There are a few topics that I could never talk too much about, and shelf styling is probably in the tops. Not only are there so many different ways of styling shelves, but it is an excellent way of getting creative and breathing some new life into a space.
Finding balance
Like a lot of my interior styling, my approach to styling shelves is very much intuitive. But just because I go for what feels right rather than follow a checklist, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t a couple of musts for shelf styling in order to reach beautifully looking shelves (both together and separately).
The first is to start with an empty space, and visualise each shelf both separately and as pairs. A way to do this is to decorate one at a time and then step back, look at them as a whole. You want them to complement each other but also be able to stand on their own – finding that balance.
Group strategically
When working with open shelves, we, unfortunately, lose the barriers from cabinets. As such, make sure to group strategically to avoid making the shelves looking too uniformed.
Textures & tones
I am a big fan of blending textures and colours. I know this can be very tricky and sometimes it is safer to go with plain and neutral things. But, blending tones and textures helps create different lines for the eye, avoiding too much of the same thing. A good way to detect if you have clustered things of the same colour together is to take a picture of your shelves and evaluate. Is there a balance?
Styles
Not only do I like mixing different materials, textures and colours, but I also like mixing styles such as modern pieces with vintage ones, a sculpture with old stacked books, a leaned picture frame next to some greenery. This differentiation between styles brings depth to the shelves.
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