How to Decorate and Style Bookshelves

With a recent remodel to her fireplace, this client was ready for an update not only on the outside of her fireplace, but inside the bookshelves.  She was driving herself crazy trying to decorate the shelves, and eventually getting frustrated when she wasn't satisfied with the outcome.  Like a lot of us, she spent a lot of time buying items for the shelves, and then eventually returning the items because they just weren't right.  It is so hard to decorate a space like this when you don't really know what to do with it or what to buy.  So she called me up to decorate them for her.  Now she can stop worrying about this area of her home and just sit back and enjoy the completed space! 

She had a great start on the bookshelves, and had some amazing pieces to work with.  She knew exactly the style and look she was after, just didn't know how to get it there.  I came in and added in a few more pieces to really fill the shelves and give both sides of the fireplace a more cohesive look.  I put together a plan of action for her and together we sourced out the materials.  Once we gathered all of the accessories, I came in and styled the bookcases for her.

When you are working with bookcases on either side of a fireplace like this, it is really important to keep the look cohesive from the left to the right side.  By adding in the same or similar items on both sides, there is now pattern and flow from left to right.  This allows the eye to see a more calming space, rather than not knowing what to focus on first with a hodge podge of different items of all random heights and placements.  You will see below the items that are the same from left to right.  I added height to the items by including a stack of books.  And kept a fairly pleasing neutral color palette on both sides with white, cream, green and just a touch of red.  All of these tricks leads to a sophisticated, styled bookcase. 

As you can see, no decorating dilemma is too small for me.  Contact me today for any small area that you are having trouble with and would like some help on today!