LET ME TAKE A SHELFIE


Photo by Maksim Goncharenok

Shelves are a great yet easy way to add art to your home - no nails and no drilling required. Style them with personal trinkets alongside some more practical items like mugs and plates, and you create such lovely visual interest in your beloved space. So I hope you'll enjoy the simple tips shared to zhuzh up your shelves with more art. Why not get creative by spending a few minutes freshening up an uninspiring shelf with these 5 tips!

TIP 1 | Mood Board Inspiration

Pick your shelf that needs a little love and before you decide to take everything off, spend a few moments daydreaming how you'd like to transform this space. Go to Pinterest and pin 5 - 10 images for inspiration. Don't go crazy here! Pin a few images that speak to you to gather inspiration and visual direction. Have fun daydreaming what you’d like your shelf to look like.


TIP 2 | 3 P Formula

Here is a simple formula you can learn to help you find the balance between beauty and being practical. Consider the following 3 Ps to help include various items on your shelf so that it can serve as a functional space but that looks pleasing too. I shared some more ideas in this journal post if you want to dive a little deeper and get those inspiration juices flowing.

PRETTY

Find and discover local artists that have ‘pleasing to your eye’ art and choose pieces that you connect with to add something different and thoughtfully considered to your shelf.

PRACTICAL

Consider things like the purpose of the shelf, is it a space for mugs / books / a holder for catch-all that you can add art to? Think about how much space you would need to ensure your shelf serves the space in your home.

PERSONAL

Because we’re not staging a house, this is your home so make it personal and use your all of your senses when adding your treasured trinkets, a fragrance, or something natural from your garden to style your art piece.

TIP 3 | Frame The Art

This is the fun part where you can scout for a piece of art that you’d like to purchase, or perhaps revive existing art in your home to a new space. Find art that’s ‘pleasing to your eye’, see what local artists you can support and find the perfect frame to slip it into. If you’re using an existing piece of art in your home, then perhaps give the frame a good wipe or change out the frame as an easy way to breathe new life into it.

TIP 4 | Shop Your Home

Before you rush to the stores to find decor items to help style your shelves with your art piece, why not first get creative and see what you have on hand that could be relocated to a new shelf? A small vase that hasn’t been used in a while, beautiful books that are tucked away, a pot plant or a candle that is still in its box. Look around your home with fresh eyes on what could work for your shelf. 

Here are some simple ideas to inspire you - a candle, a pot plant, mugs, wooden boards, books, woven basket, travel trinkets, a vase, photos of family / friends. Consider different colours, textures and feeling you want to convey on your shelf. Refer to your pinned images to keep you on track.

TIP 5 | Style Your Shelfie

Now is the time to pull it all together. You’ve side-eyed the shelf you want freshen up with some art. You’ve browsed for some visual inspiration, found your art and scoured your home for the decor bits. Let’s take 10 minutes to brighten up your shelf and refresh a corner of your beloved home. Have fun rearranging items, standing back to see if they are just right.

These 5 tips will hopefully inspire you to breathe new life into a shelf in your home. Have fun with these ideas and create a lovely space to admire and bring you joy. Which shelf will you be rearranging today?

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