Open shelving can cause a problem with décor. These areas attract clutter and simply become exposed storage for miscellaneous stuff. But when objects are artfully displayed the shelves serve the purpose of showcasing a homeowner’s personality to reveal beloved objects.
Putting together a collection of books, photographs, framed mementos and simple treasures offer intrigue in décor. The look of curated collections lends itself to vintage style.
Weekends scouring flea markets, garage sales or the desire to repurpose meaningful pieces from your past are attributed to decorative details that inject personality into space. Creating vignettes within shelving areas or on tabletops serves as artful expression.
Decorators are taught to think in terms of three when it comes to displaying objects but this is only a guideline. Consider the items, their size and the space they are placed within to base your composition from and create an eye-catching decorative display using found objects.
Follow a few simple rules to ensure that your display is based on style, not storage.
- Create space between objects
- Arrange like-minded pieces together. Topical Books combined with objects of the same ilk work beautifully together.
- Follow a colour scheme so that the items flow together rather than fight for attention.
- Vary the height of the objects
- Create groupings rather than a line-up of items
- Be wary of height; never have an object skimming the top of the shelf.