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How to Arrange Shelves with Style
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I think all of us who write houzz ideabooks on a regular basis can't help but write a shelf arrangement ideabook every so often. The thing is, talented members of the houzz community are constantly adding new pictures that give more great examples, so why not collect some new favorites as they start to stack up, right?
I find the number one rule for arranging shelves is to arrange and re-arrange, then step back, and arrange again until you are happy. Other than that, there really are no rules. If you are O.C.D. about color, arrange books by color. If you are a slave to the Dewey Decimal system, arrange them by subject and then in alphabetical order by author. If you're a collector, mix in your favorite objects. It's all about what is functional and what makes you happy aesthetically. Personally, I have a lot of books stacked on their sides for aesthetic purposes - the trade off is that I know I have to drag out the stepladder and remove all the books above them in order to access the big heavy ones on the bottom without tipping the shelf and breaking all the pottery I have mixed in (this was learned the hard way).
If you aren't satisfied with the look of your shelves, take everything down and start fresh. This is a great opportunity to complete a much-needed dusting job! It may be time to donate or rotate out some items, and/or to introduce some new ones. Here are some more tips we can glean from the images below. Keep in mind that these are merely suggestions, and are not hard-and-fast rules!
I find the number one rule for arranging shelves is to arrange and re-arrange, then step back, and arrange again until you are happy. Other than that, there really are no rules. If you are O.C.D. about color, arrange books by color. If you are a slave to the Dewey Decimal system, arrange them by subject and then in alphabetical order by author. If you're a collector, mix in your favorite objects. It's all about what is functional and what makes you happy aesthetically. Personally, I have a lot of books stacked on their sides for aesthetic purposes - the trade off is that I know I have to drag out the stepladder and remove all the books above them in order to access the big heavy ones on the bottom without tipping the shelf and breaking all the pottery I have mixed in (this was learned the hard way).
If you aren't satisfied with the look of your shelves, take everything down and start fresh. This is a great opportunity to complete a much-needed dusting job! It may be time to donate or rotate out some items, and/or to introduce some new ones. Here are some more tips we can glean from the images below. Keep in mind that these are merely suggestions, and are not hard-and-fast rules!
Try propping framed photos, paintings, and collages on shelves.
Treat your items like art and your built-ins like a gallery space. Here books and found objects stand proudly one cubby over from paintings and sculptures.
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| Break up built-ins that are mostly books with an object here or there. For example, he bowl on the top right shelf here lightens things up a bit. |
Cover up unsightly electronics with cupboard doors.
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Place heavier objects on the lower shelves, and get lighter and more sparse as you go up.
If you have objects you know you want to display, work with a carpenter to create custom built -ns for them.
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Find a balance between different objects. This is a casual arrangement that has a good balance.
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So is this one.
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| You may want to protect valuable items behind glass to avoid breakage. |
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Consider painting the back of the shelves a different color or using wallpaper.
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| This is a really fun example of the idea mentioned above! |
Ideabook updated on Nov. 9, 2012.
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Great advice! I will be looking at all my shelves differently now.