Taming open shelves

<div class="entry-summary"><div class="phrasing_content"> Are your selves like mine?  They start out beautifully arranged and over time bits and pieces of things end up store there, and soon you have a  messy jumble.  If you are someone who can relax in a space no matter what is going on in it, perhaps a jumble of objects  doesn't bother you.  I'm not like that.  If my environment is in a mess that is how my head feels.  <br /><br />Here are 5 great tips to  bring order to unruly  shelves.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/79767/Living-eclectic-living-room-portland"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vary sizes of objects </b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVcENiwf4Rg2SK5z2Rh9aY8gbV95UraitpGYcZCNrrhkTLmadTW9Dm7EmxkCv2s9ekeMojW-6uvHf7EMscGl0HAjDH-6W39jMPfmmnp8w7KuW9jVNW6qsnmr70h1Hmr4ox_VMU2mv3TY0/s1600/69594756711623386_Ks3tJcdP_f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVcENiwf4Rg2SK5z2Rh9aY8gbV95UraitpGYcZCNrrhkTLmadTW9Dm7EmxkCv2s9ekeMojW-6uvHf7EMscGl0HAjDH-6W39jMPfmmnp8w7KuW9jVNW6qsnmr70h1Hmr4ox_VMU2mv3TY0/s640/69594756711623386_Ks3tJcdP_f.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><br />One of the simplest rules when arranging vignettes is to have a range of object sizes for variety.  Some should be small , some medium and at least one piece that is large. And remember to layer to create interest.  Put a tray at the back and then stack  books and a small object on top of them. If you layer artwork make sure it is actually visible.  There's nothing more annoying than using art work in a display and then covering it up. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Use repetition</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/507184/Hillgrove-Project-traditional-living-room-los-angeles"><img alt="Hillgrove Project traditional living room" border="0" height="750" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/507184_0_8-0686-traditional-living-room.jpg" width="500" /></a><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/mkspach/tim-barber-ltd-architecture-interior-design" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Tim Barber LTD Architecture & Interior Design</a></small></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/626010/Bookcase-Accessorizing-eclectic-living-room-raleigh"><img alt="Bookcase Accessorizing eclectic living room" border="0" height="790" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/626010_0_8-5571-eclectic-living-room.jpg" width="500" /></a><small> </small><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/rachelgcfl/rachel-freeman" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Rachel Freeman</a></small></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Repetition, when used well, creates a strong design. Choose several elements to repeat throughout the bookcase/shelving. If you have one stack of books laid horizontally, repeat this arrangement in at least two other places.  Use small sculptures, boxes or vases and rest them on top of a pile of books or magazines. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Keep it neutral </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><img align="middle" alt="shelf-style-overall.jpg" border="0" height="628" hspace="0" src="http://www.styleathome.com/img/photos/biz/Style%20at%20Home/shelf-style-overall.jpg" vspace="0" width="550" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/styling-secrets/how-to-style-open-shelves/a/34418/2">Style at Home</a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>When you have a range of objects to store,  one of the best ways to keep things looking pulled together is to choose neutral colour schemes.  I love white objects for this purpose. You might also consider silver, brass, wood etc.   There's a lot going on in the space above, but because everything is white or very pale, a cohesive look is achieved.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUUgplSIkvVJjeYuqhpxYsG1Re4NalOaWBY979Z-wYaMxkkqd0-5Dl3OLvZ1lAYypqE_XY08BKE9Gcn43mLgJUISrPrqZZaC6sAtBfbrg0LVChBKrQHsMbislk1yVkTLUEtVSu7O2amps/s1600/171277592048202157_yezYGqJp_f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUUgplSIkvVJjeYuqhpxYsG1Re4NalOaWBY979Z-wYaMxkkqd0-5Dl3OLvZ1lAYypqE_XY08BKE9Gcn43mLgJUISrPrqZZaC6sAtBfbrg0LVChBKrQHsMbislk1yVkTLUEtVSu7O2amps/s640/171277592048202157_yezYGqJp_f.jpg" width="512" /></a> </div><br /> This neutral scheme allows the homeowner to display stored items in an interesting way.  Also notice that the organization on each shelf is organized in two sets with both having equal visual weight. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwqAZHZhoV8VV7ocZYJIVZeb-bLThlmm_AqltgyhiERpZMZKh1qnqfzM0Iop_Fydbetyhrh_MLahrHHsScpgju5Fcj5uqyHoQEe2jWItsBVyyahbob1fxMQl4M-I3jdJLuDnTX_4QoRNc/s1600/237424211575008203_cgI2VQLr_f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwqAZHZhoV8VV7ocZYJIVZeb-bLThlmm_AqltgyhiERpZMZKh1qnqfzM0Iop_Fydbetyhrh_MLahrHHsScpgju5Fcj5uqyHoQEe2jWItsBVyyahbob1fxMQl4M-I3jdJLuDnTX_4QoRNc/s640/237424211575008203_cgI2VQLr_f.jpg" width="360" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is as neutral as you can get in both theme and colour scheme.I love the repetition of bottles and books with variety achieved through shape. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Keep interesting elements at eye level </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BhkgGA4aOt9vnPPZpUGXhr1iEHRPFymJNpQft4Nv_PSDW6DrnBkTEDO9neTU83Cfhn2b8-0B5c4R-kGICf1IQJucJz0g19a1uGxO4KdLQDUZSw65VmvRCY2sXF8bK2yFnx_xTvEuKsgY/s1600/shelf1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BhkgGA4aOt9vnPPZpUGXhr1iEHRPFymJNpQft4Nv_PSDW6DrnBkTEDO9neTU83Cfhn2b8-0B5c4R-kGICf1IQJucJz0g19a1uGxO4KdLQDUZSw65VmvRCY2sXF8bK2yFnx_xTvEuKsgY/s640/shelf1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://theglitterguide.com/2012/01/25/how-to-style-a-bookshelf/8/">The Glitter Guide </a></span></div><br />This is an easy one and it really makes a difference. When you walk into a room , you tend to see what is at eye level first.  Don't forget about "seated" eye level  too.  Keep boring objects toward the bottom.  Also remember that if you have a line of books or really dark objects they will have a lot of visual weight and should rest at the bottom of the display. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Create relationships</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/79767/Living-eclectic-living-room-portland"><img alt="Living eclectic living room" border="0" height="750" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/79767_0_8-7578-eclectic-living-room.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/pdxdesignerguy/garrison-hullinger-interior-design-inc" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.</a></small></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>  </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmXh-oP7raM-ewNLCau3KsfCTHmpcsSkRWGM1sPBrUiBdBYDLZaYSyzEWf33wAeQK9arVVI6Ef4S1Aj6IPwQ5SrXE-NgPQSzshR573b6AldlY3wgDhRyDexc027INJuI6d-rlGxXf22Ch/s1600/9359111695460311_jEQuZcJA_f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmXh-oP7raM-ewNLCau3KsfCTHmpcsSkRWGM1sPBrUiBdBYDLZaYSyzEWf33wAeQK9arVVI6Ef4S1Aj6IPwQ5SrXE-NgPQSzshR573b6AldlY3wgDhRyDexc027INJuI6d-rlGxXf22Ch/s640/9359111695460311_jEQuZcJA_f.jpg" width="480" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://amberinteriordesign.blogspot.ca/search?updated-max=2011-12-01T06:00:00-08:00&max-results=50">Amber Interiors </a></span><br /><br /></div>Choose a common element when you arrange shelving.  It could be similar colours, shapes or content/theme. Choose objects that relate to one another in colour and/or shape to create unity. Vary the size of objects and make sure they relate to each other in some way. In the images above the common theme is containers interspersed with art work.

Taming open shelves

 Are your selves like mine?  They start out beautifully arranged and over time bits and pieces of things end up store there, and soon you ha...

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Thursday Tip #7- Editing a bookcase

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PPv_2tHuZRJtACveWyl1FcorJ4XBnPpg3PxZPV_Dx9BjQZTE_sxRcWXc7UgODH8MziX_LfQC8MfjmTl_ZztW6CqH-QCwg5o5AaOnyeOiu4kN6Es6ssrViERJc9ic9JXEBuI1l9MwMsor/s1600/404384739_4mLbUAbs_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PPv_2tHuZRJtACveWyl1FcorJ4XBnPpg3PxZPV_Dx9BjQZTE_sxRcWXc7UgODH8MziX_LfQC8MfjmTl_ZztW6CqH-QCwg5o5AaOnyeOiu4kN6Es6ssrViERJc9ic9JXEBuI1l9MwMsor/s320/404384739_4mLbUAbs_c.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Control your bookcase</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you're like me this is easier said than done.  I don't like a bookcase to look too edited, but grouping objects and books is a must.  I won't go so far as to suggest covering books with the same colour paper  or lining them up by colour as I've seen in some magazines.  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">What works in his arrangement ?</div><ul><li>the bookcase has been treated as an accent wall by painting the back a beautiful blue</li><li>sculptural objects are massed and are  the same colour - white- which shows against the blue</li><li>there's a range of objects including books, vases, photos and found objects</li><li>the books have been sorted by height</li><li>books are placed both horizontally and vertically</li></ul>If you wanted to further edit this arrangement you could consider:<br /><ul><li>removing the photos; they are lost in the display </li><li>if you are arranging books horizontally, keep to that, don't start to stack vertically on top of the horizontal ones; stacking some horizontally and some vertically on the same shelf works</li><li>don't add a piece of sculpture on top of a books (see bowl) , this is sculptural enough to display alone and gets lost otherwise. </li><li>if you have an arrangement of vases, bottles etc.  don't add a picture behind it- it gets lost.</li></ul> From one extreme to the next...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMykJwXDXHEZS5fdrQ6-4BH5m28y92Q_hNYFUN_a9R90EvNcX3g1EFRIoVVLz9iNUjanqPcerNFzMFCcl3BeKdoIig7VoFXT5RBYLVc-1mz_CEK82y0xeF2FINBMgWH3DjZVv7ZHR8YUcd/s1600/greatdesign_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMykJwXDXHEZS5fdrQ6-4BH5m28y92Q_hNYFUN_a9R90EvNcX3g1EFRIoVVLz9iNUjanqPcerNFzMFCcl3BeKdoIig7VoFXT5RBYLVc-1mz_CEK82y0xeF2FINBMgWH3DjZVv7ZHR8YUcd/s320/greatdesign_thumb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Quiet and unobtrusive, this bookcase provides a lovely backdrop for the two chairs grouped in front of it.  This is a room I would like to sit in . <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8DzJ_HaIQnQ-6tK71yKRqtDJi9mpY93OaWsTtAUZUYHvCu35qzBsjz9_dsitXd1Efa0hHjDEBIsSqLFCWU70gUrnJmFfsuUM0s1ZKuY2OSReY1UBlsxq-6k_jC4tzy9n_SG3qWHDt97S/s1600/Original_Flea-Market-Accessories-Shelf_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8DzJ_HaIQnQ-6tK71yKRqtDJi9mpY93OaWsTtAUZUYHvCu35qzBsjz9_dsitXd1Efa0hHjDEBIsSqLFCWU70gUrnJmFfsuUM0s1ZKuY2OSReY1UBlsxq-6k_jC4tzy9n_SG3qWHDt97S/s320/Original_Flea-Market-Accessories-Shelf_s4x3_lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">HGTV</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a whole other way of  organizing a bookcase.  While is is ordered, it has a very vibrant almost chaotic feel to it.  It has way too much visual energy for my taste, but there's someone who loves it.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8DzJ_HaIQnQ-6tK71yKRqtDJi9mpY93OaWsTtAUZUYHvCu35qzBsjz9_dsitXd1Efa0hHjDEBIsSqLFCWU70gUrnJmFfsuUM0s1ZKuY2OSReY1UBlsxq-6k_jC4tzy9n_SG3qWHDt97S/s1600/Original_Flea-Market-Accessories-Shelf_s4x3_lg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you want more inspiration check out <a href="http://www.thelennoxx.com/category/tips-and-tricks/">The Lennox</a>,  a great blog that I follow. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Did you find a useful tip  in this post or do you have one to add? </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Shelving</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Thursday Tip #7- Editing a bookcase

Control your bookcase If you're like me this is easier said than done.  I don't like a bookcase to look too edited, but grouping obj...

Read more »