Homeworld Magazine Spring/ Summer 2016 | Page 12

#Shelfie
DESIGN DEFINITION:

The chic new way to
boast good taste and
an eye for design.
ELLE DÉCOR MAGAZINE USA

Is there any greater joy then scrolling through your
Instagram feed and drooling over gorgeously organised
shelves filled to the brim with on trend décor items?
We think not! Wall treatments have expanded beyond
the traditional wallpaper and feature art, with a focus
now also on gorgeously styled shelves and bookshelves.

INTERIOR DESIGNER AND STYLIST,
JESSICA VISCARDE, SHARES
HER TOP TIPS FOR TAKING THE…

Perfect Shelfie

WORK WITH VARYING TEXTURES
Just like your interior space, make sure you mix up the
textures when you are styling a shelf. If you work with
only the same textures, you’ll get a flat, dull-looking
interior or vignette. Opt for something shiny and reflective,
a touch of wood, something soft and plush perhaps,
something rustic or raw. Then you will start to have an
interesting-looking shelf.

WORK WITH NEGATIVE SPACE
You don’t need to fill every nook with things. Empty space
allows the eye to rest and focus on the important things
you want to show off. It also allows your arrangements to
‘breathe’ and not look so cluttered. Vignettes are all about
thoughtful placements of objects.

ODD NUMBERS
Odd numbers of objects simply look better, thanks to rules
of composition and a few photography tricks. The human
eye tends to wander to the centre of a group, so having an
odd number helps create a visually pleasing composition
and forms a sense of balance, as something is in the middle
and either side of it. Try pairings of three, five and seven
and see what a difference it makes.

KEEP IT INTERESTING
Don’t be afraid to mix styles and themes and you won’t
have an impersonal ‘cookie-cutter’ display home that looks
the same as your neighbours’. You want personality, so dust
off those trinkets from your travels, or Grandma’s vintage
tea cup and saucer. They should be out and on display.
Change up your objects too. Place them in a new room or
on a different shelf and use the things you already own. It
will be like you are living in a new home. Everything doesn’t
have to be on display all at once; put some things away and
change them seasonally or whenever you feel the need.

USE THE VERTICAL WALL SPACE
If you are styling a shelf, console, bookcase or the like,
work with the wall space behind it. This will help you get
the height and vertical lines happening. Try affixing mirrors
or artwork to the wall behind the vignette or grouping of
objects. If you can’t attach them to the wall, just lean them
against it. Make sure you have something with ample height
in relation to the objects. You are aiming for proportion.

COLOUR BLOCKING
Group items of similar colour together for maximum impact
and draw upon colour repetition by utilising shades seen in
other areas of your living space in cushions or wall art.
© Photography Kate Hansen

Want to see more of Jessica’s styling tips?
12

www.instagram.com/jess_eclecticcreative
www.eclecticcreative.com.au

LESS IS MORE
When it comes to a shelf setting with impact, less is
definitely more. Pare back the items you use so you don’t
have a cluttered shelf and go for impact rather than vol ume.