How To Style a Tall Bookshelf

Styled shelves seem to be all the rage recently from open shelving in a kitchen to floating shelfs above a couch in living rooms. I am a huge fan of all types of shelves because when decorated well they look amazing and often times double as a functional place to display focal pieces and store other items. In this post I will be breaking down three easy steps to beautifully style a tall bookshelf.

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3 Steps To a Beautifully Styled Bookshelf

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Step 1

Start by placing about three larger items at the top, center and bottom of the bookshelf. One key tip to creating a well balanced shelf is spreading out different sized items that way all the larger items aren’t collected in one area and the smaller ones in another. Play around with stacking similar items to create the illusion of one larger item like I did here with these books. Look for storage opportunities with baskets and boxes.

 

Step 2

Next, add dimension and texture with materials such as glass, metal or wood. This is also a great time to pick the perfect spot for any focal pieces that you want to display. For example, I love this vintage style camera that my grandpa passed down to me. It doesn’t work anymore but it’s a perfect piece to show off on a shelf and add character.

 

Step 3

Lastly, fill in any empty spaces and purposely layer with things like small houseplants, candlesticks, vases, and other small decor items. I find this step to be the most fun because you can really get creative and switch things around until it looks and feels just right.

 

The great thing about a shelf is that you can change it up anytime and swap items out seasonally. Even some minor tweaks can give a shelf a whole new look and help it feel fresh overtime.

 

Shop this post:

TALL BOOKSHELVES

DECORATIVE ITEMS

COFFEE TABLE BOOKS

SHELF STORAGE

DECORATIVE VASES

 

I hope you found this post helpful and feel inspired to re-decorate a bookshelf you currently have or purchase a new one and start from scratch.

 

Pin this image for future reference…

 

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