Bookshelves are a great way to keep your home organized, but they’re also an important tool in decorating a room. They often become focal points and draw people’s attention, whether you mean them to or not. Because of that many people find it hard to style them the “right” way. There is no one way to style bookshelves, but here are a few simple tips that can help your shelves pop!
Add Larger Items
Having just smaller items on your bookshelf can quickly make it look and feel cluttered. Balance it out by adding a few larger items. When you begin designing, add the bigger items first and then design around them.
Bring in Artwork
Bookshelves aren’t just for books and knickknacks! Add in some fun artwork to help balance them. Or if art isn’t your thing, add some photos for a personal touch. The vertical art will help add dimension to your shelves.
Mix Book Placement
Books add a homey feel to shelves. After all, they are called bookshelves. Don’t just stand them there upright though. Stack them horizontally, vertically, align some to the left and others to the right or center. Mixing up book positions will keep things interesting and balance the weight of a shelf.
Use a Color Theme
Color themes are a great way to bring cohesion to your bookshelf. That doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy books with covers in the same color! It can simply mean using decorative objects in one color palette. You can also turn your books around, so the pages show instead of the spine, which instantly makes them all one color!
Place Smaller Items Last
Once you’ve placed larger items and books start filling in and balancing everything with smaller decorative objects. Don’t be afraid to add a cute bowl on top of a stack of books or a fun potted plan.
Use Rule of Thirds
There’s a basic shelf styling tip which is the Rule of Thirds. This means that your shelf should be one-third books, one-third decorative items, and one-third open space. This is easy guidance to keep your shelves looking balanced and prevent them from getting overstuffed.
Stand Back and Edit
Once you think you’re done, take a few steps back and look at it. Bookshelves are usually viewed from a distance so that’s how you should edit them. Take items off, move them around, and don’t be afraid to play around. Just remember you don’t want your shelves to be too overstuffed.
