These styling pitfalls can take your shelfies from fabulous to bland .
Brian McWeeney
style a bookshelf requires a piddling more effort than simply throwing knickknacks and hardcover in one blank space and hoping for the good . It can take time to find the right balance and fend off anoverly adorn display . Once you find the right mix of elements , the result should provide your most treasured detail to shine . While books can certainly be the focus of your shelves , think outside the box , too . you may never go incorrect withdecorating shelveswith item that show off your personality , but there are a few styling mistakes that are worth avoiding . Here are the bookcase styling pitfalls to void .
Credit:Brian McWeeney
1. Only Using Books
It might sound intuitive to keep your bookshelf purely business — and by business , we entail books — but cosmetic items , photos , and ingathering are often the key to put - together shelf styling . Incorporating other objects on your shelf not only gives them more personality but also creates a more well - attack display . A small vase of bloom , a battery - control lamp , special souvenir , and framed art can all come into play .
2. Mixing Too Many Materials
To keep your bookshelves from feeling disorderly , think about materials and how you may keep a sense of coherency . Mixing rustic chemical element like worn books with a pretty blown - glassful vase can create the perfect juxtaposition , but mixing administration , Sir Henry Wood , glass , leather , and ceramic all on one tiny shelf can impart a busybodied feeling that does n’t look quite right . If you ’re work with awall of shelves , reckon spreading the items out for a more cohesive display .
3. Getting the Scale Wrong
Size matters when it add up to styling items . Whether something seems dwarfed among the shelves or takes a capital deal of manoeuvre just to make it set , an item that is n’t quite the right size will stick out like a sore thumb . While it ’s beneficial to have detail of change sizes , finding the proper correspondence is cardinal . To give smaller items more weighting , aggroup them together . As for large items , give them plenty of breathing room for keep the display from feeling too crowded .
4. Keeping It One-Dimensional
Do n’t let your shelves fall level . The key to adding depth and sake to your display is layer . This can mean leaning a small framed print in front of a row of record or usher off a collection of candle holder of varying sizes in front of a small mirror that ’s hold upright on a presentation stand . Get creative and play with your detail until you get hold the correct feel . Consider make a sports stadium - alike effect with taller items in the back and smaller items in the front , rather than have them all mixed together or circularize throughout the display sphere .
5. Not Considering the Back of the Bookshelves
While the emphasis is sure what ’s on the shelves , what ’s behind them matters too . Wallpaper , shiplap , or a splash of paint can all summate personality behind your book and decor collecting . Good lighting can also help delineate out these particular that might otherwise go unnoticed . Illuminate your ledge with depository library lights , pocket-sized lamp , and even taper ( go for shelling - operated if it ’s tight after part ) to show off back - of - ledge details .
6. Arranging Items Too Close Together
One matter that ’s extremely significant to keep in mind when working with open shelves is the fine line between absolutely appoint and disorderly . A quick way to ensure your shelf skew more toward the former is by allowing items and collections to have their own here and now . Creating space or external respiration elbow room throughout your shelves allows your video display to sense more symmetrical and ensures each detail or pigeonholing get its own due . When your shelves become too crowd , that ’s when you wo n’t be able to appreciate those especial item you ’re calculate to display .
7. Over-Styling Your Shelves
In a universe of # shelfies , stand asunder from the crew . Your books can take middle level even if they ’re not utterly color - coded . Creating bookshelves that look perfectly title takes restraint and a skilful center , sogive it time . Start with token that you love and want to take middle stage to avail you keep the focus . From there , tote up in additional items , little by little . If something does n’t feel quite right , take it out . Use your shelves as a space for collecting your most wanted items , and never draw a blank to be on the lookout for new - to - you pieces to add to the display .
