Decorating Ideas For Shelves

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A decorated shelf adds loads of character and colour to a room. But often people have difficulty in decorating them. Shelves can be personalized with books, interesting decorative accessories or quirky elements to add a touch of class to a room. With the following tips, you will learn to use your shelves more effectively all over the house.

Types Of Shelves

Every home needs shelves for storing and displaying items in living room, kitchen, bedroom, study etc. Shelves can either be built-in units, cupboards with glass doors, showcases, wall ledges or floating units. They can be fixed or adjustable. They can be made of wood, plywood, glass, plastic or even metal and their weight as well as strength will determine what you can display in them. At times, shelves themselves become designer objects with their interesting shapes.

Bookcase

A collection of books looks very scholastic but it may lack that eclectic charm. Add different accessories to your shelves along with books to upgrade its appeal. First sort books by their subjects and size. Or you can even sort them by colour for an interesting colour scheme. Eliminate any damaged book, unless they are some rare or books of interest. Line them vertically and horizontally—alternating the pattern in each shelf. This will break the monotony and look interesting.

Some attractive patterned boxes or hat boxes can fill the gaps in between the books. These boxes can hold your photos, important papers, CDs or even decorative items which you can use in rotation in the room and store at other time. A ceramic or glass vase and a few photo frames will complete the look of your bookshelf.

A globe or a framed map will compliment your books on the shelves very imaginatively. Support your books with decorative bookends. These will also put your books in focus. Select from a range of designs to enhance the look of your bookshelves.

 Living Room

Shelves have several utilities in your living room. You can decorate busts, ceramic figures, shells, hand-painted plates, souvenirs, decorative boxes, bowls, crystal items etc. in them. Or place your television set and other media components and audio-video elements on your shelves. Hide all hanging wires cleverly to display a neat look.

Efficiently arrange your hobby items or children’s toys in plastic, canvas or cardboard boxes on the shelves so that you can find everything easily and your room does not look cluttered.

Bedroom

If you have floating shelves next to your bed, decorate it with a lamp, a vase with some flowers, a few books and a small box. In the vanity, decorate your shelves creatively. Take a leather, silver or any ornamental tray and line your perfume bottles, cosmetics and brushes neatly on it. If necessary, you may add more than one tray to display your make-up stuff and find everything on hand while getting ready. A small vase with some foliage or bright flowers will give a cheerful look.

Also Read

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Kitchen

If you have open shelves or glass-fronted cupboards use them well. Floating shelves can be painted white or some neutral colour to display your brass or copper utensils or chinaware. You can get some vintage posters, paintings or signboards from your neighbourhood flea market and display them in the kitchen to add some interesting accents.

Bathroom

We often tend to ignore the shelves in our bathrooms. They can also be used creatively for a pleasant decor. Arrange your toiletries on a tray in the shelf next to your mirror. A small plant in a decorative pot, some colourful candles and shells will create a spa-like ambience.