When it comes to the question of how to style a shelf, this can leave many people breaking out in a cold sweat. We all know and love those beautiful “shelfies” that we see on Instagram and in magazines, but creating them in our own homes is not something that comes naturally to many of us.

However, having a well-styled shelf can be the difference between a room looking really well put together and cared for or neglected and uninspiring. We all know which option we’d rather choose for our own home. Of course, we want our shelving to help us portray who we are and express our personality whilst looking good and attracting attention.

But herein lies the problem. Whilst we do want our shelves to look good, they must also fulfil a practical role. Our shelves are there for storage too so in most cases we can’t simply fill them up with pretty knick knacks with no ither function than decoration.

So how can we style a shelf for maximum impact whilst also being functional? Here are six tips to help you create the perfect shelfie.

1. Seek out Symmetry

When you style a shelf, symmetry is a great tool to use. The human brain actually strives to see things symmetrically. One theory for this is because there is order in symmetry. It reflects harmony and therefore we tend to find it calming and soothing. The aesthetic delight of symmetry can therefore be applied to shelf styling. This makes it much easier on the eye and helps the viewer to relax.

2. Bring in Balance

Having said that, if you go too symmetrical, it can look too prescriptive and quite boring. So we need to make sure that we also bring in balance. Now this can be done on terms of visual weight. By that we mean how much visual space each object takes up and then making sure that this is balanced out in the right places. We don’t want one side of a shelf to feel really heavy while the other side feels empty for example

3. Hold Out For Height

Height is a great way to play with symmetry and balance. We want to make sure that we select objects that are different sizes but also different heights. This will draw the eye along and through the shelves and will create mystery and interest.

You can add height by choosing tall vases or candle sticks. You can place books of varying heights in a group. You can even place smaller objects on a stack of books or on top of a box for added height. Ig grouping similar objects together, make sure they are all of varying heights too. It works best when groupings are kept to uneven numbers too. Three objects together always looks better than two for example.

4. Value Variety

It’s also important to introduce variety when you style a shelf. You don’t want to use all books, or all vases for example. It’s best to mix it up and use a variety of objects from books, vases, candles, and statues, to plants, trinkets, artwork, and decorative objects. You can use anything that helps to tell the story of your life, your family or simply your style. Remember to bring together things of different sizes and heights.

5. Cultivate Contrast

Contrast is also important to bear in mind when you style a shelf. To introduce contrast, you should be looking to use different colours, textures, and materials. So, think about using smooth glass vases, rough ceramic ornaments, hammered metal bowls, moss balls and plants, books with leather covers, wooden trays, and seagrass baskets.

For maximum effect and to make the display look more coherent, choose a colour palette, and stick to it. The shelves that look the most impressive and impactful are those that have been styled intentionally.

6. Provide Practicality

Don’t forget that whilst we do want to style a shelf that is aesthetically appealing, we do also want to make sure that it is still practical. So, bear this in mind when choosing what to put on your shelves. Try to find a good mix of attractive objects that have a decorative purpose and practical objects that serve a functional purpose.

Boxes and baskets can be used to add height, texture, and colour, but they can also be used as storage for papers, cards, photos, and other smaller objects. 

So, if you follow these top tips, you will be able to style a shelf for maximum impact and leave people marvelling at your captivating vignettes. Knowing how to style a shelf means that you can transform floating shelves, built-in shelving, bookcases, and wall shelves into beautiful design features. No matter what kind of shelving that you have, these tips can be applied to help you attain styling success.

If you’ve created a well styled shelf with the help of Honeypot Furniture we’d love to see. Please share on Instagram and tag us with @honeypotfurniture and use our hashtag #BuzzingWithStyle so we can see.

If you are looking for shelves for your home, we have a great selection of shelves to shop.