Are you stuck on decorating a bookshelf? Would you like to display art, greenery, decor and books on your shelves but have no clue how to arrange them? Here you’ll find 5 foolproof formulas for styling your shelves like a pro!
When we moved into our new home, I became the proud owner of built-in bookshelves! I’ve always wanted built-ins, so I was thrilled to decorate them. But once it came time to actually do it, I had no idea where to begin.
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A few months ago I wrote a general post on “How to Decorate Shelves.” It’s very helpful for bookcase decor ideas, covering what to put on your shelves: books, greenery, interesting objects, & more. But once I had gathered everything, I needed to figure out how to arrange it.
First, I realized I needed more decor for my shelves. Ha! I sold or donated most of our books while decluttering at our old house. The kids have a huge bookshelf full of books, but my husband and I only had a tiny shelving unit in our previous home.
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So I don’t have many books to put on the shelves to begin with! That actually excited me, since I wanted to use the shelves mostly for decor. I do love books, though, and I’ve bought a few gorgeous coffee table books on design & decorating that are both interesting to me and lovely to display.
General Styling Tips for Bookshelf Decor
I started by gathering every piece of decor I could find in different shapes and sizes: plants, art, decorative objects, and anything else I thought might look good on a shelf. I quickly realized I was short on decor, so I picked up a few more at World Market.
What you need for your bookcase depends on the size of your shelves. My shelves are a mix of short and long, so very tall pieces won’t work. If yours are taller, feel free to go for height!
Stick to a color palette. Everything looks more unified when you repeat the same colors across your shelves. For me, pink was a must because it appears in my rug and the curtains I ordered. I also have plenty of turquoise, of course, so those two were a given.
Mix up the heights to add interest. You can also add height by laying a book flat and setting something on top of it.
Browse thrift stores for small shelf accents and pick up a few vintage books while you’re there. (I need to go on a thrifting spree for some new-to-me finds.)
The Rule of Three. Whenever possible, group items in odd numbers. Groups of 1, 3 and 5 are more pleasing to the eye than even ones. You can see above how I used this “rule of three” on the open shelves in my home office.
Formulas for Decorating Shelves
While searching Pinterest and Instagram for ways to arrange these pieces, I found several patterns I could use that looked great!
Formula #1: Stack two or three books horizontally and top them with a small decorative object.
I’ve used this formula in several spots around my house, not only on bookshelves. It’s a great way to show off nicer hardcover books in your collection. It works well on its own or alongside other groupings.
Formula #2: A tray or box, plus a tall vase and shorter greenery
This formula is easy to pull off with a few things most of us already have at home. I also layered two printables (from Lauren at Blesser House’s free printable library) behind the vase and greenery for extra interest. I think the tray would also look great filled with decorative spheres or greenery balls.
These free botanical printables are very popular, and you might like them as well!
Formula #3: A large art or decor piece, another art or decor piece layered in front, and one more large decor piece to the side.
I’ve split this simple formula into two parts, since it breaks the “rule of three” for odd numbers. Essentially you’re using two pieces of decor or art, but adding one more large item on the shelf turns it into a “rule of three” grouping.
Here’s another example of Formula #3:
Formula #3b: A large art or decor piece with another art or decor piece layered in front.
BUT I still use this layered art and decor formula on its own from time to time, when a corner of a bookshelf needs something and three items just don’t look right. It’s the one time I think it’s fine to bend the “odd numbers always win” rule, because sometimes three pieces feel crowded and two look just right.
Formula #4: A group of upright books, plus a vase or bookend
One of the easiest ways to display books is to group them upright and hold them in place with a bookend or vase. I like pushing them against the side of the shelf and using just one bookend, but I also place them in the middle of the shelf, as I did in my living room.
Formula #5: One large decor piece, a tall decor piece and a shorter decor piece
Mixing heights and following the rule of three makes this formula a classic, easy way to decorate shelves. It works in almost any situation, and I’ve relied on it for years to style tabletops and open shelves.
I’m sure I could dig up even more formulas, but I think these basic patterns and “rules” will take you a long way.
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