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Home » decorating » 6 Shelf Styling Tips — Make Shelves that POP!

Abbot Lane, decorating, my home, spring, spring project, summer, summer projects, tutorial · May 18, 2017

6 Shelf Styling Tips — Make Shelves that POP!

Tatertots & Jello is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

6 Shelf Styling Tips – Make Shelves that POP!

I miss the open shelves in my 1905 Cottage. It was so fun to display things on them.

1905 cottage remodel

I also had a HUGE pantry in that home and I was able to display all of my pretty bowls and containers. Our new home doesn’t have any open shelves in the kitchen, but we do have some beautiful open shelves and a pretty wood ladder on wheels in our dining room. It’s been fun to style those shelves for different seasons since we have lived here.

Colorful Happy Home. I'm sharing my love of color through DIY projects in decorating, crafts, recipes and lifestyle to help YOU have a more colorful life! Colorful Happy Home Porch. Easy ways tp decorate your home for Spring.

After I had my #ColorfulHappyHome ephiphany a few weeks ago, I thought it would be nice to incorporate some color into this room. There is a room makeover happening and I will have details on that SOON! But in the meantime I thought I would share a little COLORFUL update on the room, PLUS a few ideas on how to style shelves that are pretty, interesting and can showcase things that you love!

6 Shelf Styling Tips make Shelves that POP! 

6 Shelf Styling Tips make Shelves that POP!

6 Shelf Styling Tips make Shelves that POP! 

1. Keep Things Simple.

Cluttered bookshelves look busy and distracting. So instead of displaying everything you own on your shelves, thoughtfully consider items that you really love. You can always change things out and rotate through your treasures. Also don’t fill up every single bit of your shelves. Leave open space, it will give the eye room to breathe.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

2. Stick to a main color scheme.

You know I LOVE color. But stick to 1,2 or three main colors. The overall look will be much calmer. For my shelves, I stuck with a plain white background. I brought in bright pink as my accent color and I have that color in a few places on the shelves.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

6 Shelf Styling Tips make Shelves that POP! 

3. Display collections together.

I put all of my white candlesticks together on one shelf, and all of my cake plates together on another shelf. This makes a big statement and really showcases your collection.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

4. Display items at different heights.

For example my candlesticks are all different heights that this creates interest. Another example are the wood patterned trays I have on two of the shelves. I put them on shelves on top of each other to display them together, but I displayed one vertically and one horizontally and this is a little tiny surprising detail.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

5. Add natural elements.

I always add something that is alive when styling my shelves. If you have a black thumb like me you can add “faux” foliage as long as it can pass for real LOL! In this room I also have a succulent garden which brings in a beautiful natural element and creates the illusion of the outdoors.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

6. Add something metallic.

Something reflective will add a new dimension to the shelves. It also creates the illusion of more light and space. I LOVE mirrors in my home, much more than traditional art. Mirrors are kind of like empty space but they make every space appear lighter and larger. In these shelves I added a couple of mirrored elements. I added a silver shiny serving platter in front of the cake plates on the right shelves. I also displayed some mercury glass votives on a cake plate on the shelf opposite to draw the eye to both sides of the room.

6 shelf styling ideas for shelves that POP. Easy eays to make your shelves SHINE!

6 Shelf Styling Tips make Shelves that POP! 

I am still working on these shelves. A few other things I want to do are — bring in more of the hot pink color on the shelves. Another fun idea to switch up the look of shelves is to add color behind the shelves. I did this in the open shelves in my old house. I took cabinet doors off and I cut a piece of plywood to fit behind the shelves and then I wrapped fabric or wallpaper around that piece of plywood to easily change up the background of the shelves. I loved it!

Summer Open Shelf Decorating

Navy Open Shelves 

Halloween Open Shelves 

I did this same type of thing in my closets upstairs in this new home. I took pieces of foamboard and wrapped fabric around them and then put them behind the shelves in my closets. It’s the same type of idea and it’s much easier to change out than wallpapering or painting behind your shelves.

Closet Makeover with Fabric. Create "faux" wallpaper for the fraction of the price iwth panels that can be changed out. All the no-sew details.

Faux Fabric Wallpaper Closet Shelves 

Here are a few other shelf display ideas I have created:

black and white decorating

black and white decorating

Black and White Shelf Decorating

Party Shelves 

Have a GREAT day!!

xoxo

PS — I had some big news over the weekend and I had some readers say I should blog about it.

big news

 

Posted By: Jen · In: Abbot Lane, decorating, my home, spring, spring project, summer, summer projects, tutorial

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Comments

  1. Marty says

    June 9, 2017 at 12:44 PM

    Congratulations- you both look so happy! New beginnings are a good thing!

    • Jen says

      June 14, 2017 at 9:01 PM

      Thank you Marty!!

      xoxo

  2. marcia says

    June 9, 2017 at 8:16 AM

    Hi, I am brazilian. It’s a pity that we live in different worlds , yours is wonderful and your blog is really pretty.

  3. Susan says

    May 23, 2017 at 1:29 PM

    I’m so glad that I scrolled all the way to the end (I’m usually a skimmer). Congrats!! He’s a very lucky guy. 🙂

  4. Shelton says

    May 22, 2017 at 4:06 AM

    I have been checking out a few of your articles and i can state clever stuff. I will make sure to bookmark your website.

  5. Sarah says

    May 18, 2017 at 9:52 AM

    Congratulations! I’ve following you for years and I’m so excited for you!

    • Jen says

      May 18, 2017 at 9:54 AM

      Thanks Sarah!!

      It’s been a hard journey but we are all so excited about the future!!

      xoxoxo

  6. Nicole Maki says

    May 18, 2017 at 9:52 AM

    Congratulations, Jen! I’m so happy for you!

    • Jen says

      May 18, 2017 at 9:54 AM

      Thank you Nicole!!!

      xoxoxoxo

  7. Karyn says

    May 18, 2017 at 6:34 AM

    Congratulations on your engagement Jen!!!! So happy for you!

    • Jen says

      May 18, 2017 at 9:56 AM

      Thank you so much Karyn!

      xoxooxxoox

Hi! I'm Jen Hadfield. I'm a mom of 5 restoring an 1891 home in the heart of Salt Lake City. I love being creative and sharing simple ideas to make your life easier and more beautiful!

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