How To Style A Shelf

Ok, so I LOVE shelf styling… like… LOVE IT! So I put together a video (and this post) to share some of my thought process behind how I style my shelves. Here I present to you: the 4 F's of shelf styling (yes, this is a Becki original, and YES it involves a bad word).

FUNCTION

You put that shelf up for a reason and that reason was probably to store or display things, so add the most important pieces to your shelf first. My shelf NEEDED to hold my lenses, and some loose camera accessories I couldn’t fit in my closet. The lenses went on a reachable height shelf and I tossed those loose items in some simple white boxes and put them on the bottom shelf. Baskets work for this as well depending on the style you are going for.

FOCUS

Next add the focal points you want to display. I used a mix of vintage cameras, books, and art for my shelf. Don’t be afraid to lean your art and books against the wall and change up the orientation of your books as you work on each shelf.

FILL

Once you have all your functional and focal pieces in, you can start filling in and balancing out your shelf with smaller things like candles, plants, and trinkets depending on the style.

F**K

The last F is when you’ve run out of things for your shelf and you have to run out to pick up some extra things to finish it off. I am usually swearing at this point because I just want to get the friggin' thing done LOL. For this shelf I ended up popping over to my friends' shop Daddy’s Plants to pick up some cool tropical greenery, but I often find myself out looking for books and candles.

Plants: Daddy's Plants, Shelf: VITTSJÖ by Ikea, Boxes: TJENA by Ikea, Camera bag: The Leather Bowery by Ona 

SHELF STYLING TIPS

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when working on your shelf.

1. Layers

Layering gives a dynamic look, so mix and match things of different shapes, heights, and textures.

2. Rule of threes

Items look good placed in odd numbers like 3’s and 5’s. When grouping items make sure to keep in mind tip 1.

3. Choose pieces that have a story

We used some old cameras, including an old Super 8 camera inherited from Chris' grandfather that Chris used in a BMX video. Pieces that have a story hold meaning and give you something to talk about when someone asks "where did you get that camera?".

4. Display pieces that have meaning 

My father brought me his first film camera and an old flash from St. John's on their first visit to Buffalo. The camera and flash both look fantastic, plus I’m reminded of him every time I look at my shelf. Filling your shelf with pieces that have meaning gives the shelf a life it wouldn't have if it was just filled with random things from the store. Not saying your shelf should contain all meaningful pieces, but scattering them amongst other newer items is a great way to create a heart felt focal point in a room.

5.  Pick a theme. 

Having a theme for yourself might help nail down what you should display. My shelf is in my office and is also a background in our videos so I went with more of a neutral camera theme with lots of plants. Themes can also be color schemes too!

Watch the full process on the vlog!

If you are looking for some inspiration you can check out our Shelf Life Pinterest board!