I am always in awe when I walk into someone’s home and see that their bookshelves aren’t messy or crammed with books like mine are. Instead, they’ve got books, a few trinkets, and other odds and ends all strategically placed and they’re absolutely gorgeous. I do not have those skills.
So since my own shelves need a little help, I decided to enlist my friend Lauren in helping us all learn about how to making those open shelves in our homes beautiful and functional.
Watch the video below about how we pulled it off or skip down below to see her tips for styling your own shelves.
What are your 5 top five shelving styling tips?
- Shop your current collection – let’s learn to display the pieces we have in our homes whether they are vintage or even souvenirs.
- Color vs neutral – decide what your style is and stick with 3 colors within that genre. There is nothing wrong with a two tone neutral base and pop of color. Or two vibrant colors and a neutral to connect the two.
- Texture and layers add visual interest so add in different elements to make it entertaining.
- Bring in life – plants or flowers are a must when creating in a space.
- Spacing – Don’t clutter one shelf or countertop. Style a bit and take a step back to look at the bigger picture, then repeat until it FEELS right.
Where do people usually go wrong with styling bar carts, shelves, etc?
Clutter, clutter, clutter. Did I forget to mention clutter? Typically we want to showcase everything but everything doesn’t go together. My suggestion is to appease your visual want of change, exchange out certain pieces for the season. Moving into spring/summer…opt for glass or white serve/dishware. Fall/winter? Think about mixed metals and woods. Each piece of your collection will have it’s moment to shine in due time.
I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to Lauren from Toast From the Host for showing us how to decorate open shelving in our homes.
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