How to Decorate a Bookshelf

Give your shelf a personal touch with non-book items., Know how to group items in a visually interesting and appealing way., Give your shelf some texture by adding baskets., Stack small statues and other trinkets on top of the books., Layer objects...

7 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Give your shelf a personal touch with non-book items.

    Shelves don't have to be just for books.

    Consider leaving large gaps on each shelve, and filling the empty space in with something else from around the home.

    Be sure not to get carried away, however, or your shelf will look cluttered and disorganized.

    Here are some ideas:
    Add a low maintenance plant, such as a: aloe, English ivy, heart-leaf philodendron, jade plant, moth orchid, peace lily, pothos, snake plant, and spider plant.Add a fishbowl with a betta fish in it.

    Betta fish are colorful and low maintenance. .

    If you like to collect anything, such as figurines or china, consider putting it on display on your shelf.

    Place photographs and artworks in frames, and set them on your shelf.

    Add something metallic for eye-catching sparkle.

    If you don't have anything metallic, then choose a figurine and paint it using silver, gold, or bronze spray paint.Add a mirror to create depth.

    You can either place the mirror against the back of the shelf, or place a small, framed mirror on top of a stack of books.
  2. Step 2: Know how to group items in a visually interesting and appealing way.

    Try to group items in odd numbers, such as groups of three or five.

    Also, consider placing large and small items together.

    This sort of contrast will keep the eye moving around.At the same time, consider placing similar items together.

    For example, if you have a shell collection, try to keep them all on the same shelf. , You can also store items inside the baskets, such as magazines, or crafting supplies, such as yarn and fabric.Baskets come in all different shapes and sizes.

    Here are some ideas to get you started:
    Add some cube-shaped baskets that are the same height as the spaces between the shelves.

    Use these baskets to store items you don't want on display, such as crafting supplies or video game controls.

    Use tray-shaped baskets for storing magazines; they will also make the magazines easier to see and to reach.

    Use round or bowl-shaped baskets to store bulky items that you may want displayed, such as colorful, homespun yarn or potpourri. , Tiny globes, decorative bookends, and small statues are just the right size for bookshelves, and they can help make things more interesting too., Consider placing a large, flat object towards the back of the shelf, and a smaller, bulkier object in front.

    This will add some depth to your bookshelf.Here are some ideas to get you started:
    If you have a a photo of your family at the beach and some shells from the beach, place the photo in a frame towards the back of the shelf, and arrange the shells in front.

    If you have a flat vase or decor item, place that towards the back of the shelf, and place a bulky item, such as a bust or plant, in front of it. , If you can, carefully lift the shelf up and take it out of the bookcase.

    Take the pegs that the shelf was resting on out of the bookcase and put them into a different hole (most bookshelves should have holes drilled to the inside wall; if not, you will need to drill your own).

    Once you have the pegs in their new positions, place the shelf back onto them.

    You can also create horizontal divisions in your bookshelf by cutting a spare shelf into smaller sections, and then sticking those sections inside.
  3. Step 3: Give your shelf some texture by adding baskets.

  4. Step 4: Stack small statues and other trinkets on top of the books.

  5. Step 5: Layer objects in front of each other.

  6. Step 6: Consider rearranging the shelves

  7. Step 7: if possible.Not all of the shelves have to be at the same height.

Detailed Guide

Shelves don't have to be just for books.

Consider leaving large gaps on each shelve, and filling the empty space in with something else from around the home.

Be sure not to get carried away, however, or your shelf will look cluttered and disorganized.

Here are some ideas:
Add a low maintenance plant, such as a: aloe, English ivy, heart-leaf philodendron, jade plant, moth orchid, peace lily, pothos, snake plant, and spider plant.Add a fishbowl with a betta fish in it.

Betta fish are colorful and low maintenance. .

If you like to collect anything, such as figurines or china, consider putting it on display on your shelf.

Place photographs and artworks in frames, and set them on your shelf.

Add something metallic for eye-catching sparkle.

If you don't have anything metallic, then choose a figurine and paint it using silver, gold, or bronze spray paint.Add a mirror to create depth.

You can either place the mirror against the back of the shelf, or place a small, framed mirror on top of a stack of books.

Try to group items in odd numbers, such as groups of three or five.

Also, consider placing large and small items together.

This sort of contrast will keep the eye moving around.At the same time, consider placing similar items together.

For example, if you have a shell collection, try to keep them all on the same shelf. , You can also store items inside the baskets, such as magazines, or crafting supplies, such as yarn and fabric.Baskets come in all different shapes and sizes.

Here are some ideas to get you started:
Add some cube-shaped baskets that are the same height as the spaces between the shelves.

Use these baskets to store items you don't want on display, such as crafting supplies or video game controls.

Use tray-shaped baskets for storing magazines; they will also make the magazines easier to see and to reach.

Use round or bowl-shaped baskets to store bulky items that you may want displayed, such as colorful, homespun yarn or potpourri. , Tiny globes, decorative bookends, and small statues are just the right size for bookshelves, and they can help make things more interesting too., Consider placing a large, flat object towards the back of the shelf, and a smaller, bulkier object in front.

This will add some depth to your bookshelf.Here are some ideas to get you started:
If you have a a photo of your family at the beach and some shells from the beach, place the photo in a frame towards the back of the shelf, and arrange the shells in front.

If you have a flat vase or decor item, place that towards the back of the shelf, and place a bulky item, such as a bust or plant, in front of it. , If you can, carefully lift the shelf up and take it out of the bookcase.

Take the pegs that the shelf was resting on out of the bookcase and put them into a different hole (most bookshelves should have holes drilled to the inside wall; if not, you will need to drill your own).

Once you have the pegs in their new positions, place the shelf back onto them.

You can also create horizontal divisions in your bookshelf by cutting a spare shelf into smaller sections, and then sticking those sections inside.

About the Author

K

Kyle Shaw

Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.

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