Design 101: How To Style Shelves Like A Pro
Have you ever caught yourself staring at an empty shelf in your home wondering what to do with it? Whether it’s a bookcase in your office, a spare shelf in the guest room or an empty shelf in the living room, our in-house stylists are here to give you the do’s and don’ts so you can learn how to style shelves like a pro.
Table of Contents
Step One: Playing with Colour & Theming
Before adding anything to your shelf, it’s important to take a step back and consider the big picture. Start by choosing a cohesive colour palette by mixing and matching tones that complement your home’s aesthetic.
Consider the wall colours, accent walls, furniture, fixtures and finishings that you want to echo in your shelf styling. Is there a certain painting that is currently the focal point in that room? Is there a feature rug that you can pull colours from? Or a colourful couch you want to take inspiration from? By continuing the design story already present in your home, you can create a more cohesive look and feel to the shelf design.
After analysing the colours in the space, we recommend deciding on 2-3 colours to integrate into your shelf styling. Pick 1 main accent colour and 1-2 neutral colours to complement it. By creating a vision for your shelf before styling, it will make choosing decorative touches a whole lot easier later on!
Step Two: Pick Your Decorative Pieces
After selecting your shelf colour palette, it’s time to pick your favourite styling pieces to adorn your shelves! Don’t know what pieces to incorporate into your shelf? This checklist is a great starting point for making sure you have enough decorative pieces to fill your shelves without causing clutter:
- Candles and candle holders
- Photo frames
- Souvenirs
- Vases
- Pottery & ceramics
- Decorative bowls
- Decorative trays
- Storage baskets and bins
- Plants, greenery, flowers
- Sculptures and figurines
- Books
But before diving into an online shopping spree and adding a range of items to cart, there are also a couple of considerations to think through when it comes to decor:
Add A Personal Touch
Nothing makes a design seem boring than a shelf missing personal touches! Your shelf design should be a reflection of your own personal style and a curated collection of decor that you love.
We recommend putting personal items on display such as framed photos, children’s artwork, travel souvenirs, memorabilia or sentimental pieces to instantly elevate your shelving design. It is also the perfect talking point for guests!
To start, take a walk throughout your home and find your favourite picks. Try getting out the old photo albums, using pictures off the fridge and curate some personal pieces you would proudly put on display. From here you can see the gaps in your styling touches and what you will need to purchase to complete your shelf styling.
Maximise Functionality
Another key aspect when it comes to shelf styling is functionality! It’s perfectly fine to have a shelf that looks good but if it’s not functional for everyday use, it’s not worth investing in for your home.
We recommend using practical pieces like storage baskets, storage boxes, closed-lid containers and file organisers to keep larger clutter out of sight (and out of mind!). For everyday essentials, arrange these stylishly using decorative trays, bowls and bookends that are easily accessible if you need to grab and go.
Step Three: The Art Of Balance
Now you have curated your decorative pieces and colour theme, it’s time to style your shelf! Creating professionally styled shelves is all about the art of balance between shapes, heights, colours and textures. A balanced shelf should feel intentional, effortlessly styled and visually appealing instead of overcrowded and overwhelming.
The general rule of thumb to balance design pieces is to start with heavy items at the bottom of your shelving unit to ground and anchor the design. This will set the tone for the entire shelf arrangement. Common items for the bottom of your shelving unit include storage baskets, storage bins or stacked books. This section is also an easy way to incorporate functional pieces into your styling that you can use to hide clutter.
Next, use books, vases, small decorative boxes, bowls, and sculptural elements in the lower to middle shelves to create movement. This draws the eye from heavier items to lighter decorative accents seamlessly.
Then, for the middle to upper shelves use light touches such as candles, small, framed art greenery and open space. Remember to try not to fill every inch of your shelf with decor! Leaving breathing space between layers and decorative elements can reduce the risk of creating a cluttered look and gives all styling pieces a time to shine.
This simple rule ensures you balance out your shelf styling, mix height and shape as well as visual weight to create a beautiful design. Want to dive into each element further? Our in-house stylists detail their must-have tips for creating height and shape as well as balancing visual weight:
Height, Shape & Size
Mixing different shapes, sizes and heights will create movement and naturally draw the eye across the shelf:
- Start by using tall objects like vases, candlesticks, framed art, tall sculptures or stacked books to add height. Don’t have a lot of tall items? Lay books flat with a candle or sculpture to create height.
- Then, layer shorter objects in front to create depth and dimension using decor such as candles, bowls, knick-knacks and pottery.
Be sure to consider the shapes used on your shelves too! Try use different shapes like round bowls, angular books, sculptural pieces and ceramics to break up straight lines for fluidity.
A tip from our stylists is to use the triangle method. This involves styling items in a triangle shape with one tall item, a medium item next to it and a small item in front to keep the eye moving across the shelf. This adds movement and a more dynamic flow to your shelf styling.
Visual Weight
The term ‘visual weight’ refers to the visual force an element has that attracts the eye. For example, of one side of a shelf has too much visual weight with large design elements or heavy accents, it can make the entire arrangement feel out of balance and lopsided. This can be caused be a range of factors like dark colours, bulky items or tall pieces that draw the eye.
To ensure there is balance in the visual weight of your shelves be sure to:
- Mix the dark and bold items between shelves so they’re not concentrated in one area
- Complement heavy pieces like large vases, storage baskets and file holders with light accents such as glass decor or open space
- Use asymmetry and contrast between stacked and standing items such as books to create variety and visual movement
A popular formula to assist with weight distribution is called the pyramid technique. This involves incorporating similar sized items on one shelf to create a seamless line for your eye to follow. Then, on the next shelf place a taller item in the centre and two shorter decorative pieces on either side followed by a shelf with similarly sized items to create a visual pyramid of decorative touches. Alternatively, use a mix and match approach of utilising one large decor piece, clusters of two and clusters of three to break up the shelving unit in a visually pleasing way.
Step Four: Layering For Depth
Once you have your initial shelf design laid out using the three-fold formula of bottom, middle and top, it’s time to layer your elements to create depth and dimension.
Overlap items:
A top tip is to place items towards the back of the shelf to add instant dimension. We recommend leaning or hanging framed art or prints overlapping each other at the back of the shelf behind key accent pieces.
Other options include stacking books or trays as a base layer and adding objects in front or behind. By overlapping elements, this can naturally guide the eye through the shelf display to make the styling feel layered rather than falling flat.
Mix and match textures:
Depth isn’t just about layering pieces, it’s also about texture too! Try adding mirrors to reflect light and create the illusion of more space. Or add decorative panels behind the shelving to introduce texture and contrast.
Another option is to mix different fibres like woven baskets, ceramics, wood and glassware to create a cohesive look and feel to your shelf design.
Step Five: Take A Step Back
Once you have completed styling your shelf, it’s time to take a step back and see if there is anything that needs to be removed. In styling, this is called ‘editing’ your design and is an important part in the process to completing a space.
You might identify areas lacking depth or a space where a clutter of design elements at the same height are making the styling fall flat. Continue editing your shelf styling until you are happy with the final look and feel!
Here are some initial questions to ask yourself at this stage:
- Does the arrangement feel visually even?
- Is there enough variety in height, shape, and colour?
- Are some areas too cluttered while others feel too empty?
Common Shelf Styling Mistakes to Avoid
Now we’ve covered how to style a shelf like a pro, it’s time to touch on some styling mistakes to avoid:
- Overcrowding the shelf: Neglecting negative space gives no breathing room for the eye to rest between decorative elements.
- Too many similar-sized objects: This makes the shelf look too structured and uniform lacking any depth and dimension that makes a shelf visually appealing.
- Ignoring depth: Placing everything neatly in the same row makes your shelf feel one-dimensional. Be sure to overlap and layer decorative elements to transform the look and feel.
- Using too many small decorative pieces: This can cause unnecessary clutter on the shelf. Try balancing out with larger statement pieces to allow for more breathing room.
Transform your shelf design with our curated collection of homewares
By following these simple steps, you are ready to style any shelf like a pro. We hope our insider tips and tricks have given you some helpful advice when starting to style your shelves. Be sure to head in-store and speak to our friendly team if you have any more styling questions!
Can’t seem to find the perfect pieces to complete your shelf styling? Pillow Talk has a variety of premium homewares to fill your shelves with decorative elements that reflect your signature style. Shop the range online or in-store today to transform your shelf styling.
