Shelf styling is becoming a more common trend. As houses continue to have more built-ins, the home office trend continues to grow, and people desire to add personality to their spaces, the idea of shelf stylizing becomes more desirable. If you’ve been on Pinterest you’ve seen dozens of different ways to style your shelf. And while it may seem overwhelming at first, all of these shelf layouts typically have a few things in common; let’s see what they are!

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Vary the Scale

When decorating a shelf, it can be very easy to begin grabbing items that are sentimental or need a new home. However, varying sizes is very important so keep this in mind when finding the pieces you want to use. It is easiest to start with larger pieces (baskets, books, art, mirrors, etc.) and fill in around these pieces with smaller things (vases, bowls, small plants, geometric pottery, pictures etc.).

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Play with Color and Pattern

Shelves can be a great way to add some pops of color and pattern to your room. For example, filling the built-ins in your office with colorful books, art and color might be the only source of color in your room. Use this to your advantage and buy some bold, colorful and patterned pieces! If you decide you don’t like them down the road, they’re affordable to replace (unlike a large piece of furniture). Another great way to add color and interest is through greenery! If you are lucky enough to have a green thumb, try adding some live plants! Anything from succulents to plants that grow linear can create a nice touch.

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Use Odd Numbers

The human brain is naturally attracted to groupings of odd numbers. Sets of 3, 5, and 7 will draw the eye more then 2, 4, and 6. Because of this, if a shelf appears to look strange or unbalanced, and you don’t know why, try altering the grouping to make it an odd number.

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I hope you were able to create some stunning and stylish shelves in your home with these tips. We would love to see anything you creating using our advice!