Decorating
Decorating: How to Squeeze More Style From Your Shelves
Transform a shelf from a simple, horizontal strip of storage into a stylish piece of furniture in its own right with these creative ideas
Where would we be without shelves? Providing essential storage and display space in any room, large or small, shelves are pretty much indispensable, but their practical appeal sometimes outshines the shelf itself. We treat a shelf as a home for handsome objects when, with a little imagination, it can become as beautiful as the pieces arranged on it. Here’s how…
Highlight the vertical
Simple, built-in shelves spanning a wall can gain a splash of extra style if you paint the vertical sections. Here, a dark grey creates an optical illusion. Is it a shadow? Or a genuine colour? The dark tone also creates depth and, when viewed from an angle, highlights the pieces on display.
Simple, built-in shelves spanning a wall can gain a splash of extra style if you paint the vertical sections. Here, a dark grey creates an optical illusion. Is it a shadow? Or a genuine colour? The dark tone also creates depth and, when viewed from an angle, highlights the pieces on display.
Big up the bracket
You can turn a simple white shelf into something far more decorative by mounting it on ornate brackets. This works particularly well if the shelves are fitted high up on the walls, since you will see a great deal of their underside when you look up.
You can turn a simple white shelf into something far more decorative by mounting it on ornate brackets. This works particularly well if the shelves are fitted high up on the walls, since you will see a great deal of their underside when you look up.
Light them up
Fitting lighting into shelves beautifully illuminates the items displayed there and gives a wall of shelving some pace and visual texture. If you are having shelves built bespoke, plan the lights in from the start. Alternatively, you can retrofit spots or LED light chains.
Fitting lighting into shelves beautifully illuminates the items displayed there and gives a wall of shelving some pace and visual texture. If you are having shelves built bespoke, plan the lights in from the start. Alternatively, you can retrofit spots or LED light chains.
Add an artwork
If you don’t plan to stack your shelves with a library of books, add an image or artwork behind them that can be enjoyed at the same time as the objects displayed there. This is a photograph, taken by the homeowner, blown up and pasted onto the wall as a dramatic backdrop.
If you don’t plan to stack your shelves with a library of books, add an image or artwork behind them that can be enjoyed at the same time as the objects displayed there. This is a photograph, taken by the homeowner, blown up and pasted onto the wall as a dramatic backdrop.
Play with angles
These shelves are horizontal, but they sit within cabinets that are set on the wall at an angle. It creates a fun effect, contrasting sloping angles with static items displayed on horizontal shelves.
These shelves are horizontal, but they sit within cabinets that are set on the wall at an angle. It creates a fun effect, contrasting sloping angles with static items displayed on horizontal shelves.
Paint behind
Painting the interior of a shelving unit or the wall that shelves are installed against is a great way to introduce colour to a pale room. The items on the shelves break up the brightness, preventing it shouting for attention, but allowing the shade to peep out.
Painting the interior of a shelving unit or the wall that shelves are installed against is a great way to introduce colour to a pale room. The items on the shelves break up the brightness, preventing it shouting for attention, but allowing the shade to peep out.
Match with mirrors
Fitting a mirror behind the shelves helps make the items displayed on them appear doubly appealing. The mirror will also bounce light back into the room and create a feeling of depth. It’s a good match with glass shelves, creating a light, elegant look.
Explore 10 clear reasons to consider glass shelving
Fitting a mirror behind the shelves helps make the items displayed on them appear doubly appealing. The mirror will also bounce light back into the room and create a feeling of depth. It’s a good match with glass shelves, creating a light, elegant look.
Explore 10 clear reasons to consider glass shelving
Customise them
Simple, small shelving units are ripe for customisation, and painting them is an easy weekend project. Apply one or two coats of a pleasing shade, or go one better, sticking or stencilling images or patterns on top.
Simple, small shelving units are ripe for customisation, and painting them is an easy weekend project. Apply one or two coats of a pleasing shade, or go one better, sticking or stencilling images or patterns on top.
Combine colour and pattern
See a shelving system as a series of frames and suddenly each patch of wall behind becomes a canvas for colour or patterned wallpaper. Have fun combining paint shades with offcuts of paper for a patchwork effect.
Check out 11 inspiring ways to style open shelves
TELL US…
How do you make your shelves sing with style? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
See a shelving system as a series of frames and suddenly each patch of wall behind becomes a canvas for colour or patterned wallpaper. Have fun combining paint shades with offcuts of paper for a patchwork effect.
Check out 11 inspiring ways to style open shelves
TELL US…
How do you make your shelves sing with style? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
Shelves are so often a straight up and down affair, but if you’re fitting floating shelves, there’s no reason to line them up neatly, one above the other. Try staggering their positions on the wall for a more energetic, original result.