Styling built-in shelves can be overwhelming. When we first built our home, I found myself in this very predicament and didn’t know where to start! As I’m often asked for help on this I thought I would write a post on all my tips and tricks. All my built-in decor items are linked at the bottom as well as some of my recommendations!
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Tip #1: Choose Objects with Common Colors, Tones & Textures
When tackling my shelves, I wanted to use natural wood tones/colors, black metals, neutrals, and pops of color with greenery. This helps tie in all the objects to create a cohesive and carefully curated theme.
Tip #2: Choose Objects Based on Size of Your Builtins
For example, our built-in shelves are large and so I chose larger items vs lots of smaller items. Groupings of small items will look cluttered. If you do have smaller shelves, choose smaller items that are just large enough to fill the space proportionally.
Tip #3: Balance Items of Similar Tones, Heights, and Textures
When you find a layout you like on once side of the built-in, you’ll use similar objects to balance it on the other side. To add height to objects, I love to layer old books that you can find at thrift stores like Goodwill. When you put together your display keeping this principal in mind, this will create an aesthetically pleasing display.
Tip #4: Choose Items that are Significant to You
Whether these are sentimental items (frames/photos) or decor that really speaks to you (antiques/timeless decor) this will help so you don’t end up with a bunch of “trinkets.”
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I hope this post on how to style built-in shelves was helpful! If it was or if you have any questions or feedback, comment below and I’ll get back to you 🙂
xoxo, Tracy
Very helpful, thanks tracy!
Thanks so much, Danielle!