Shelf Styling

In almost every house we design, there is a room with bookcases or shelves that need to be styled.  Sometimes built-in, othertimes free standing furniture, these features are always a double-edged sword. Clients love them, they want them, but they are at a loss for how to style them. Too utilitarian, and they look messy; too styled, and they feel pretentious. We spend countless hours sourcing objects in an effort to curate shelves that feel interesting and organized yet personal. Here are some of our favorite components:

Books, books and more books. You can literally never have enough. Hard cover books are essential. We buy them by the armful at Myopic Books in Bucktown.

Shop the house. We find the most amazing treasures hidden away in our client’s basements, kitchens and closets!

Vases and bowls. Alapash, CB2, West Elm and Cost Plus are our go-to sources for interesting bowls and vases. We tend to buy objects in wood, white and black in quantities of two or three and vary the height and shape.

Treasures from your travels. So personal and wonderful to see memories from your favorite trips displayed on your shelves.