New Year, New Shelving Display

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  If one of your new year decorating resolutions happens to be sprucing up your shelving arrangements, I have written an ideabook over at Houzz.com with some affordable product suggestions.  Whether you have an empty bookcase, hutch, cabinet, or wall shelf, these items can be used to enhance your display.   Mixing a few of these anchor pieces in with your personal items/collections can make for an attractive as well as heart warming arrangement.

As with any post or article that mentions the "b" word (books) it caused a stir.  I'll admit that most of my reading is done electronically, but I think books are beautiful and they have a place in my home.  I don't believe there are qualifications to owning and displaying anything in your own space.  Let me take that back, there is one qualification, that whatever it is... you love it.

I'd love for you to stop by, say hi and hopefully find a little inspiration for your shelving arrangement...

Guest Picks: Step Up Your Shelf Displays

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Happy New Year!

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® The Yellow Cape Cod 

Four Simple Steps To a Great Bookcase Display

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In my humble opinion, a well styled bookcase is as functional as it is beautiful.  If it looks great, but you can't touch it, it's no fun.  Achieving an attractive, functional display was my goal in Erik and Sara's bookcase project.

My priorities were to showcase family photos, offer discrete storage and keep their favorite books close at hand.   

This project began with a big, empty, beautiful custom built-in bookcase. 

 I used four simple steps (layers) to fill the shelves. 

Implementing the display in layers made it easy to create a balanced arrangement.

The thought of filling a large bookcase in an attractive way can seem overwhelming.

Like any other task, breaking it down into steps makes it manageable.

Here are four steps I used to create this display...

{Feel free to pin}

1.  Books and baskets evenly spaced were the base that anchored the arrangement.

2. Family photos and sentimental items were placed at eye level giving them center stage.

3. Attractive "filler" accessories in a common color (sea glass green) unified the display.

4.  I finished with a little bling.  Mercury glass accessories added sparkle and depth. 

(Chevy)

Although this guy kept me company while I worked, he didn't have any strong opinions. I think overall, he is happy with the way the project turned out.  He may be disappointed that I didn't put his photo in the new bookcase.  To make it up to him, I'd like to give him a special shout out here, on the blog. 

Your a good boy, Chevy.

A few helpful styling tips…If I get stuck, I step away for a few minutes and usually return with fresh eyes.  If something still seems amiss but I can't put my finger on it,  I'll snap a quick digital photo.  A photo can sometimes offer a new perspective making the problem obvious. 

In this case, the clients had a beautiful collection of books, gorgeous family photos and pretty sentimental items that made it easy to create a great display.  Not to mention, the custom bookcase itself was easy on the eyes.  Erik and Sara, thank you, for letting me share our project.  

More to come on this space!

© Copyright 2013 The Yellow Cape Cod

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*Carpentry/painting by Rob Toth of Grand Blanc, Mi.

**Architect, Christopher Macklin, Macklin Design.