Styling Shelves With The Non-Consumer Advocate

by Katy on January 3, 2013 · 48 comments

The internet is full of beautifully styled shelves these days. From HGTV’s Emily Henderson to Young House Love’s Sherry Petersik, there are enough drool-worthy photos and tutorials to make a gal want to clear every shelf in her house just to replace it with fun and engaging new arrangements. (Note — when I say “gal,” what I really mean is “womyn,”  as I am a true-blue, card-carrying, flag waving feminist.)

Anyway . . .

The shelves surrounding my fireplace were just itching for a re-style. And you all know that my favorite home decor projects are those that cost nada, zero, zilch. (Note — when I say “nada, zero, zilch,” what I really mean is “nothing,” as I am a true-blue, card-carrying, flag waving cheap-o.)

Anyway . . .

Here are my shelves before I started the project.

Left side:

Right side:

Nothing terrible, just kind of stale. Definitely ripe for a makeover.

First thing I did was to remove all the books, bookends and stray doodads and wipe everything down. I then sorted the books by color and vintage-ness and gathered my bookends, vintage bowls of marbles and some smaller vases and pottery. The shelves are not at eye level, so it was important to keep sight line in mind. I strapped on a library audio book and got to work.

Red books and doodads here, blue books and doodads there.

The first incarnation looked like this:

 And this:

Better, but too literal in their symmetry. I wanted a balanced look without the confines of type-A symmetry.

I got back to work, angling the books, gathering more doodads and looking up my original Pinterest inspiration photos. Stepping back, stepping away and then rearranging a little more.

Here are the shelves in their final stage:

There are two individual shelves that I like the best. The blue one because it features the”What Katy Did” and “Nurse Against The Town” books, as well as a star of David:

I also like the yellow shelf because of the The Little House books and the smiley face mug. My decorating style often leans too far into the Grandma’s Living Room camp, so I try to inject at least a small amount of humorous and contemporary stuff.

I will likely continue to tinker with the arrangement, as this kind of project is never really done.

So, what do you think? Was it worth the effort? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }

Erica January 3, 2013 at 11:49 am

Beautiful! Definitely worth it!

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Megyn@Unstuffed January 3, 2013 at 11:53 am

Personally, I like the before look better as the books are all easily accessible. And the following pictures make my minimalist self have a visual panic attack lol. I do like the color coordination though! Take my opinion with a grain of salt…as my version of interior decorating is a single painting on a wall and getting rid of things 😉

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 11:57 am

Luckily, I am no minimalist. Your empty house would make me feel twitchy.

Katy

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tna January 3, 2013 at 12:06 pm

Oh I think it looks better, so colorful and artsy. But one of the shelves didn’t get any doodads? I love all the marbles. I’d view your house like a museum of sorts…. I don’t have any stuff but I enjoy seeing what others do with theirs.

It’s pretty!

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Steph January 3, 2013 at 12:09 pm

I really like the colour co-ordination idea. My favourite is the first incarnation, very pretty.

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Susan January 3, 2013 at 12:36 pm

I like the colour schemes a lot, Katy! You make me look at my shelves and think “Ugh! They need some T.L.C.” I think we need a solution to the wool/yarn stash in my house…storage ideas? I’m a little tired of it hanging out in plastic bags under the day bed.

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Brenda Turner January 3, 2013 at 1:31 pm

I’m loving the blue color scheme especially!

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Mel January 3, 2013 at 1:36 pm

Please come and redo mine. Nice change.

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 2:31 pm

I’m on my way! 😉

Katy

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One Day At A Time January 3, 2013 at 2:37 pm

Is there glass on the doors so you don’t have to dust? All I think is dusting when I see doodaddy shelves.
I like the second incarnation – the first was too matchy matchy for me. Shelves trying too hard 😉

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 2:57 pm

We don’t get all that dusty. No carpet and no dogs. 🙂

Katy

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One Day At A Time January 4, 2013 at 1:02 pm

Lucky! I feel like all I have to do is breathe and my home is covered in dust 🙁 of course we have a dog, toddler, carpet and chickens….

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Kristen | The Frugal Girl January 3, 2013 at 2:46 pm

You know, I’ve never thought of styling my bookcases and I’ve just realized why…they’re too crammed with books for any rearranging to happen!

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 2:56 pm

I now have a lot of books to put into upstairs shelves. And my husband insisted that his old photo books from college stayed.

Katy

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Debbie January 3, 2013 at 3:02 pm

Love it!

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Kailey January 3, 2013 at 3:17 pm

I really like the orange shelf, I love the colour and the overall shape of the whole thing.
I would never think to put a mug on a bookshelf but it looks so cute. Shows me I have to get out the box! This has sinpired me to tackle my cluttery book shelves but I don’t really have book ends to play with. Any suggestions for other sneaky things lying around my house to use like the mug?

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PQ January 4, 2013 at 6:10 am

I use heavy vases, other books (on their sides), and nice rocks that I have found (we have a lot of quartz chunks around here). In the past I have used a piece of birtch log that I drilled some holes in and fit for candles- although that was only for the big hardcovers that stayed up mostly on their own because the log wasn’t very heavy.

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Anne Weber-Falk January 3, 2013 at 3:57 pm

Ah.the beauty of a styled shelf. Sighhh… This will NEVER happen in my home. My husband has so many books and is so particular about his shelves. We can never break them up with decor and every book must be standing up and pulled right to the edge of each shelf. A girl (womyn) can dream though.

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Olivia January 3, 2013 at 4:01 pm

Absolutely worth it! My husband got me another bookshelf for Christmas, and I spent a good chunk of time rearranging our collection. It was fun, and I loved how that small project really made a difference in the room.

I love those pink bookends!

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 4:04 pm

Aren’t they cute? I bought them for 99¢ from Value Village.

Katy

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Olivia January 3, 2013 at 4:17 pm

Nice find at an amazing price!

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Molly January 3, 2013 at 4:09 pm

I spy nancy drew!

Or, at least what looks like nancy drew.

Our shelves are a massive storage unit for our apartment. They’re not going to look super pretty.

YET.

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Jean January 3, 2013 at 4:17 pm

I think you have done a wonderful job with your shelves.

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 4:19 pm

Thank you. It was fun to do!

Katy

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Theresa January 3, 2013 at 6:27 pm

It looks very nice, Katy. I’m stealing your marbles in a bowl idea, since we found my hubby’s marbles:)

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Audrey January 3, 2013 at 7:19 pm

I think they look awesome! Truly. Worth every moment of effort!

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Jennifer January 3, 2013 at 7:50 pm

I like the look, but I personally think it would look better to still have a few shelves that are full of books. Mix it up even more. Books are so warm and comforting, and a non-arranged shelf (like in your “before” pictures) invites you to grab a book and read.

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Katy January 3, 2013 at 7:57 pm

I will continue to tinker with the configuration, and I think more books will definitely find their way back onto the shelves.

Katy

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Jean January 3, 2013 at 9:30 pm

Your shelves look great–I love “use what you have” decorating and as I take my Christmas things down (hey, it’s not Epiphany yet!) I think I need to change up my “doo dads” a bit. I have a tendency to create an arrangement I like and then it stays that way–for years. I think the last time I really changed things was when we cleared the entire living room and dining room for new wallpaper, paint and carpet which was five years ago. My bookshelves would be tough, though–they are loaded with books in spite of a major purge last fall, and I admit to being very type A about them, fiction by author, nonfiction by subject. My inner librarian would have a stroke if someone came and arranged them by color!

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Diana B January 4, 2013 at 2:47 am

I love it! They look so pretty now, all color-coded. And since I sell children’s books on Ebay such as Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys, I enjoyed seeing those books displayed.

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Happy Mum January 4, 2013 at 3:44 am

Ha ha — Katy, your opening paragraphs made me laugh out loud! (Note: And when I say “laugh out loud,” what I really mean is… well, you get the picture.)

But I must admit that I don’t really understand “styling shelves” — like some other commenters, I also thought your shelves looked nicer before — lots of neat and tidy books, waiting to be read or re-read — plus a few special mementoes… done!

But they are your shelves — so I’m happy if you’re happy. 😉

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Pidge January 4, 2013 at 4:21 am

I love it! And am inspired to go rearrange something now! 🙂

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Madeline January 4, 2013 at 5:39 am

Very nice! I also love the blue shelf best.I like the book holder in the FIRST incarnation, the one that looks like it is holding paperbacks on an angle?Where did it go???

I also enjoy a bit of clutter in my house, it makes it feel cozy.. no minimalist here,either. I can’t live without a slightly messy bookshelf in the middle of my living space either!!

Really pretty job Katy!!!

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Denise Brandon January 4, 2013 at 6:54 am

I like both your “before” and your “after” pictures! You really have a knack for decorating. It’s always fun to change things up a bit.

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Paula in the UP January 4, 2013 at 7:35 am

Looks great! If i had built ins it is how i would like them to look!! I love homes of that era.

I’m in the camp of less is more and you would be twitchy in my home too! When I think of book shelves I think of having to dust. Glad to hear that no carpet means less dust, because we are putting wood laminate floors in very soon. I do have a dog but of non shedding variety!!

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Katy January 4, 2013 at 7:46 am

To balance the stuff in the shelves, the mantle is almost completely empty.

Katy

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Katy January 4, 2013 at 7:42 am

By the way, I should have mentioned that there is always furniture in front of these shelves, so they’ll never be 100% visible anyway.

Katy

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kris January 4, 2013 at 7:49 am

I love the “Katy” version! Unfort. I live in Florida (w/doggies! but no carpet, yay) and could dust practically daily (I don’t but I could, lol) so a shelving unit like that would scream “Dust me!” But you did a great job & I love the color groupings, very pretty.

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Linda in Mass January 4, 2013 at 7:59 am

I love what you did. Would not work for me because we have too many books (is there such a thing as too many books). I need the space on the shelves to store all of them.

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Katy January 4, 2013 at 8:01 am

I had room in a bedroom bookshelf, so I stashed the leftovers there.

Plus . . . I have a small bookshelf in the living room where I keep all the books that are in current rotation.

Katy

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Sass January 5, 2013 at 6:47 am

Is that a McCoy Smiley Face mug? I have been wanting one of those for EONS. I keep hoping to happen upon one at a garage sale or goodwill or something. So far, no dice. The ones I have found at antique stores or fleamarkets have been out of my price range for a knick knack. I do have a pier one smiley mug that the Princess gave me for Christmas a year ago, and I LOVE it, but I’m still trying to find the treasure of a McCoy — for CHEAP!

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Tami -- Teacher Goes Back to School January 5, 2013 at 7:48 am

katy – i love your new book shelves. they look beautiful!

i have been trolling pinterest for styling ideas and what i’ve always come up against is the amount of books we have. it never occurred to me to split them up and keep books in all the rooms of my house.

that simple tip, just got my creative juices flowing, so thank you!

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Betty Winslow January 5, 2013 at 8:53 am

Lovely – I tried to do something like this in my office, but I have too many books. Actually, that’s the case throughout the house! Plus, I dislike dusting. Doodads = dusting. But your shelves look wonderful, in both incarnations. I’m inspired to at least shuffle some things around!

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Alison p-h January 5, 2013 at 8:16 pm

Bravo – well done. Love the colour shelves and accessories, especially the phone. Thanks for sharing.

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Lorraine January 6, 2013 at 6:29 am

Your shelves look wonderful. You’ve inspired me to perk up my bookcases. Thanks!

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nalani January 6, 2013 at 8:39 am

I love the aspect of the fun of it all! You seem to have had fun with the project and, of course, it’s a blast for the reader to spy and compare.

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Pollyanna January 6, 2013 at 4:35 pm

I love the re-do, grouping by color. What a fresh look to the shelves.

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Darcy January 22, 2016 at 1:14 pm

Love those funky bookends- do you know who the maker is? LOVE!

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