How to Decorate Shelves in a Bedroom

How to Decorate Shelves in a Bedroom.

Decorating bedroom shelves can be one of the most enjoyable parts of interior design. Whether you've bought a brand-new home or just want a change of pace, there are plenty of ways to decorate without making your shelves look cluttered or out of place. Once you have an idea of how you want the shelves to look and what you’ll be using, you can let your creativity flow!

Part 1 Deciding on a Style.

Pull out all the items you need to store on the shelves. For example, you may have a huge collection of DVDs or photo albums that definitely require shelf space. Your shelves can serve a purpose and look stylish at the same time, but giving objects that need a home priority can help guide your process.

Choose colors that complement the existing décor. You want to try to match the colors or materials the bedroom already has. You may have to pass on neon decor in a room with dark, wood-paneled walls, but it could do well in a white or already colorful room.

Limiting yourself to 2 or 3 colors to decorate with will help prevent your shelves from looking too busy.

Use a tape measure to determine the size of your shelves if necessary. Shelves come in all different shapes and sizes, and each one has different potential for decoration. If you have something bigger you'd like to place, or you're going out shopping for decorations, it's good to know the exact amount of space available. Use a tape measure.

Measure from one end of the shelf to the other to get the width. If the shelf is enclosed or there is something above it, measure from the bottom of the shelf to the top to get the height. Then, measure from the front edge to the back wall to get the depth. Write all of these numbers down.

Part 2 Picking out Your Decorations.

Stack books together for an academic or hobbyist look. You might want to show off your collection of romance novels or store a set of psychiatry textbooks. Books are a great choice to decorate with as they are a natural complement to other items. You can alternate between placing them horizontally and vertically to create different effects.

A horizontal stack of books becomes a base for another object to rest on.

A series of titles standing up can be held in place by a sculpture or bookend.

Removing covers from books or facing them spine-first can completely change how they look on the shelf.

Decorate with plants to bring more “life” to your shelves. Flowers, succulents, and bonsai will warm up your room and make give it a more homey feel. Having plants in your home can even improve your mental health, as they can help ease anxiety or symptoms of sickness and make you feel relieved.

You can make your own terrarium by filling a small glass container with potting soil, stones, and tiny plants.

Choose flowers for a pop of color.

Add a stronger touch of your personal style with artwork. Whether you’ve bought them or made them yourself, art pieces can be a great addition to your shelves. Paintings, sketches, sculptures, and pottery are all good choices.

If your art is two-dimensional, you can place it behind other objects to create more depth.

Hide loose or extra objects in attractive storage bins. You might want to stow away certain items to keep them around but out of sight. This is a perfect time to use organizational bins. Many storage bins are made of cloth or plastic with built-in handles so you can slide them on and off of a shelf with ease.

Items that are practical but not aesthetically-pleasing, such as extra headphones or charging cables, can be placed in these bins.

These bins can also house shoes, makeup kits, linens, or whatever else you might like to have in your bedroom.

Part 3 Arranging Items on Your Shelves.

Group together items that look similar. Once you’ve got all of your decorations ready, set them all in one place near the shelf. Try to keep items of the same color or shape grouped together so you’ll have a good idea of where you want them as you go along.

Place similar items in a triangle or “zigzag” pattern. If you have a lot of shelf space, you'll want to spread things out. Alternating which shelves you place similar items on will help balance out the overall appearance.

If you have many objects that look similar, group them in odd numbers.

These patterns are often chosen by designers because they follow the "rule of thirds," or the principle that elements in groups of 3 are the most visually appealing.

Choose pieces that have meaning to you as the focal point of each shelf. Try to draw attention to whatever you like best. You can achieve this by placing one piece in the direct center, or setting several beside objects with eye-catching colors.

Draw the eye to photos of you and your loved ones for a sentimental feel.

Art pieces are great as focal points.

Move anything that looks out of place. If you feel anything is "not quite right," feel free to move objects around. Make sure to pay attention to what the space around each shelf or compartment looks like in addition to what it contains. If you feel you’ve achieved a good visual harmony, then you’re finished!

Tips

Painting the back of your shelves, or the wall behind them, before placing your decorations can really make them pop and further elevate your bedroom’s style.