These tips are also budget friendly
1. Create a Background
A background for your bookshelf will make the décor items you choose pop and look even better. Also, If you don’t have a ton of stuff to put on the bookshelf a background helps to fill in the blank spaces and make them look less obvious. There are tons of options for backgrounds. There are lots of wall paper backgrounds to choose from and they have some that are pretty easy to apply. You don’t even need any special tools or anything to apply peel and stick wall paper. If you don’t like the idea of doing wall paper or can’t find one you like then painting a background is also a great option. I painted the design on my bookshelf background. See how I made it on my post How To Create a DIY Bookcase Accent Wall in 8 Easy Steps. This was a pretty simple project that I did over a weekend. Either option you choose wallpaper or painting its super affordable and makes a huge impact.
2. Shop Second Hand
The best way to find décor items is garage/estate sales and secondhand stores. Spending a lot of money on décor to decorate a book shelf is unnecessary. Garage Sales and second hand stores have tons of options for smaller décor items. You can find items that are more unique and have character. You can also find a ton of cheap books at garage sales and paint them to match your book shelf or find books that match the color of your bookshelf to decorate. Since second hand is so inexpensive you can really load up on décor items so you have options. Having extra décor items allows you to switch them out when you want to and shop your own home.
3. Choose Your Color Scheme
I like to choose about three or four colors and try to find items those colors or paint them the colors that I chose. Its important to consider the background you chose. You want to pick colors that will look good against your background.
4. Pick Different Sized Items
You don’t want your décor items to all be of similar height or size. A variety of sizes and items will create more visual interest. You can decorate with small paintings, books, unique book ends, picture frames etc. A variety of items that tie together with a similar color palate are ideal
5. Use Home Made Art
Its always fun to make your own art. This allows you to put your own personality into the décor. I got this picture frame at a garage sale and my dad painted a small picture for me to put in it. Picture frames are super cheap at garage sales and you can add your own art in them or just family photos.
6. Stagger your Décor
Stagger your décor items so they are not lined up in a straight line. This creates more dimension. When you look at your book shelf at different angles it will overall look fuller and more visually pleasing.
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7. Take Pictures From Different Angles
I like to take pictures when I am done decorating. When I am reviewing the pictures I can see where there are gaps and areas that need improvement in my decorating. Based on what I see in the photos I adjust as needed. For some reason the flaws are way more apparent in the photos then when I am just looking at it straight on.
Amanda's Cozy Casa 