How to Thoughtfully Style Shelves

For some reason, styling shelves can be paralyzing for many of my clients.

These concerns  are what I hear most often:

“What do I put here?”

“I don’t want it to look staged.”

“It looks too boring.”

“I want it to look designed.”

“ I want it to represent me/my family.”

“I don’t know how to stack books.”

Here are 4 tips below on how to thoughtfully style your shelves:

1. Play with scale- use different sizes and heights of objects 

2. Integrate various textures to add depth and interest

3. Use complimentary colors to promote calm in the space 

4. Think in ones, twos, threes, and fives when curating a display

5. Display what you like, what you collect, and items from where you’ve been

An interior designer can always help you choose what to display, help you go through what you have, and source what you need.