Are your bookcases and shelves currently functional and fashionable, or are they a catch-all for the things that don’t have a home? More often than not, it’s the latter. Luckily, styling bookcases and shelves only takes a short amount of time and effort and creates a huge impact on your home’s overall look and feel.

The Linen Duck, a boutique furniture store offering interior design services in Nashville TN, shares tips on how you can take the existing items in your home and transform your bookcases and shelves from boring to chic in just a few hours.

Clear, clean, and sort

As with any styling project, remove everything from the area before you begin. Clear the bookcases and shelves and sort the items into separate piles. Give everything a good dusting.

Sort items into three main categories: books and magazines, decor and photo frames, and greenery and plant life. Let go of all the other items that don’t fit in these categories or find it a new home. Remember, a place for everything, and everything in its place. Loose paper, gloves or scarves, and gadgets should be stored in their rightful places.

Choose your color palette and aesthetic

Color palettes and aesthetics can be interpreted in different ways. A color palette in navy, blush, and ivory, for example, could be styled as French country, farmhouse chic, or ultra-modern. Be deliberate with the design style you want to create.

Having selected two to three main colors and a design style, find several pieces in at least one of your chosen colors to represent the following textures or finishes: fabric or natural fiber, nature (pine cones, dried grasses, florals, greenery, etc.), metals (bronze, stainless, rose gold, etc.) and glass (clear, mosaic, or ceramic).

Have fun and see what works

While the curation process is the same, styling your bookcases and shelves is different from the way you’d style a coffee table.

Place your items next to each other and take a step back. Do these items flow together? Edit out items that look out of place. Take an item from each of the categories mentioned earlier and make odd-numbered groups. Place each group of items on its own shelf.

Look at your shelf or bookcase objectively. You may need to shift a few pieces here and there or adjust the spacing. Either way, your bookcases and shelves are now a showcase of your tasteful curation skills, and you didn’t have to buy anything new. 

Do you need decorating advice not just for your bookcases and shelves but your entire home as well? The Linen Duck offers interior design services in Nashville TN or for anyone in surrounding areas. Sit down with one of our in-house designers and discuss space planning, art, accessories, and other elements of design for a space you are working on. We will review your room measurements, color swatches, fabrics, etc. to make sure you are on track. Please book this complimentary service at least 3-5 days in advance. 

Schedule your next project or refer us to a friend. Call us at (931) 548-2422 or visit our website to learn more.