Wall shelves ideas

If you are keen on having shelves in your home, here are great tips:

•             Once you decide which room you intend to put the shelves, determine how many you need. Always have them in odd numbers such as three or five.

•             Have an idea of what you will display on your shelves. The weight of the display items will determine the material used for the shelves; go for strong brackets that can hold the shelves plus their content. Nails are not as good for shelves since they may not hold so much weight. Always better to work with brackets or screws.

•             The distance between your shelves will be determined by the height of the items you intend to display. Tall vases, for example, will mean the shelves have to be much apart.

•             Different lengths of shelves should be used to hold different sized items especially in children’s rooms.

•             Paint your shelves to make them stand out or blend into your décor scheme.

•             Stack the shelves horizontally and vertically, and repeat them along the shelves.

So how do you utilise your shelves?

•             Do you love fireplaces and you have none in your house? Hang a large wall shelf above a sofa to display your favourite family photos and knick-knacks. During holidays like Christmas, decorate it with holiday stockings, garlands and Christmas lights. The shelf can also act as a focal point for your room. Place it at one end of the room then arrange a pair of chairs in front of it for a conversation area. Hang a large piece of artwork or TV above it to bring more focus to the space.

•             Instead of hanging your artwork, lean them on your wall shelf. For a better visual interest, arrange them in such a way that smaller ones are in front of larger ones.

•             You could also install corner ledges in the corner of your rooms to show off your small treasured possessions. In your children’s room, make reading easier by installing ledges that have a lip low to the ground. Stack books on it ensuring the front covers face outward.

•             To add some sparkle to your décor, a deep wall shelf high up in your kitchen can be a display point for your beautiful wine glasses or rarely used glassware.

•             You can also have wall shelves on unexpected places like above your doors or windows to display your favourite pieces.

•             Don’t fill the shelf with too many objects that make it look so busy and cluttered. More is more, hence clutter; bigger is better.

•             Repeat similar items a few times for the sake of symmetry. Have a stack of books in one area and include one or two throughout your display.

•             You can always flip the arrangement by shifting items around until you are comfortable.

•             You can use baskets to keep remote controls or decorative corals and beaded balls. Baskets bring natural texture into your decor.

Photo: buto.com

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