How-To Guide for Expert Bookshelf Styling
You walk into your friend's family room that has these fabulous bookshelves that flank the fireplace. They have a neutral color scheme, but are filled with family heirlooms, as well as beautifully, curated pieces. There are some books, but they are not styled in your typical way! They have white covers. The scene feels calm, beautiful and interesting. It's exactly what we all want our shelves to look like when they are complete.
Styling bookshelves takes skill, knowledge and just plain old practice. It can also be fun!
I know we all want some inside secrets to help us create the perfect shelfie! Here are some tips to make it easier and enjoyable!
1. Make Your Selections
First, the best way to start is to complely empty out those shelves. Take it all down! It's so much easier to start with a blank slate than to have to create when there's a lot of stuff on those shelves.
Don't just rearrange what is already there! Walk around your home and pick up items that might be sitting on your coffee table. Open your kitchen cabinets and take out a vase or pretty bowl. Look in your pantry for those baskets that might be storing snacks. Grab some books with jackets (I'm going to give you a great secret for them). Bottom line, look all around. Pick up items you think might not work, but in actuality, make the groupings more interesting. Also, if you have any small, family heirlooms putting them on the shelves is a great idea. If you feel you don't have enough or the right items, go on a mini shopping excursion and find items that you like (or hire a designer to do it for you).
2. Create Item Groupings
Second, begin! What I mean is start putting items on the shelves, but instead of using just one item, put small groupings together. Group three items that might be similar in color on one shelf. On another shelf put three items that might be similar in shape. Spread the groupings out so they balance the shelves. Your groupings can get bigger or smaller.
3. My Secret Weapon For Books
Third, here's a secret for books. When styling books I like to take a hard back book and reverse the jacket. Typically, the inside of the book jacket is white. When you reverse them, it creates a monochromatic backdrop for the items you want to display and lets the objects take center stage. The books allow you to add height and depth into the shelf landscape.
4. Start Layering Your Accessories & Decor
Fourth, I like to start styling on the middle shelf and work my way down and leave the top shelf for last. When I say start, I mean, put one grouping of three in the middle right corner. Then put another grouping of three on the lower shelf in the left hand corner. Next, move to the top shelf and put a grouping or large single item in the middle. Do you see where I'm going? You work your way around all of the shelves, but start in the middle. Use your books to create levels so you can have varying heights throughout the setup.
5. Step Back & Edit
Lastly, you may have to move items around once you stand back and take a look. You want the entire picture to feel balanced and collected. If you have more than one shelf unit in a room you want to make sure they work together. Believe me, when I style my client's shelves I don't get it on the first go round. I continue to edit and get it exactly the way I want it before it's considered done.
It takes time and patience to style your bookshelves. It can be fun, too! Your shelves should reflect you and your family. They should tell a story without words. Getting it right can add depth, meaning and interest to the space.
Have any questions about styling? We would love to hear it in the comments below!
Until next time,
