Shelves are an opportunity to showcase the books your love plus all your quirky collections.
For me, it’s travel mementos, little trinkets I find while opshopping, family photos, mini bud vases and of course, book collections.
In my new eBook, I talk a lot about eclectic interior design trends you can try at home, like gallery walls, painted ceilings, colour drenching and bookshelf wealth.
OK, but what is ‘bookshelf wealth’?
Never heard of bookshelf wealth? 📚
Here’s my definition 👇
Bookshelf wealth is a maximalist interior design trend that describes shelves filled with books and other objects that reflect the owner’s personality, likes and interests.
The great thing about bookshelf wealth is that “less is more” doesn’t apply. So go forth and let your inner maximalist do their thing!
That said, you still want to create some blank space by varying heights of other items on your shelves… otherwise it’ll just look like clutter.
🎬 WATCH: Bookshelf Wealth
3 steps to get the ‘bookshelf wealth’ aesthetic
1️⃣ Start with the books
If you’re styling a full bookshelf, start with the books.
The colourful spines of random books — or the uniform spines of colour coordinated books or book collections — make for a visually pleasing vignette.
Unless you’re a proper bookworm and you have more books than space, try to leave space for other items on a few of the shelves. This will give you the opportunity to add variety and interest and break up the lines and monotony of all the books.
2️⃣ Add a bookend
Once your books are in, add a pretty bookend to give your books some structure and add some of that variety and interest we just discussed.
A bookend doesn’t always have to be a bookend; you can use something else that’s got some weight to it to act as a bookend, like a sculpture, plant or clock.
3️⃣ Fill in the gaps
After you’ve added your books and bookends, hopefully you still have some space to decorate with.
Let’s break it down shelf by shelf. Say on one shelf, you’ve filled it up to the brim with books. Totally fine! On the next shelf though, try to leave a gap to style with.
Let’s say your books and bookend take up 70% of the space, leaving you with a decent gap. Try decorating that empty space with a visual triangle; large item, a medium one beside it, then a smaller item placed centrally in front of the two larger items.
Styling with a group of three, or a visual triangle, will help create height differentiation and make your arrangement look balanced and visually pleasing.
👀 READ: How to make ‘intentional clutter’ work in your home
What to decorate shelves with
For me, this is the fun part! 🎉
To get the bookshelf wealth aesthetic, you want to incorporate sculptural elements that add colour, shape, texture and personality to your shelves, breaking up the monotony of books.
But whatever you do, don’t just pop into IKEA or Kmart and buy all your bits from there. Take your time to tell a story; pick things up at thrift shops, hang on to family heirlooms, collect souvenirs on your travels and buy things you really love.
👇 Here’s a comprehensive list of things you can decorate your shelves with (screenshot for your next thrift shop trip!)
📚 Books – obviously!
🪵 Bookends – provide structure and double as sculptural accents
🌱 Plants – small succulents or trailing plants introduce natural texture and calm
🌿 Vases & Pots – ideally with some plants or flowers in them, but beautiful even without
🪆 Bric-a-brac – small curios and trinkets showcase who you are and help fill the gaps
⏰ Clocks – functional, and can add a vintage or contemporary touch
🗿 Sculptures & Busts – adds dimension and can elevate a flat arrangement
📦 Decorative Boxes & Baskets – yay for hidden storage!
🖼️ Picture Frames – shelves are the perfect place for family photos
✈️ Travel Mementos – spark nostalgia and make your home more personal
🕯️ Candles & Diffusers – add soft light, fragrance and cosiness
💡 Lamps – you can never have too many lamps
🎨 Art Prints & Small Canvases – leaning artwork adds layers and visual interest
🎶 Vinyl Records & CDs – add nostalgia and personality; plus covers act like mini art piece
🍷 Glassware & Ceramics – think colourful handcrafted bowls & bottles
🌐 Globes or Maps – perfect for travel lovers!
📷 Vintage Objects – things like cameras & typewriters give shelves a collected-over-time feel
🪞 Small Mirrors – reflect light and make shelves feel more open
🎲 Games or Puzzles – fun, interactive, and can be pretty (like chess boards or dominoes)
Follow us on Instagram for more from our home and download the eBook for more eclectic interior design tips.
mismatchedhome.blog 
Leave a comment