5 Tips to Designing a Stylish Shelf Display

When we moved into our new home a few months ago, I was thrilled to finally have built-in shelving – something I’ve always admired in a home. It’s a perfect place to display things that are important to us; mementoes that hold special memories and reflect our interests. As wonderful as it is to have a place to display these items, it takes some discipline to avoid cramming in too much and having it look cluttered. Much like planning a garden, a little forethought goes a long way in creating an interesting, soul-nurturing showcase for our collectibles. Below are some guidelines to help you create an aesthetically pleasing display; hopefully, it will bring you joy every time you look at it:

1. Spotlight the stars: Some of our decorative items are truly treasures, whereas others are really just clutter. I define clutter as anything we don’t use or love in the present moment. Evaluate each item on the basis of how it makes you feel when you look at it. Be brutally honest with yourself; anything that doesn’t make you smile needs to go, including all those gifts you’ve received from well-meaning friends and relatives. The idea here is to put the attention, or the ‘spotlight’, on your ‘star attractions’. Edit well so that there is ample ‘breathing space’ between the items on display, allowing the eye to rest. The less you have on the shelf, the more prominent each piece will appear. 
2. Choose your theme colors: Items in a variety of colors can look too busy and create visual clutter. Think of how you would put an outfit together: Choose one or two colours (different tones) that you love and that work with your décor and then add some items in neutral tones as well. This will create a unified and harmonious feel. I chose blue as my theme color because it soothes me and reminds me of relaxing vacations on the beach. 
3. Add interest: To keep the display from looking bland, add depth and variety. For depth, layer larger, taller pieces at the back, and smaller items at the front where they will be seen. If you don’t have many tall items, consider propping your objects on hard-cover books or a decorative box to give them height and importance. A few larger items look more pleasing than several smaller ones. For variety, group square items with cylindrical ones and vary the sizes. This arrangement creates interest by drawing our eye up and down. The goal is to combine objects in ways that bring out their best.
4. Bring nature in: To add life, introduce items from the outdoors, like shells you’ve collected on vacation, driftwood you’ve picked up at the cottage, or twigs you’ve collected on a walk. One of my ‘nature treasures’ is a heart-shaped stone I found during a walk by the lake. I keep smaller mementoes like that in a shallow bowl on one of the lower shelves; displaying small accessories in plates, trays or pretty baskets unifies the look. Another way of introducing softness and color is by adding potted plants or silk floral arrangements.
5.  Arranged to fit your style:  If you like a traditional look in your home, arrange your accessories in a symmetrical fashion; items should have the same ‘visual weight’ and look balanced. If your home is contemporary, an asymmetrical display would be more suitable. In this case, place items with more ‘visual weight’ on the bottom shelves and lighter ones on the top. 

Keep in mind that the above guidelines are merely suggestions, not hard-and-fast rules. Go ahead and experiment; arrange and re-arrange until it feels just right for you – even professional designers use this trial and error method. Most importantly, play with it and have fun! And don’t forget to let me know about your shelf display success, by adding your comments below.