Decorate A Small Bookshelf, step by step
More than a few readers have asked for some bookcase-styling pointers & tricks. Of course there is more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to this subject, but this is our take on an frequently agonizing task. In terms of placing items on a bookshelf, there is no cut and dry formula. You simply have to play around with things and keep an eye on the overall composition. Do you have too many small items that look cluttered and busy? Try switching them out for a few bigger pieces. Do you have one heavy item that makes the whole arrangement feel unbalanced? Place a similarly sized object on the other side of the bookcase, even if it is not on the same shelf (you are going for balance, but not matchy-matchy symmetry).
This is the bookcase in our sunroom (it is in fact an exact match to our green bookcase in the living room pictured a few images down). We used the wicker basket to subtly counterbalance the folded blankets on the other side of the shelf below, and we used white, tan and blue objects to keep everything looking cohesive.
Here are a few straightforward steps to run through when it comes to styling a bookcase, a wall of built-ins or even some open shelving in your home:
1. Clear everything off so you have a blank canvas. Keeping things where they are might feel like a short cut, but you will truly get a much better result with a total reset so you do not spend hours fine tuning when you could be rebuilding things from scratch with a newer, stronger foundation.
2. Begin by adding your biggest items. Ideally you will have a good amount of similarly sized and colored large objects, like a few stacks of hardcover books or a group of rectangular wicker baskets. Placing these items in staggered (but not predictable) places will create the foundation for your new arrangement. Displaying them in an obvious zig-zag pattern is a big no-no, but creating a seemingly random pattern that still feels balanced left to right and top to bottom is the goal. Covering books with craft paper is a time consuming project, but it can truly unify mismatched spines for a chic display that looks eons more cohesive (you frequently see this in catalogs like Pottery Barn). It is certainly not necessary, but if it is your thing it can make a big difference.
3. Next add the medium sized objects. Fill some of the empty spaces with items like planters, vases, or smaller lacquered or wooden boxes. We typically suggest eliminating picture frames since they can be a bit jarring and they never match perfectly with each other so they tend to look more like clutter than items like woven baskets, books, plants and vases- which all look quite textural and decorative.
4. At last, add the smallest items. Perhaps three glass candle holders, a shell ball, and some white faux-coral. You will notice that a few big items may look much better than a bunch of little items (which swiftly become “clutter”) so although this step is “add the smallest items” it is essential to note that we are not suggesting that throwing a ton of small things in at the end will look good! And when in doubt, replace a few small items with a bigger piece and evaluate whether the bigger piece is the right way to go. Hint: it typically is.
5. You will also want to note the color or material of the objects that you are displaying. If you step back and there is one red vase that sticks out like a sore thumb, remove it. If you notice that one side of the bookcase has a lot of mercury glass while the other side has a lot of natural woven baskets, switch a few things around. It is essential to mention that sometimes grouping like objects is the way to go (three glass candlesticks can have more presence when they are grouped together than when they are spread across the bookcase looking spindly and lonely). So it is fine to keep like with like, simply try to position something of a similar size, color, or material somewhere on the other side of the bookcase for balance. Our pale green bookcase in the living room is a pleasant reminder that keeping everything within a similar color palette can make displaying things downright straightforward.
6. Go back and forth. You typically do not want anything too similar above or below each shelf. For example, if you have a stack of books with a votive candle on top, the next time that occurs on the bookcase should not be above or below it in the same vertical line. It should shift from one side of the bookcase to the other- nothing too predictable or obvious of course, but keeping things moving around from side to side makes for an interesting arrangement.
7. Step back and truly “see” everything. Do not get discouraged if you are not there yet. The essential thing is that you are on your way, and you are noting things like balance, color and scale- all of which can make or break an arrangement. If you step back and notice all the big items seem to be on the bottom shelves while the top shelves look a bit sparse, move some of the bigger things up so they feel balanced right to left, and top to bottom. You might see holes that need to be filled or areas that are too crowded and could use some thinning out. Do a bit of fine tuning and reevaluate. If everything is starting to look too balanced and static simply randomly shift things (and perhaps even remove some objects) for a less predictable look. The goal: off-key balance that looks effortlessly stylish… like “oh we simply threw this together.” That being said, an effortlessly stylish bookcase can take hours to get right, so work hard and then act like you simply threw it together!
What about you folks? Do you have any pointers and tricks to add to the mix? Any particularly sexy bookcases you’d like to link to? Share and share alike!
For a truly tasty bookcase, check out this one that was lately featured on Apartment Therapy. It is functional and there are certainly some repeated shapes and materials, but they are placed in a seemingly offhanded yet totally balanced way!
