Open shelves have been all the rage recently, and with good reason: They open up our rooms, especially if the natural architecture of the home allows for a lot of natural light, and when styled right, they can be incredibly Instagram-worthy, giving influencers a run for their money.
If you’re into the open shelves trend or bought a home with open shelving, here are some essential and creative tips for designing and styling it properly.
Use natural or reclaimed wood
When your shelves are primarily made of wood, it adds natural warmth and vibrancy to your room, especially in the kitchen. The best part is that this material can look beautiful whether it’s organic or stained, so opting for lumber reclaimed wood can provide a more rustic and farmhouse look. Elm or white oak walls also look stunning alongside open wood shelves, so make sure to try fusing those two design elements in your space. If you want to incorporate richness to the room or love the look of mid-century style, opt for walnut.
Make balance a priority
Remember that when styling a smaller subsection of any room, the basic principles of interior design still apply:
- Balance
- Rhythm
- Harmony
- Emphasis
- Scale and proportion
In terms of styling shelves, maintaining balance should always be a priority. It simply means that even if your shelves are not uniform, they should create a cohesive whole when you step back. Books don’t have to be placed in the same way on both sides, and they must be able to stand on their own, but the way they’re positioned must create a sense of equilibrium to the eye. A lot of this work is intuitive rather than following a set of rules, so make sure to take a step back now and then so you can see the big picture while you’re trying out different things.
Look at the room as a whole
The shelves may be one part of the room, but they need to look good beside every other design element in the space. If the walls are white and the shelves are made of wood, make sure to choose styling elements and accessories that look good with those two shades. If there is enough color in the room, ensure that you will only place more neutral items. Here are some examples of design elements that may look good on display:
- Rattan baskets
- Mugs
- Books
- Frames
- Decorative table-top sculptures
- Small potted plants
- Tiny lamps
- A jewelry box or other decorative storage boxes
When looking for styling elements to add, make sure to look at the store for pieces that you think will go well with the color and design of the shelves. Don’t forget to measure everything too, since the last thing you want is to buy pieces that won’t fit on the shelves.
Be strategic about your groupings
Remember balance? It’s not about making these open shelves look uniform; it’s about ensuring that everything looks like one unit to the eye while still looking good by itself. The key to achieving this is being strategic with how you group items together. Here are some tips for achieving this:
- Think of an imaginary line in the middle of the shelves. Imagine how the objects will cross over to the other side to break things up a little.
- The clusters or groups of decorative elements will come into play at this point. Make sure that no object will try to break the barrier your imaginary line created. This strategy will create a balance on the shelves.
- Break up pieces from the same collection. For example, if you have jars of different sizes, make sure to place them in different parts of the shelves. The same rule applies to tones and colors; don’t place two metal design elements on the same shelf.
Fuse different styles
To give the shelves some room to breathe, you can let go of a certain concept you have in your head—it doesn’t have to be modern or rustic; it can be both. Mixing statement pieces, textures, colors, and eras will help incorporate some much-needed juxtaposition to your shelves.
Final Thoughts
Open shelves, when styled right, don’t just look good; they can also be incredibly convenient. You would no longer need to open cupboards to look for ingredients or books. Just abide by basic interior design rules, look for inspiration online, and let your personality shine through—and you will have the best open shelves in the neighborhood.
Meta title: How to Design and Style Shelves
meta desc: If you’re into the open shelves trend, here are some essential and creative tips for designing and styling it properly.
