Easy Ways to Revamp Open Shelf Styling

Coffee table decor

The perfect reminder of renewal and rebirth, spring is a great time to make small adjustments to your home that will make it feel refreshed for the coming year. If your open shelves are feeling cluttered or lacking in style, now is the perfect time to take a few hours to mix things around to achieve a completely new feel. To give your shelves a fresh new look, our interior designers have come up with the easy-to-follow tips below.

wooden curio cabinet

Decide on a Theme

Before styling your shelves, decide on a cohesive visual narrative that you can follow. This might be a color palette or a style like bohemian or coastal. You can either try to coordinate the theme with the rest of your room, or let your shelves stand out as a pop of color or wall of interesting objects. An all-white theme, like the one pictured is especially striking.

Organize Your Existing Items

Once you’ve decided on your theme, we recommend taking down all the items that you already have on your shelves so that you can start your styling from scratch. As you consider each piece that was once on your shelves, remove any that do not fit your new theme. Add in new pieces or objects pulled from other rooms that coordinate better with your theme.

storage console
ornate side table

Vary Height and Depth

Shelves that only hold one kind of item, like books will hardly warrant a second glance, while ones filled with unique objects in a variety of sizes can make a strong statement. Add in vases, candles, bookends, and sculptural pieces that are different sizes to create an eye-catching display. If you’re looking to include books on your shelves, try stacking some vertically and some horizontally to create additional interest. 

Add Coffee Table Books 

If you’re feeling like your shelves lack depth, or you want them to be more functional, try adding some colorful, personal coffee table books. Not only do they provide entertainment for guests, but coffee table books can be used as risers to give trays and trickets a stylish boost. You can even take the jackets off to better coordinate colors with your room design.

Coffee table books
upholstered ottoman

Don’t Forget Your Plants!

Small houseplants add a much-needed touch of freshness and texture to your shelves. While not all plants will be happy sitting on a shelf, there are plenty that will be fine without a lot of light. Any kind of ivy will look beautiful as it cascades down your shelving unit.


Create the Perfect Shelf with GDC Home Accessories

You can tell a lot about a person by what they display on their shelves at home, so take advantage of this opportunity to showcase some of your favorite pieces in a personalized way. At our Charleston home furniture stores, we have a curated collection of everything from bookends to coastal-inspired trinkets that will make your shelves come alive. Whether you are looking to add a pop of color to your kitchen shelves or create a cozy bedroom nook, our home accessories will inspire you to create a shelf masterpiece.


Shop the Look


Sky Blue Boxes, Set of 2

The Sky Blue Box Set illustrates the talents of the artisans who create the surfaces of these white decorative boxes.

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Cassius Marble Sculpture

Hand-carved from a single piece of stone, the abstract Cassius Marble Sculpture weaves about creating a flowing singular form.

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Charbel Bookends

Set of two bookends featuring textured faux white coral on crystal bases.

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Manitapi Vase

Made from black terracotta, this incredible hand-thrown, dark blue vase is completely covered in handmade bell-shaped flowers.

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Claire Candleholders, Set of 2

Crystal block candleholders with brass finished legs.

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Versatile leather and rope basket.

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100% cast iron frame finished with a mirrored bottom.

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Explore more of our latest styles and keep up-to-date with design trends by following GDC Home on our social platforms below. View our gallery and use the hashtag to find your next design inspiration!