After adding picture ledges last week, I still wasn’t quite sure what to do with the shelves on this corner. There’s a strange triangular shaped block with appears to be holding some of the shelving together and the yellow had to go – I was just sick of it!
Before
I painted the background white but I just felt it was a little boring. I actually did try sticking wrapping paper to the back of the shelves but the result was way too busy looking and the wrapping paper kept falling off. Though, to be honest the latter was completely my own fault for not putting in enough effort to do it properly! I tore it all out before I even took a picture to show, sorry!
I then had the idea to use these Ikea square mirrors. A pack of four mirrors cost €9. They were very easy to stick on – everything came in the box and the best part was they fit the shelves perfectly!! The mirrored shelves are directly across the way from the window, so they bounce back light into the room. It also brings the reflection of the lovely greenery from our backyard which the previous owners thankfully planted!
Styling Shelves
I’m in no way an expert at styling shelves but there are a few well known tips that helped me out here. So I thought I might pass them onto you!
- Place items in groups of odd numbers – 1, 3 or 5 items together.
- Make sure, within the group of items, that there’s a variety in both size and height.
- Add something natural, like a plant. It’s obviously nicer if it’s real and it would have the added benefit of improving the air quality in the room. However, if you don’t possess any greenfingers (like me!) a really good faux plant will do.
- Don’t be afraid to layer objects in front or on top of each other.
- Books are always a handy item to add to shelves. You can incorporate books with different colour covers to match your room or keep them neutral by turning the spine towards the back of the shelf. Keep in mind that books look well placed both horizontally and vertically on a shelf.
- Like you would do in any area of a room, think about the colours of the items and how they sit next to each other. It might be best to decide on a colour palette for the shelves for a more cohesive look.
After these mirrored shelves, this guest room is really starting to come together! I’m turning my attention to the bed next. It’s pine and so are the floors so I’m thinking of painting it – stayed tuned people!! 🙂
