacking a box of books the other day, I found a book that will be the perfect blue for our blue and white spare room, so it was put to one side for when I’m ready to finish the room.

Your Shelf, Your Rules — How to Make It Feel Like You

The most important thing for me with shelf styling is ensuring it has your personality stamped on it. If your style is minimalist and clean, then your shelf should reflect that, so you may add a little more ‘space’ and not quite so much colour variation. Or maybe you are a bit of a maximalist, in which a little less space will reflect you more. Love colour?! Inject that into your shelf, and show your true self. When it comes down to it, a shelf should make you smile when you enter the room.

So, there are my tips for how to style a shelf. I hope that it has given you the confidence to get styling! I’d love to see some pics of your shelves. Make sure you tag me on socials, and for any questions, just ask in the comments below.

Fay x

The post How to Style a Shelf: The Simple Layering Method That Works appeared first on How Felicity Finds.