Deciding how to decorate a bookshelf can be really tricky. You need to balance out different sized objects, take colors into consideration, make sure things fit, etc. Obviously you can use a book shelf to just store whatever is convenient, but there is a way to place things and make it look organized and as if everything has a place.

Start with the books
This might sounds obvious but it’s true. Make sure they are hardcover so they don’t move around. You can get books that you have read or just random ones that you like the colors of to match your theme. It all depends on the focus of your styling; for looks or for practicality.

Largest Items first
Start with the bigger items of your décor. They require the most space so you should be decorating around them.

Theme
Try as best as you can to stick to a similar color theme, and overall theme. Mixing seashells with little toy cars doesn’t make much sense.

Varied Heights
This does slightly fall under the larger item category but height is just as important. Everything should be all different heights. Having no variety gives no life to the décor and actually would make it feel more off balance.

Balance
Try a zig zag focus throughout your shelf. On each level jump from side to side of the tallest objects.

Layer and Stack
Most shelves are pretty deep, you can put small objects in front of big objects. Also use those books to put objects on top of. Having these different dimensions is visually appealing.

Anything we missed? Let us know of any pointers you use for shelf décor!
Happy decorating 🙂