If you’re anything like me, you love home decor and one design feature that stands out today is styling bookshelves in your home. I love collecting beautiful photography books and one of the most asked questions I’ve gotten over the years about home decor is tips on how to style bookshelves. I have always loved the look of well-styled shelves as they not only organize but elevate the look in any room. They’re also a great way to display photos, things you may have picked up on travels, and various personal mementos that have special meaning in your and it’s such a great way to show off your life. Now that I have finally organized my new shelves, I have put together a few tips to helps you to style your bookshelves like a pro! These shelves I picked up at CB2 are minimal wall-mounted shelves I installed in my bedroom and contain a mix of books, personal pics, and a few special things I have picked up on my travels.
Of course, there are lots of different approaches you can take depending on your personal style, but the below tips are tricks that I consider must-haves when styling any bookshelf in my home!
Decide on a color palette
First and foremost, you’re going to want to decide on a color palette. If you skip this step your bookshelf can still look amazing, but for a more cohesive, intentional look, I prefer to start off by deciding what my main colors will be. For example, I usually prefer something more on the neutral side, so think tans, ivory or black, white and grey. I also like to bring in some textures like wood or maybe a neutral-colored vase or sculpture (more on that below).
Layer items in one by one
Once you have your color palette down, you’ll want to start gathering/shopping for your decor. This quick list is what I always reference when styling my shelves (or even coffee tables!).
– Accessories – this is where sculptural objects come in or any artwork you want to showcase
– Books – think about coffee table style books here. Don’t be afraid to take off the covers.
– Candles – you can never go wrong adding a luxury candle or incense. These are my fave!
Once you have everything gathered, start layering items in one by one. I usually rearrange and move things from shelf to shelf several times before finally landing on an arrangement I like. Don’t be afraid to play!
Add a personal touch
If you have family photos you want to use to make your decor a little more personal, find a frame that matches your color scheme. I also recommend printing any photos in black and white so you don’t have to worry about colors clashing – unless the colors in your photo happen to match the vibe of your shelf. I also love keeping a Polaroid on hand to take more in the moment pics:)
And that’s it! Easy right? Let me know if you have any other questions on this and I’d be happy to help!
// shop the shelves //
// shop the outfit //