THE DO’S AND DONT’S - STYLING ESSENTIALS.

Lets break it down on how to style built-in shelves or bookcases.

The best way to begin is to start with a blank canvas, whether it’s a new addition to a space or a complete revamp of what you currently have, starting from scratch gets you to focus on the unit itself and compile exactly what is it you need to fill it up the right way. Allow your space to tell it’s own story.

Typically shelves offer a lot of space to fill so we highly recommend the first ’DO’ is to research on Pintrest ahead of time to see what look you’re trying to achieve.  I personally feel you want to select the right items that are chic, timeless and interesting and the importance of having balance is crucial.

TIP: Style in odd numbers, 3 or 5’s. Don’t be afraid to play around with placement.

‘DO’ select books, and bookends that will compliment the space. You can choose to go with colour or neutral, and layer vertically or horizontally. The more variety of placement can fill the space easily and sometimes just displaying books with the pages out can add lots of texture. Also, faux boxes also add versatility on shelves. Bookends can be the traditional kind or odd items that don’t necessarily match such as different shaped spheres or decorative objects.

‘DO’ groupings in various heights and textures. Add vases, greenery, and decorative bowls as fillers. Vases and bowls are also a great way to use as bookends or on top of horizontal books that are stacked. Greenery and florals add life and colour to the shelf. When adding greenery, faux is always better as it is easier to maintain but if you prefer real, there is a list here of real plants that are hard to kill . Candles and candle holders also add ambience and height to a shelf.

‘DO’ add keep sakes. These could be frames, to family heirlooms or could be something special you picked up on recent travels. It adds visual interest and makes it unique to the space and your family. Even artwork can be incorporated in interesting ways.

‘DONT’ overcrowd the shelves - they DON’T need to be full. You don’t need to break the bank either to have each shelf full. Follow the rule “less is more” and only add the items that you feel fit perfectly for your space.

‘DONT’ match - it’s not necessary. Mixing and matching makes your styling choices interesting and gives depth.

After playing around and seeing what works best together, stand back and make the necessary edits to ensure you have balance on both ends and achieved the look you wanted.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY BLOG POSTS!

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.pinterest.ca/orointeriorsbycs/built-ins-shelving/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-UpraKVVVY

https://thediyplaybook.com/8-tips-buying-home-decor-accessories/

Published By Cristina

Photos courtesy via Pintrest.