Finding books, vases, and miscellaneous decor to make your built-in shelves look magazine worthy can be daunting. Follow these tips and you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how affordable and simple the process can be…

First, measure your shelves. Most standard shelves are approximately 12 inches high, so be sure to source items that will fit.

Books, books, and more books.  These are the most versatile and convenient items you can buy to fill your shelves. If you would like a cleaner aesthetic, white monochromatic books are the way to go.

Want to add a pop of color or match the decor in your house? Etsy is a fantastic source for book collections sold by color. Check out Bookmosaic & BookStyles for a variety of options.

My clients always request shelves that look pulled together and well designed.  Here are a few more tips to enhance the stylish look of your shelves:

1. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3- add 1 decorative object, 2 picture frames, and 3 vases per shelf or spread out amongst your shelves in this sequence. You can also use succulents, candles, and other items to replace the above rule of thumb but stick to this method.

2. Add succulents- they provide an element of nature and color in the purest form.

3. Don’t overthink it- start placing things on your shelves and see where they land.  Perhaps you need to purchase some trendy pieces to tie it all together, such as brass objects, acrylic items, or black and white vases.  Or, look through your closets and storage; you probably have a few potential pieces that you never thought to place on a shelf.

4. ART – you never can go wrong with a colorful piece of artwork (12″ in height or less) to lean against the backside of your shelves.  Art is a great layering piece as it takes up that vacant space you couldn’t figure out what to do with.