An organized and styled bookshelf should feel harmonious, peak interest, and look aesthetically appealing. Styling is a skill that takes patience, practice, and time to master, but I'm here to guide you in becoming the most adept decorator of your household. 

Step #1: Start with a Clean Slate

The first step is to clear your shelves and wipe them clean thoroughly. Next, sort through everything that you took down with the goal of decluttering. Get rid of loose papers, magazines, and loose pieces that don't belong. Be sure to consider item sizes as well. Tiny tchotchkes, while sweet, often aren't the correct scale to include when next to other items you are displaying and can create negative visual space.

Step #2: Group and Organize for Effortless Shelf Styling

Organizing your decor into similar groups is a wonderful way to understand all of your options. For example, one group may consist of candles, another of vases, and another of frames. Once you have sifted and collected, it is helpful to catalog by size.

Step #3: Shape Your Space with Strategic Stying

Generally speaking, I like to begin styling my bookshelves with a few of my largest items. These items should not be placed together but may be set diagonally from each other within the scope of space. Once you have selected these pieces, the next one should be slightly smaller in comparison and placed adjacent to one of those larger items. Repeat this step again, pairing those pieces with another that is now, to some degree, smaller than the other two. 

The goal is to create little triangles within each grouping, with the largest piece set in the back and the other two pieces on either side. Depending on your decor, you'll have to judge how far apart the items should be, but the goal is to make them feel balanced.

Step #4: Be Eager to Edit with Intention

Be eager to edit! After all, modifying is half the fun. When I'm styling a bookshelf, I am constantly pulling and replacing, mixing and matching, tweaking, and repositioning. Depending on your bookshelves, you may also need to include filler items. Filler items may consist of a unique bowl, some greenery, a small basket, or smaller picture frames can be added. 

At this stage, it's just as essential to ensure that you aren't overly abundant with your decor while also staying aware of the overall scale of your items compared to the space of your shelves to make the final look cohesive. Creating moments creates the overall aesthetic flow. Read more about decorating your bookshelves with intention here. 

Some final tips I'll leave you with are to try to stick to one color tone and mix up your textures, shapes, and finishes. For example, a ceramic vase, while beautiful, won't be appreciated when there are five other ceramic pieces within the same display. Remember, when everything matches, nothing stands out. Styling your shelves should be enjoyable. Many, including myself, also find it to be quite cathartic. As always, I'm always here to help!

If you’re still struggling, consider my Local or Online Design Services! My “Pick My Brain” package is perfect for getting started.

Warmly,
Celeste