First, there were gallery walls, now we got open shelving styling !!!
Open shelving is a simple and easy way to give your living room, home office, or bedroom a new lease on life. Open shelve styling can be chic or eclectic depending on the story that you want to tell with all your beloved ornaments.
But arranging those shelves can become a design project in itself from curating your items, figuring out the distance between items, and the pattern you want to create to create visual interest.
So, if you have been staring at those shelves for a few days trying to figure out how to style them and show off your personality. Here are some helpful styling tips that will have you styling like a pro and achieve that perfectly styled shelf.
Add Greenery
Nothing adds a little life to a room like a bit of greenery. A few plants can light up an entire space, adding texture to your shelves and a pop of colour to your room. Look for plants with a visual appeal like succulents, snake plants, or an Asparagus Fern. Fresh or dried flowers will also be a lovely touch of colour and visual interest.
Display your favourite books and magazines
If you are an avid reader, you know how quickly your books and magazines can pile up but that does not mean that all those books and magazines have to become clutter. Use your favourite reads as display pieces for shelving that looks effortlessly put together. Create a colour story with your books to boost your room’s colour palette. If too much colour is not your thing go for a minimal look and just use two or three of your favourite book covers to create a simple yet stylish look.
Create visual interest through height
When arranging your curated items on your shelves make sure that the objects vary in height for a larger visual impact. Whether you choose to display a tall, unique art print, or a sleek, or contemporary vase, be sure to add something that draws your eye upward.
Display items that vary in size
Create a full and finished look by mixing and matching bigger and smaller pieces to create a layered look. Start with a few large staple items, and then accessorizing with smaller, more intricate objects. Combining larger and smaller pieces creates a balanced look. Boxes, baskets, large bowls, and big pictures are great pieces to incorporate either as a foundation or to fill in space.
Keep it neutral
If you have a lot of colourful objects to display or if you’re styling shelves in a room with a bright paint colour, be sure to include some neutrals to tone the palette down. This creates balance and ensures that your shelves do not look too mismatched. You can even try styling entirely in neutrals for a look that feels sophisticated and timeless. When going neutral on your shelves, whites, blacks, beiges, and metallic are always a great choice.
Display leaning art prints and photographs
Leaning your prints can be incredibly stylish on an open shelf. Simply let your prints and photos lean against the wall. Long shelves and small photos or prints also give you the option to group your pieces together. You can mix and match your photos and prints to create your own in-home art shows.
Display items you love
Accessorizing and styling your home is all about telling your story so, display the pieces that you love most. Nothing is better than filling your shelves with the things that are important to you. Show off treasures brought back from your travels or charity shop finds and finish it off with trinkets that you just like.
Home is your place to express who you are so If the items on your shelves speak to you, pique your interests, and reminds you of special experiences. Those items on that shelf will help to create a space that is truly your own and your living room, bedroom, or home office will be a much happier living space.