Let's be honest, these shelves are totally and utterly decorative. We had this giant wall above the floating desk that I wanted to fill in, so naturally I made my husband build floating shelves above it, because shelves are MY LOVE LANGUAGE. I think these shelves add so much character to the space, and you can make them as functional or decorative as you want! Keep reading to see how I started and ending styling these shelves!
P.S. We have gotten new office chairs since these photos were taken. Bar stools definitely do not make comfortable office chairs, we just used them for the pictures.
Also, if you want a tutorial of how to make either the floating desk or the floating shelves, go HERE to Mr. Buildit's website and search "floating desk" or "JUMBO floating shelves".
First, I added a calendar to fill in the space on the other side of the desktop. Since we only have one desktop computer and one laptop, the other side of the desk needed something to balance everything out. If you have the same issue, get a giant calendar to fill in the space! They are inexpensive, functional, and totally cute! You can purchase a similar ones to mine BELOW:
Next I sporadically added decorative pieces throughout the shelves. I like to do this so the shelves don't start out looking too cluttered. I like to add smaller art frames, books with a decorative pieces on top, and of course plants and greenery. Just a little PSA: I find books at thrift stores that have really pretty colors underneath the covers and buy in bulk! They make beautiful decorative pieces and you don't have to break the bank to buy books that you use only as decor! I also added a little wooden calendar to the desk space that I found at Home Goods. You can never have too many calendars, right? You can purchase a similar small desk calendar HERE and HERE.
Next, I added more books, and some vases to the shelves and desk. Tall vases will get you everywhere. They fill in large gaps so well and there are SO many gorgeous vases out there, from Thrift Stores, to Target, to Home Goods, to World Market, to many other retailers! I find most of mine at Home Goods and Target because the prices are usually pretty affordable.
After I spread out a few decorative pieces on each shelf, I then like to go one shelf at a time and add fillers. This can be more books, plants, clocks, and random trinkets & decorative sculptures. I usually don't style one shelf at a time right away because I feel I usually have a harder time making the shelves look like a cohesive unit. If you spread out a couple of larger decor items throughout all of the shelves first, it's easier to go through and add the smaller items and finishing touches. I also like doing it this way to create rhythm and variety to the sizes of objects on the shelves. You don't want all of the decor to be the same height on the shelves.
Make sure everything looks balanced and even on the shelves. You don't want two large vases next to each other, or books in the exact same spot on two different shelves, or a couple of same sized plants next to one another. You want to create movement so that everything flows well together.
Lastly, add the finishing touches to the shelves to make them look PERFECT. These are usually items like candles, miniature plants, and other smaller-scale items that create that finished look. Now, stand back and enjoy your perfectly styled shelves!
Like everyone else, I have a lot of go to decorative pieces when it comes to styling shelves. Here are some of my favorite items that I love to style with!
Click on the image to directly shop the item!
