In this article, we'll share an array of inspiring ideas for decorating your shelves, along with expert tips for achieving the layouts and designs.
So, grab your favorite decor, and let's get started on bringing some personality to your living room.
6 Tips For Decorating Your Living Room Shelves
When decorating your living room's shelves, it's essential to have a game plan for how you'll achieve the finished look you desire. You'll need to consider everything from the size of the shelves to the decorative objects you're thinking of using to create points of interest.
"Decorating shelves can feel a little daunting, so my biggest tip is to divide and conquer. Focus on one shelf at a time and work your way through the whole shelving unit."
But don't try to do it all at once. "Decorating shelves can feel a little daunting, so my biggest tip is to divide and conquer," says Megan Dufresne. "Focus on one shelf at a time and work your way through the whole shelving unit. Once you have your basic decor in place, you can tweak and move things around as needed to create visual balance," adds the California-based designer.
Here are some top tips on decorating the shelves in your living room.
1. Decide on a Color Scheme
Firstly, deciding on a color scheme is important — this is a crucial part of the process because it influences everything else.
For example, getting a bright pink neon sign might not be the right fit if you're looking for a minimalist, neutral scheme. Whereas if you're going for a summer theme, you'll probably benefit from bright and bold colors and seaside-themed decorative objects you'd typically associate with summer holidays.

You can be relaxed with the color scheme, as being too strict can often take the fun out of decorating. However, it can help bring the look or vision you have in your mind together. It avoids any obvious decorating choices that clash with another feature.
2. Choose a Selection of Decorative Items
Next up, you'll want to select the right items to decorate the shelves. There are lots of beautiful items you can use for your shelving. For example, you could:
- Incorporate a bit of nature into your home through house plants and benefit from the clean air they help create;
- Add a bit more personality to the house with picture frames that add character and interest, or;
- Accessorize with candles, books, vases, and small sculptures.
It's all down to personal choice and what items you wish to display. Everyone's different regarding their interior design preferences and their home in general, so make your own decisions on what you'd like on display.
3. Choose a Variety of Shapes, Heights, and Sizes
When it comes to styling shelves, it's vital to pick a variety of shapes, heights, and sizes.
"Incorporate various sizes, shapes, and textures that all complement each other. This means they follow a similar style, color scheme, or overall theme," advises Megan Dufresne. "In this way, you can mix and match items while ensuring they come together cohesively when it's complete."
Alison Wright, from the interior design firm Metal + Petal, agrees. "Shape, form, and scale are other things to consider when decorating shelves. Making sure there are appropriately sized pieces for your shelves will give you a finished, perfectly styled look," she adds.

When arranging your shelves, it's good to place taller objects towards the top and back of shelves, allowing smaller items to stake a claim for attention.
Creating a flow is essential, so mix it up where you can with various knick-knacks, plans, and photos. You can also make use of house plants when it comes to styling shelves, too. For example, a snake plant can create a lot of extra height on shelves higher up — and plants like ivy can hang down and make a free-flowing effect across multiple shelves.
4. Arrange in Odd Numbers
When adding items to your shelves, think about how many you incorporate into each shelf. Our brains prefer grouping things in odd numbers, so where you can, display items in groups of three, five, or seven. (The rule of odd numbers isn't exclusive to shelving, so keep it in mind when decorating other surfaces like your dining table, side tables, or coffee tables.)
5. Repeat Items to Unify the Display
For shelf styling that stays consistent throughout, it's always helpful to repeat some objects if you can. It keeps the flow throughout the living space and helps bring the look together. If you're using a shelf to store books, then ensure you've got more books stored elsewhere on another shelf.
When decorating shelves, add similar photo frames, plant pot shapes, and colors, as well as candles that fill up the bare shelves you started with. The right decor can help bring the display together, so experiment with what works and what doesn't.
6. Less is more
When filling up your shelves, remember that you don't want to clutter a blank space for the sake of it. Sometimes a minimal approach is needed, especially if you're shelf isn't the biggest.
You can add many beautiful pieces to your room, but don't compromise the space to the point where it feels cramped and crowded. If you've got too much decor, then refrain from putting it all on a shelf and instead find other ways to display it.
How To Decorate The Shelves In Your Living Room: Step-by-Step
Next, we'll cover the steps you'll be taking when it comes to arranging your shelves. From getting started to nailing the perfect design, we've got some great tips from expert interior designers.
1. Remove Everything to Start
Before starting your shelf styling, you want to remove everything to give yourself a fresh start.
"Everything is easier with an empty slate," says Rebekah Correll of Transparent Interiors. "When taking things away, try to group them elsewhere by height, color, or shape — this will make things move faster. I usually place everything on a large surface, such as a dining table, for easy access," she adds.
Giving yourself a blank slate will inspire creativity and enable you to think beyond what is already on display. It also gives you an opportunity for a mini spring clean, as you can give each item a quick wipe-down to remove any dust or dirt.
2. Begin with Books
Books are an obvious choice to decorate shelves with and are a great starting point when you're stuck. Books bring interest to a room, add depth, and encourage guests to get up close to see what the home occupants enjoy reading.
"When layering in books, choose different heights for more visual appeal. Don't be afraid to mix and match," advises Anna Popov.
With open shelves, you can group several books with a bookstand at either end if required. Books also provide height and some structure that you may be after with open shelving.

3. Tell your Story
Your home should be personal to you, and styling your shelves is no different — use it as an opportunity to showcase your passions or life experiences.
"Styling a bookcase involves artfully layering items relevant to a family's story, travels, and history. K Kong Designs often includes a client's collections when cultivating shelves or bookcases," says Kristin Kong and Tara Teverbaugh. "Wood artifacts, framed art, natural elements such as geodes perched on stands to at height, blend with a family's favorite photo and books to create a meaningful and artful display," advise the creative duo.

4. Add Large Items to Add Further Height
There are lots of objects that you can add to decorate shelves in any room of your home. Things like picture frames and artwork can help draw the eye; the higher they're placed, the more the eye will be drawn.

Large items also make a good starting point for any arrangement. "Position your largest, heaviest elements first," recommends Anna Popov. "Start stacking and staggering items throughout, making sure to counterbalance large and small items and include a variety of shapes, textures, and complementing colors. Unusual shapes and varying materiality and sizes will help add interest."
A few tall items you could use include:
- Tall, eye-catching plants are a great way to add life to the space and can inject a bit of color. Even those going for a neutral look can benefit from some nature. Whether fake flowers, plastic plants, or the real deal, it's all excellent decor for the shelf.
- Picture frames can be filled up with wallpaper scraps, photos, wrapping paper, antique documents, and even pages from your favorite books.
5. Fill in the Gaps
While you want to keep the surfaces manageable, there will be occasions when you want to fill in some gaps that may be too big. If you're not filling in the gaps, the shelf itself may be too sparse.
Smaller decorative pieces, like candles, small plants, and sculptures, are all great ways to decorate shelves.
These ideas are all suggestions and don't need to be something that you have to adhere to strictly. Instead, you can take this as a guide that provides structure to your shelving goals. If you've followed these steps, you'll come away with shelving in your living room that looks the part and provides you with satisfaction every time you enter the room.
"Once you are satisfied with your arrangement, step back and take a look to take at the overall look—it's impossible to gauge how well things are balanced when you're too close. Rearrange and repeat until you are satisfied," says Anna Popov.