I recently designed and had built this display cabinet for our lounge. The space had always felt like an empty void and now, after styling the shelves, the room feels complete. It's never a quick task styling a display cabinet or bookcase but I did have fun playing around with some of our new arrangements and pieces (See video at the end of this post).
Display shelving, built-ins and bookcases have developed over time, from a functional place to store books, to, in some cases, glorious spaces filled with treasures, art and curated objects. They provide a snapshot of those who live there, providing an opportunity to display things of beauty, meaning and interest.
Read below for some tips on how to achieve a beautiful display of your favourite items.
START FRESH
Start by de-cluttering and removing all items from your shelving, and editing down your collection to only include items you love or that have significance to you. William Morris quotes this best: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful".
Once the shelving is clear, sit back and contemplate what the space and greater room needs; does it need a sense of calm - a less is more approach, or is the room lacking and needs life and visual impact? Once you ascertain what the space needs, you can select some key items which you can build the shelves around.
BALANCE
Balance comes down to a lot of playing around and trial and error. There is no magic formula when it comes to balance, but when it feels good, you know it's right! Think about the area as a whole, decide if you want a focal point or if there is one that you need to work around. In this cabinet the dominant feature is the T.V but I want to draw the eye away by adding depth of colour and visual weight to the sections either side. Above the T.V I wanted to keep the spaces simple and uncluttered but still interesting, so I opted for sculptural elements in a colour which blends with the cabinet, whilst adding a vase and frame either side to give visual weight and balance to the whole unit. You want to create a cabinet that intrigues the eye in a way that reads across easily. This is often a dance between positive and negative space.
MIX OF OBJECTS
Incorporate a variety of objects such as books, sculptures, decorative objects, plants and/or flowers, bowls, artwork, photos or images to add visual interest. Varying heights and textures will create dimension. I always love to combine modern, old and organic objects for some juxtaposition, but the main thing is that you love what you are displaying!
COLOUR
Arrange books, flowers and objects by colour to create some cohesion - think about how these colours relate to the greater space/room. I am always on the hunt for books that have beautiful coloured spines! If you introduce colour think about where you display it and consider how you balance it within the cabinet. Green is a repetitious theme in ours, alongside smaller accents of lilac, aubergine and rust, these accents are seen in the artwork, books, bird, flowers and the ceramic vase.
USE OF SPACE
Don’t overcrowd the shelves. Leave some empty space to allow the items to breathe and to prevent the shelves from looking cluttered.
LAYERING
Layer objects in front of or on top of books or behind other objects to add depth and visual interest to the display. Think about how items dialogue with one another, how does the eye read a space? It's no secret that I love nature, the marvel of a birds-nest gets me every time. The below shelf encourages the wonder; the cloche holds an old monarch butterfly I placed into a little nest which I found years ago. The bigger scrappier nest was found under our Pohutukawa this year. The simple charcoal lamp adds form and height and illuminates the texture and glory of the nest in the evenings. The bird, a special family treasure, sits pride of place on top of one of my favourite books, with a framed print in the background. That particular section makes me especially happy. Put things together that make your heart sing!
PERSONAL TOUCHES
Incorporate personal items such as family photos, travel souvenirs, or sentimental objects to add personality and warmth to the shelves. The little bird, sitting on a bronze holly was my grandfathers, it always sat on his desk and I love it. The Moorcroft vase also reminds me of my grandparents. To some this may seem dated or old fashioned, but to me it takes me to a happy place. Your home is for you, fill it with things that bring you joy.
BOTANICALS
Consider adding botanicals, plants and flowers (fresh/faux or both), to bring a touch of nature and life to the display. I have used a mix of faux potted plants and flowers in this space, the plants add a beautiful green and form, the flowers add a freshness and playfulness. Our artificial arrangements can easily be moved around the home, to keep the styling feeling fresh.
LIGHTING
Add lighting to your shelving to create a beautiful atmosphere in the evenings and to highlight special pieces. Our Zafferano cordless lamps work really well. They can be dimmed and come in different shapes depending on what purpose you want them to achieve (E.g to be a feature or to blend in but create light.) LED candlesticks are another great option, they flicker and create ambience but are safe for enclosed spaces.
REGULARLY REFRESH
Don’t be afraid to regularly refresh and rearrange the items on your shelves to keep the display feeling fresh and updated. Think about the season and what feelings you want to emote. In Winter we will be layering this space with rich tones and new arrangements - watch this space!
DISPLAY SHELVING STYLING VIDEO
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