Apparently styling your shelves is a “thing”.  It’s a pursuit unto itself.  I understand that for some there is a level of perfection that is expected with shelf styling.  Oh, I had no idea.  That is- until recently.  Recently for me, means in the last 6 months or so.  Perhaps I have been living under a white chippy piece of furniture.  It’s possible.

However, I have always loved to style shelves before it was a “thing”.  It was something that I did for fun.

So, today, I wanted to share some strategies for creating your own shelfie.  Here is a list of some easy techniques to use.

1. Collections of anything look good together.  Examples include bottles, picture frames, ironstone pieces, and candlesticks.  Oh and books!

2. Add some texture.  Texture slows down the eye.  It gives the eye something to momentarily linger over.  Texture can include dried flowers, woven baskets, macrame, dried grasses, crocheted blankets, wood, rope or even the nubby fabric of a grain sack.

3. Add some metal.  Examples include: silver, brass, pewter. Group them if possible.

 

 

4. Vary the scale of your items. This is important.  Always start with a few seemingly large items and then fill in with medium and even really small items.  Add a big basket, a big framed work of art, a big vase or a folded blanket.  These larger items will anchor the shelf.  Larger items normally look best toward the bottom of the shelves.

5. Don’t crowd the shelf.  Things need space to breathe.  They show off their best features when they have space.

6. Add something natural.  A plant, some feathers, some dried flowers, some sticks, some rocks or even some shells.  Natural elements bring so much character to a shelf.  They make it more approachable.

 

 

7. Add something old.  Vintage and antique items have so much personality and you are likely to be one of the few people in the world who owns that item.  You definitely can’t run out and easily replace vintage/antique items.

 

 

8.Move items around.  Take them off and reshuffle the remaining items on the shelves.  Switch out pieces. Play around until it looks right to you.

 

9. Try to have a cohesive color scheme.  Perhaps you are influenced by the seasons? Perhaps you have a new find that you want to display?  Find a point of inspiration and use that to guide your color scheme.

 

 

10. Have fun!  There are no real rules.  It’s meant to be a process to be enjoyed.  It’s part of self expression, and the goal is to display things that are meaningful to you.

Thank you for stopping by the blog today to read the latest from Sky Lark House.  Wishing you happy shelf styling.  Tag me on instagram for any shelves you style!  I would love to see them.