Want to be let in on our super top secret for styling shelves in your home? Then you’re in the right place!
When it comes to styling and interior design, a lot of people have no idea where to start. It can feel overwhelming. With perfect interior design photos always popping up on social media, it’s no wonder we all want to get that perfect finish. But despite what you may think, that doesn’t have to mean a degree in interior design or hours of work.
Whether you have got some new shelves, or you simply want to give your current ones a new lease of life, here’s 8 steps to Rinkits interior design secrets.
1: Emptyit!
Firstly, perhaps quite obviously, you need to start with a blank canvas. If you’re using existing shelving, empty them so you have a fresh area making it much easier for you to work with. This could also be the perfect time to declutter. The best decluttering tip I can give you is this; if it doesn’t bring you joy to look at or a practical function that you have used in the last 6-12 months, then it may be time to part ways.
2: Add some depthtoit!
The next secret to styling is dressing up the back of the unit aka the wall behind your shelves. Whether that’s floating shelves, box shelves or a bookshelf. Dress it up with some nice paint, fabric or wallpaper. Drawing attention to the back of the shelf creates depth and adds contrast to the shelf decor itself.
3: Planit! Colour Scheme
Before you start adding things to your shelves, come up with a general colour scheme. This doesn’t have to be as restrictive as just one or two colours. You can come up with a colour palette yourself using complimentary colours and tones. You can also use a free colour palette generator online if you want to be ‘fancy’.
The interior colour of the year is Navy blue. Other big colour trends you will see in interior design throughout this year are sage green, dusty rose, earthy tones such as brown caramel and spiced honey. In saying this, go with colours that make you feel happy and that you personally love.
4: Books, books, books
Whether you are a big book worm or just have a few purely for styling, always start with these.
Depending on how many books you wish to display, their size as well as the type of shelving you are using, you can stack them horizontally or vertically. When stacking them horizontally we recommend using a minimum 3 books (depending on the size).
If you’re using lots of books here, another great thing to do is group them into colour blocks for a more aesthetically pleasing finish.
5: Balanceit!
The key to styling is balance. You don’t want them to look too spacious so that the items inside get lost; however you don’t want it to be crowded and cluttered.
If you are using cubed shelving then large pieces can definitely stand alone to make a statement. Smaller items can be grouped in pairs or threes and stand on top of your horizontal book stacks. Consider your symmetry in larger units to create a balance across the shelves. For example you could have all your larger statement pieces in each corner which will create a lovely framing composition.
6: Personaliseit!
Add some of your favourite artwork as a way of showing your personality and expressing yourself creatively. This can be anything from an ornament or sculpture, a ceramic bowl/plate or a vase. Simply stand them up or group things together depending on the sizes. Art draws the eye to the back of the shelf and allows for a visually layered depth.
7: Plantit!
My personal favourite way to style shelves is by using plants. Now, if you aren’t a plant mum then you could always get something that’s fake (no judgements here!) Or you could try the big trending plants right now which are cacti and succulents. These are super easy to care for so if you forgot to water them for a while, you’ll probably be okay.
Indoor plants such as Pothos, Dracaenas and peace lillies will help to purify the air in your home. They are also proven to improve productivity by 10-20% and improve overall health and holistic well-being.
Balance the space between your artwork and books with some greenery. If you are using smaller plants such as cacti on big shelves then group them together in odd numbers such as 3 or 5, these work much better for styling then even numbers. You can get different sizes, colours or patterned pots to create something unique.
The most important thing with plants is research, make sure the plants you use will thrive in their new spot, depending on what they need to grow.
8: Mixit! up; Tone, size and texture, stacks
The best part of all of this is having fun whilst creating something completely for you. The key is to provide a good mix of objects, tone, texture and size.
A trend we will see continue into 2021 that we at Rinkit absolutely adore is organic materials such as ceramic, wood, wicker, dried flowers and shells.
Summariseit!
- Choose a colour palette
- Start with Books
- Add artwork
- Express your personality
- Balance it
- Remember tone, texture and size
- Have fun withit!
So now you know all of Rinkits interior design secrets, I hope you have learned something about styling your shelves. Remember you can move things around until you are happy with the final look. Most importantly make it a space that will bring you joy to look at.
I hope this blog has helped unlock your inner stylist so you can create the ultimate pinterest worthy shelving.
If you use any of these tips please tag us @rinkithome on instagram or #Rinkit, I’d love to see your beautiful shelves!
Thank you so much for reading as always.
Love, Georgina and the Rinkit Team.