Styling my office bookshelf was so much fun! I have spent the last 8 months slowly working on completing our downstairs offices – you can view my finished office here! I loved using pieces from my favorite small shops, creating unique shelf styling for for my candles and books and really coming up with a beautifully inviting backdrop to my client calls! It looks so much more professional than my blank white wall, and completes my office. Let’s dive into some tips and tricks to decorating bookshelves simply and easily!
SHELF STYLING: TIPS & TRICKS TO CREATING A BEAUTIFUL BOOKSHELF
Start with your books!
I always place my books strategically on each shelf as my very first step. That way I know what I’m decorating around. I mostly have decorative boots on these shelves – it’s not a bookshelf for reading books. But they’re still bookshelves so I do have books as my main pieces on each bookshelf. I like to stack and set books in varying ways – both horizontal and vertical.
SHOP THE BOOKS:
Utilize different patterns, colors and textures.
I have a general color scheme but added some excitement with patterns and textures. My vases have different patterns, and so do my pictures in the frames! I also have a few different textures that help to create an overall cohesive feel.
Decorate using odd numbers and triangles.
This sounds weird but I swear it works. Try decorating with 3 or 5 things on each shelf – for some reason the odd numbers look best! And triangles are another weird decorating hack. No, we aren’t using REAL triangles but try to shoot for triangle angles with your decorating. It opens up the space and creates an angle that’s pleasing to the eye.
Add varying height to each shelf – and alternate the heights on each shelf.
I like to do a combo of heights on each shelf so that they’re interesting to look at without being total uniform. You can do this with vases, books, frames, candles, plants, etc.
SHOP THE UNIQUE DECOR:
Add artwork or framed pieces for something to catch the eye.
I love adding fun framed pieces of artwork with quotes, photos or texture/designs. They can add personalization to your bookshelf or a little touch of personality. I have a mix of photos, art, and quotes on my bookshelves! The frames add height, too!
Get creative with your storage!
I added storage to the bottom of my shelves so that I had places to continue to store things. Before I moved my office, I had an entire closet I could use for storage. After I transitioned downstairs in our basement, I lost ALL that closet space. So instead, I utilize a dresser for drawer storage, a clothing rack for clothing storage and these pink bins at the bottom of my bookshelf act as additional storage so it hardly feels like I have lost any space at all!
SHOP MY ELYSIA HOME FAVORITES FROM MY SHELVES HERE:
GOLD LEOPARD BOOKENDS | MATCH VASE | EARRING HOLDER
Elysia Home is one of my ALL-TIME favorite small shops to get decor from – they have incredibly beautiful pieces that are unique, fun and add so much visual excitement to a space. 10/10 recommend!
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