In conjunction with Simone over at West of the Woods, welcome to the step-by-step guide on how to style your shelfie like a goddamn pro.

I’m all about that open shelving zchuzzh (or is it juuzzzcczzh?), so let’s cut the small talk and get down to brass tacks.

COLOR, COLOR, COLOR

You’ll want to start out defining your colors. What inspires you? What is the room calling out to? Is there a crazy amount of color or is the space more neutral?

Start by defining the “neutral.” In this example, the neutral comprises of earthy tones—black, white/gray, browns and tans. The earthy tones soften the stark B&W and modern elements.

In my home, the neutral could be a rainbow of colors. If you’re at no loss , pick your three favorite pops of color. But lest you forget, rules are meant to be broken. Make the call (2, 4, 8 faves) and stick to it!

Seek out contrast where possible. Refer to this color wheel to drum up some fresh ideas.

TEXTURE

Assemble your textures. This is a compilation of mixed metals; nature materials such as agate, wood, ivory, etc.; plants and greenery (obvi); and paper works or canvas.

Source: Pinterest

SCALE

Know your limitations. Measure your shelfie before shopping around. These shelves pictured here are 12” high and 6” deep. It’ll grease the wheel for the right stuff. Start by adding larger pieces—such as artwork.

Place the biggest find first, oftentimes a work of art or a sculpture. Vignettes work best in odd numbers. You can treat a grouping of objects in varying scales—i.e. marble candlesticks, wood vases—as a single piece. BAM 💥

SHAPE

What have you collected, my sweet? I imagine a smorgasbord of paintings, art objects, pottery, sculpture and more. Vintage finds encouraged to your style and taste.

Keep your lines in mind. Quickly soften stark lines with curved objects, like a round matted frame.

A mix of mediums (artwork) with varied framing and matting can make the shelfie more eclectic.

Source: My Office

TIPS FROM THE PROS

Greenery is a must. If you’ve got bad light, allergies or pesky fur balls that gobble them up, make sure the fakies are GOOD ONES. Ya don’t even have to water it.

Play with placement. Move things around. Don’t be afraid to place taller objects in front of shorter objects. You might surprise yourself.

Use this shelfie as an opportunity to personalize! Dig through the archives and find vintage photos of the fam or heirlooms from a thirfting adventure. Make this look and feel like YOU.

 

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