This post started from an Instagram comment asking if I’d ever record myself styling a bookshelf so people could watch my process. The responses were overwhelmingly “yes,” so I recorded the session and I’m sharing it here.
My friend Teresa recently had built-ins added to her living room and invited me over to style them. Styling shelves is basically my love language (tied with cheese and shrimp), so I happily accepted. We brought a camera and tripod to capture the process. Below is a photo of the room before, when she still had Ikea bookcases from their previous house.
With help from her dad, Teresa turned that wall into these custom built-ins. They turned out beautifully. The bench seat under the window even flips up to reveal a storage compartment, and there are two large base cabinets for concealed storage on either side.
There’s nothing wrong with Ikea bookcases—they can look great. We’ve had inexpensive freestanding Ikea bookshelves in our office for years and they’ve been wonderful. In Teresa’s case, the Ikea units fit better in their old house, but she and her husband longed for built-ins in this home. Thanks to her handy dad, that dream became reality, and I got to style the shelves.
Much like many design tasks, styling a bookcase has a learning curve. I have a few simple, often-free tips that make a big difference and help you avoid the mistakes I made along the way.
One common question is how many books versus decorative objects you should display. The answer really depends on how many books you want out and what other storage you have. In Teresa’s home they keep other books elsewhere, and the bench seat provides extra storage, so I only displayed the books they wanted visible. The simplest rule: do what feels right for your home.
Now for the video: it demonstrates the entire process—moving items, trying different groupings, and tweaking until the shelves felt right.
Note: if you’re reading in a feed reader you may need to click through to see the player.
The filming portion took about 22 minutes. I also spent roughly 10 minutes beforehand making stacks and groupings on the floor, so the full process was about 32 minutes. It could take longer if you’re new to styling shelves, and the real key is trial and error—move things around until you step back and love the result.
Watch the video to see each tip demonstrated, and here are three additional pointers I thought of after recording.
Initial Prep Makes Things Easier
Before placing anything on the shelves, gather everything you plan to use and lay it out on the floor so you can see it all together. Include books, vases, storage boxes or baskets, plants, picture frames, and other decor. Combine items into larger groupings—stack books horizontally, group similar objects, and create clusters that read as a single unit.
Grouping things ahead of time helps you visualize combinations and speeds up the styling process. In the shoot, I had stacks of boxes and pre-made groupings ready to place, which made the styling flow much smoother. Large items like vases or baskets might not be grouped yet, but pairing books, boxes, and a few small objects before you start is a huge advantage.
Fewer, Larger Groupings Beat Lots of Small Items
I used to scatter many small items across shelves, and it always looked busy and unbalanced. The better approach is to use larger items or to group small pieces together so they read as one larger element. A few large vases, a substantial basket, or sizable stacks of books give shelves presence. When small items are necessary, place them on top of horizontal book stacks or next to boxes so they feel grounded.
If your shelves look cluttered or lack presence, remove some of the tiny objects or combine them into units that appear larger from a distance. This principle works for mantels, tabletops, and open shelving as well.
This Can Be Free and Resourceful
Before buying new decor, check the attic, garage, closets, or kitchen for useful pieces—large vases, bowls, frames, boxes, and storage containers. I often repurpose shoeboxes, bowls, and other household items when staging homes. A little creativity and 30 minutes of rearranging can refresh a room without spending anything.
Using what you have and experimenting with new arrangements can feel like a quick, inexpensive refresh. I recently reorganized our living room built-ins and it still feels like a breath of fresh air every time I walk in.
Bookcases genuinely excite me, and I hope the video and tips inspire you to tweak your shelves. If you enjoy styling built-ins, consider revisiting other posts and resources for more photos and ideas. Small changes and thoughtful groupings can dramatically improve the look and feel of your shelves.
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