Style your shelves like a pro

Shelves offer handy storage in almost any room, from a kitchen to a home office, and allow you to make use of otherwise wasted space like corners. Changing up the contents is a great way to refresh the look, and we have some quick tips to style your shelves like a pro. That doesn’t meant that everything has to be upright, because you want some variety to break things up and add visual interest.

Play around with different configurations of groupings and stacks of books along with objects, like vases or frames. As you’re placing books, pottery, plants, and other objects, you start to get a sense of when it’s coming together. Here’s the main thing about styling your shelves: you don’t want them to be too “perfect,” or else they’ll feel like they belong in a magazine, not your home.

When we photograph our projects, we remove personal photos for privacy reasons, but these are some of the most lovely things to add to your home as decor. This has the added bonus of keeping frequently-needed items right at hand while staying tidy and polished. Header image: Wyndmoor home office by Glenna Stone; Photo by Rebecca McAlpin