These 4 fabulous guidelines for decorating shelves (or any horizontal space like a table top or mantel) keep everything looking balanced and pretty!
After I built my farmhouse shelves in my kitchen (for a mere $40, mind you), I couldn’t wait to decorate them. I spent months collecting items for my new shelves from my decor closet and from my favorite stores like Decor Steals, Target and IKEA. Affiliate links are provided for your convenience. See my full disclosure policy here.
Get This Look …
I have been wanting these shelves in this spot for a long time, but I wanted to paint my cabinets first and then I needed to re-paint the walls. So, after waiting and working for months on other improvements, I finally got to decorate the shelves with my favorite old and new finds!
I was so excited to pull the vignette together and I’m excited to change them up a little every season. Christmas is going to be so fun!!
Tips on Decorating Shelves
While you admire the shelves, I thought we’d talk a little bit about how to decorate a blank slate like this. These are just some guidelines I keep in mind as I am decorating shelves, or any horizontal space like a mantel or a console table.
- Keep the “rule of 3” in mind as you’re grouping things together. I tried to create 3 smaller vignettes on each shelf with 1 large or 3-ish medium to small things in each set. You can see that some places have more than 3 things, but it all flows nicely together.
- Stagger the heights of each object. If something’s not tall enough on it’s own, put something underneath it. For example: the greenery on the top shelf on the right. I place 3 small salad plates under it to give it some added oomph.
- Repeat textures like wood tones, metals, greenery and typography. And as I repeated them, I also tried to space them out throughout the shelves. Several times I would move one thing to a new location, and then it meant I had to move something else, because the metals were all together in one corner. Or all of the wood tones were clumped together.
Honestly, styling any sort of horizontal surface can be like working a puzzle. But it’s a FUN puzzle to work! 🙂 - Repeat colors. I repeated the color light yellow throughout with the cookbook, utensil crock, flowers, small book, coffee sign on the lower right and the tea towel.
I really love that I can display some of my prettier cookbooks. I’ve always loved this particular one called Cooking in the South with Johnnie Gabriel. I’ve tried one thing from it: cheese straws, a southern staple! But everything else looks so good! I need to try some more.
I may need to add “pretty cookbooks” to my list of things to keep an eye out for when I’m shopping.
Since the shelves have a distinct farmhouse style to them, I decided to play up that style. But I’m already thinking of ways to bring a coastal style in for summer. I’m digging the color navy with my turquoise right now, so the wheels are already spinning!
While the shelves hold mostly decor right now, I do plan to use them functionally in the future. Miss A, my 5-year-old daughter, loves everything about coloring and writing. We usually keep her art supplies on the kitchen table, but I’m planning on making a pretty box to go up on my shovels to hold all kinds of markers, crayons, scissors and pale.
Speaking of function, the cookbook is sitting on my DIY chalkboard iPad stand {tutorial here}. I will eventually move the stand down to the bottom shelf and use it as a charging station for our iPad and phones.
Do you see that outlet right under the bottom shelf? It’s for a phone jack that’s hiding behind the “Farm Fresh” printable, but I’ll put it to good use with my charging station. Get the free “Farm Fresh” printable from Finding Home Farms HERE.
I’m just honestly so thrilled that this wall is done! It gives such character and personality to my kitchen and it’s one step closer to being done with this room. Yay!
Get This Look …
The kitchen has come so far already. Don’t miss the before and progress shots in my Simply White Painted Kitchen Post.
You may also like this post all about farmhouse decor in the kitchen! I used a lot of these ideas to decorate my shelves and will be adding more soon!
Thanks for reading today!
Let me know what your favorite farmhouse accessory is in the comments.
Sources for Decorating Shelves:
- Crock – Ballard Designs (no longer available) | Similar
- White beaded plates – Target
- White beaded mug – Target
- Cutting board – Target (no longer available) | Similar
- Wooden spoons – Target (no longer available) | Similar
- Tobacco Baskets – Decor Steals (sign up for the next time they are available) | Similar
- Galvanized bucket – Target
- Farmhouse stool – Target
- Watering can – Target
- Boxwood plant – Target
- Sage plant – IKEA | also available on Amazon
- Milk bottle vase – Target (no longer available) | Similar
- Cotton wreath – Craft Outlet
- Wire basket – Decor Steals (sign up for the next time they are available) | Similar
Get Instant Access to my Guide to Customize Your Home on a Budget
Grab your FREE guide for 10 Ways to Customize Your Home on a Budget: simple projects to transform your home from builder beige to a home with character and charm!
Taryn Zischke says
November 13, 2018 at 10:14 pmHello,
I love your wall paint color. Can you tell me what brand/color name it is??
Thank you!!
Laura says
November 13, 2018 at 10:54 pmHi Taryn,
These walls are Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams. Thanks for reading!
xo, Laura
Kristi810 says
May 17, 2016 at 8:39 pmWhere did you purchase the metal brackets to mount the shelves on?
Beth Ingle says
April 11, 2016 at 3:24 pmYour farmhouse shelves are so cute and u love how you have them arranged! Gives me ideas on how to stage a shelf I have as guests come in the front door! Thanks for sharing!!!