I’ve been working on styling my living room shelves for months now, and they’re finally finished! I can’t believe how gorgeous they look. This entire TV shelf wall actually started off completely blank, but now it is a real show-stopper. We got our TV wall built first and then we added the white shelves ourselves. As soon as the entire wall was completed, I began decorating the shelves. This TV shelf wall was such a huge transformation and I can’t wait to share the details with you below.
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BEFORE
AFTER
Built-in shelves were something I really wanted in our house. But our home was a spec house so it was already newly built when we bought it. We got several quotes to get a full TV shelf wall constructed but the prices were ridiculous. We decided to contract out the TV wall and install the shelves ourselves. This was a more affordable option.
Finding a TV wall design that fit our wall dimensions took some time. I initially wanted to add cabinets underneath the shelves but couldn’t find the right dimensions in order to make everything look seamless. After researching tons of ideas on Instagram, I came across @ourcasitalife and fell in love with how she added large rattan baskets underneath her shelves. It was literally the perfect idea aesthetically and functionally because I could hide stuff in the baskets too.
*Note*: Unfortunately, Target no longer carries the Opalhouse Rattan Baskets anymore that are seen in my photos.
Shop the White Shelves Below:
Shop My Living Room Shelf Decor Below:
Installing the Shelves
I found the most perfect, affordable white shelves from Target. They looked great and were easy to install. I ordered them online and had them shipped to me. For extra stability, we added shelf reinforcer brackets from Amazon to make sure the shelves wouldn’t fall. Despite adding brackets, I still made sure to choose very lightweight shelf decor items as I didn’t want to make the shelves too heavy. Once we had the shelves hung up, it was time to style!
Styling the Shelves
Sourcing
I began by adding a few pieces I already owned that I knew would look good on the shelves. Once I saw the gaps that I needed to fill, I started researching Instagram and Pinterest to find lightweight shelf decor. I was very inspired by the way @kenziekittle styled her shelves. I loved her neutral and transitional style. Most of the decor items that I added to my shelves were from Crate and Barrel, CB2, West Elm, Pottery Barn, Target, and Amazon. They all have a lot of great shelf decor items.
Color Scheme
My shelf decor color scheme was very neutral and I made sure it went well with the rest of my living room home decor. I have an open floorplan concept so it was important for me to intertwine elements from the other areas in the room to make sure that the decor transitioned seamlessly. I used many blacks, browns, tans, whites, cremes, and greens.
Decor Objects
I used very thin, lightweight coffee table books to add contrast to my decor objects. I added pops of greenery to diversify all the neutral colors. To create texture, I placed black-covered books of different heights backward to show the color of the pages. I included a variety of vases and bowls and stuffed them with greenery, flowers, or beads.
Additionally, I added a luxurious, delicious-smelling diffuser to one of the shelves that was closest to my foyer so that when people walked in, they would instantly smell it. Lastly, I also included wooden chains and stylish stackable boxes that brought in the gold elements from my kitchen.
Shop the Pics:
9 Tips to Help You Style Your Living Room Shelves.
These are a few tips I have for shelf styling:
Start with what you already have.
Decide on a color scheme. Make a selection of colors that you would like to feature. Having neutral tones is always a good choice, but you can add some color as well.
Check out Instagram and Pinterest for ideas that will fit with your style and fill in the gaps on your shelves. You can also find ideas on the Crate and Barrel, Target, CB2, West Elm, and Pottery Barn websites.
Rearrange the shelf decor. Let it sit and come back the next day. Then look at it again, and rearrange some more until you get to the point where you are like, “This looks great!”.
Go lightweight. I highly recommend not using super heavy decor objects unless you have built-in shelves.
Add faux plants and flowers throughout your shelf decor to make it more lively. Not only will it add life to the room, but plants can also be used to add texture and depth. I love adding greenery like green flowers and moss balls.
Consider adding small and large books to bring color, contrast, and texture.
Mix up the height of the decor objects on the shelves. Place some objects close to the wall, others further away. This will create a more interesting look.
Use trays and bowls. You can fill them with ropes, moss balls, wooden chains/links, etc. to add more texture.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! These are just a few of the many ideas that you can use to style your living room shelves. Remember, your living room should be a space where you feel proud of, feel comfortable in, and feel peaceful and relaxed. I know I’m super proud of my TV shelf wall and now I can’t stop staring at it. Hopefully these tips help you come up with some great looks for styling your living room shelves. If so, share this post with your friends! I’d love to see pictures of some of your shelves once you’ve put these tips into action.
