How to Style Built-Ins: Six Simple Tips
One of our big home projects we wanted to do this past year was to get built-ins installed in our kitchen to 1. give us some more storage 2. create higher re-sale value of our home for when we are ready to move in a few years and 3. give us a more functional space for entertaining and everyday living.
Coop and I both could not be happier with the way they turned out. I know I have said this over on my Instagram Stories before but if you are in need of a contractor who does AMAZING quality and custom work, let me know and I would be more than happy to share our contact with you.
When we got them installed, it was right before Christmas, so decorating them wasn't too challenging since Christmas is like my Super Bowl. After I took all of our holiday decorations down is where the challenge to decorate these shelves really began. So like I always do, I headed to Pinterest to start gathering some shelf inspiration.
After about a week or so of playing tetris, I am pretty happy with how they have turned out (for now)! I thought it would be helpful to not only share the end result but also how I got there and some simple tips I learned along the way.
Everything you see here is linked below and can be found either on my Amazon Storefront or over on my LIKEtoKNOW.it. If you have any questions about our built-in shelves or how I styled them, please always feel free to reach out! Home decor has slowly become a passion of mine and I truly enjoy learning and switching things up every now and then. I hope you enjoy!
Six Simple Shelf-Styling Tips
Start with a clean slate - Seems self explanatory but remove everything from your shelves/the space you are wanting to freshen up and wipe everything down. This would also be a great time to start shopping your home and seeing what you already have that you could use to make your shelves feel new.
Once you have done that, then decide what might be worth investing in. I have linked almost everything on our shelves plus some extra bonus pieces depending on your taste and style.Mix textures - I love mixed textures. For our shelves I used a variety of mixed metals, woods, glass, paper, etc. Doing this creates depth and is pleasing to the eye.
Include plants - Faux or real! I am a faux gal but I know a lot of you green thumbs out there probably already have a bunch of great plants that you could incorporate into your shelves already. Target actually has a great selection of faux plants right now and that is where I got all of mine that you see here.
Pick a color palette - I recommend picking a theme of no more than three colors. When I decorate, I like to work with "threes," something my mom taught me and something that I have always just stuck with. Our palette consists of golds, neutrals and wood.
Books - Use them to add height, color and texture to your shelves! I like to use them to create different heights for different objects on my shelves. Here is a little trick so you don't break the bank buying coffee table books off of Amazon: Find books that you already have in your home that have a book sleeve and look to see if the inside of the sleeve is white. If it does, turn it inside out and voilá, you have a white book if you are going for a more neutral overall look and feel! You are welcome 😉
Empty space - Negative space isn't a bad thing when it comes to built-in shelves. I honestly think less is more when it comes to decorating your home all year round. Leaving some space is pleasing to the eye. I would recommend starting out with less and then add as you go and as you grow with your home over the seasons.
Shelf Styling Essentials
shop the entire picture below or by heading to my LIKEtoKNOW.it post here
Objects: stone wood ball // metal knot // metal bookend
Coffee table books: chanel collections and creations // stories from the influencer next door // magnolia table
Frames: float thin gallery frame // neutral frame with stand // umbra prisma frame
Plants: faux verigated leaf plant // faux fern plant // faux lavender plant
Bowls: wood bowl // metal bowl // bamboo bowl
with love,
~Katie