One of the greatest joys in decorating our home is to place lovely ornaments on shelves, be it showpieces, artefacts, books, bowls, crystal jars, woven baskets, wooden boxes, your achievements, plants, or anything you want to showcase to the world at large! Remember the question is not only ‘what’ you are displaying, it is also ‘how’ you are displaying it! Your shelves, whether mounted in the living room, pooja room, bedroom, kids’ room, kitchen, or even in the bathroom, reflect your personality and your preferences. So, you need to think aesthetically as well as in a structured manner regarding visually appealing shelf decor ideas and align your ornaments on your shelves in a way they complement each other seamlessly!
Why do we arrange ornaments on shelves?
There are various reasons for this!
- Open shelves are a good medium for storage just like cupboards and drawers. There are so many big and small decor and important items in our house that we would like to store for easy access. In such cases, shelves come in very handy!
- Secondly, shelves are a good platform for home décor! As a human being, we love showcasing the best we have to our friends and relatives. We love to exhibit our cherished memories, our professional achievements, our kids’ achievements, our favourite books, collectibles, artworks, souvenirs, and so on. And open shelves are the best options to showcase all these!
- Some shelves are cautiously mounted at a certain height to prevent small kids from having access to certain objects, important documents, house keys, and so on. Small kids are very inquisitive and keep on exploring surfaces within their reach. So, shelves come to our rescue to safeguard our kids as well as our belongings.
Now, let’s learn about how we should arrange our ornaments on shelves for the best results.
Here are some useful shelf design ideas…
1. Begin with bigger items:
While starting to embellish our shelves, always begin with the bigger ornaments. This is because bigger items take more space and once they are placed well, it is easier to figure out space management for smaller ones. You can start with books or large ceramic pots. It is a good idea to stack books vertically, while the name of the books is visible on the spine. Pots and heavy showpieces should be placed in the centre of the shelves as focal points with smaller items on the side. But be vigilant with heavier ornaments and make sure your shelves will be able to hold them robustly.
2. The magic of odd numbers:
Irrespective of the fact whether you are inclined towards odd numbers or even ones, odd numbers always rule the shelves! Yes, arranging items in odd numbers is a thumb rule for decorating your shelves such as in a series of 3s, 5s, or 7s.
3. Go for varied sizes:
Break the monotony and arrange items of different sizes on the shelves. This looks very eye-catching and gives an aesthetic look to your shelves. For instance, you can go for bigger and smaller showpieces, vases, or plants together for a panoramic view! Try to think out-of-the-box and create a unique combination of your ornaments for a contemporary and chic look!
4. The effect of Lighting:
You can never bring out the beauty of your shelves without smart lighting options. Focus lighting and ambient lighting are considered adequate for highlighting the ornaments you have showcased on your shelves. You can even go for LED strips for a sleek and classy lighting effect.
5. Maintain a colour scheme:
Too many hues on a single shelf is a big no-no. Try to follow a single colour scheme or at the maximum combine two colours such as blue and white. You can go for various tones of that colour though. For instance, if you are displaying ceramic items in blue pottery art, you can comfortably go for different hues of blue to achieve a rustic look!
6. Planters:
Plants add life to your shelves. They are indeed very special for our mental and physical well-being. Don’t shy away from gracing your shelves with indoor plants like jade, aloe vera, bamboo, spider plants, money plants, and more. Even succulents help in breaking the monotony once placed along with your opulent showpieces!
Whether you're looking for living room wall shelf decor ideas or bedroom shelf decor ideas, the main idea is to accessorize your shelves in such a way that every glance at them should make you feel happy and refreshed! So, be thoughtful with regard to the items you are displaying and how you are displaying them for a lovely outcome!
FAQs:
1. Are there guidelines for arranging ornaments on open versus closed shelves?
If your ornaments need more protection from dust and other elements, then go for closed shelves, on the other hand, if you have a limited budget and also wish for more visibility of your ornaments, then open shelves are best.
2. What role does lighting play in showcasing ornaments on shelves?
Lighting plays a very crucial role in showcasing ornaments on shelves. Adequate lighting will elevate the beauty of your ornaments and vice-versa.
3. Can I use books as part of my ornament arrangement on shelves?
Yes, of course! In shelf or rack decoration ideas, books are important ornaments exhibited on shelves, as they add depth and cohesiveness to your shelves!
4. What's the best way to display a collection of smaller ornaments?
Follow smart shelf design ideas by complementing a collection of smaller ornaments with bigger ones to bring out the elegance of your shelves. You can also use books as a podium for placing smaller ornaments on them!
5. How do I start arranging ornaments on shelves?
One of the best shelf decor ideas is to start with the bigger ornaments like books or ceramic vases and then arrange the smaller ones beside the larger ones for a chic look and feel.
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