I have recently been given the unenviable task of filling a client’s bookshelves.
Head scratch.
The shelves in my home are so wildly personal and insanely full that the thought of someone not having anything to use (no word of exaggeration here) is so foreign to me. On the flip, I am fully aware that I have some hording tendencies so could take a page out of my client’s ‘less is more’ approach.
Regardless, I have had to shop and plan and shop again to fill their shelves all the while trying to respect their clutter-free life. Tall. Order.
My go tos for shelves are simple: pictures using a variety of frames, books, simple and seasonal-less vases and vessels, candlesticks holders and more books.
Books, Books and More Books
I think I still have every book I ever read – and oodles I intend to read – happily filling two good-sized libraries in my living room. There are more books in my bedroom and more still tucked neatly into packing boxes I….haven’t……quite…..gotten…to.
Books are bedazzling on a shelf. A couple of different schools on how to place: there is the traditional, upright, vertical stack like in a library, ideal for book horders. Or for those who have fewer to work with or more coffee table style books, playing with horizontal planes, stacking and layering can fill a shelf cleanly.
I also like to lean books – cover forward – against the back of a shelf, treating it like a picture. Coffee table books are a perfect fit for this approach and you can fill more linear inches this way as well.
Objet of my Affection
I am always careful when selecting objects – whether a vessel or accessory. A nic-nac collector I am not. I will never be that person in line at a souvenir shop loading up on sombreros and shot glasses. Never. But unique, larger scale pieces always find a home.
Scale is key – resist the craving to buy the itty-bitty.
Picture This
I load up on 4×6 and 5×7 frames whenever I see them on sale and in keeping with a specific finish theme. I have silver in the kitchen, warmer woods in the living room, etc. I used to fuss with the larger frames but do find them harder to place on a shelf unless you have a lot of height and a pain to print pictures in excellent quality. Keeping frame sizes standard means I can swap out pics easily and don’t have to reinvent how I have already organized a shelf.
Shoulder Seasons
And retailers are always looking for a fresh start at the end of one season, leading into the next which means there are deals to be found. Time your buying accordingly. Select a few stores you love and visit them – often.