Last Updated on April 19, 2025 by Plantiful Interiors
The Ultimate Guide to Decorating Shelves in your Living Room
Living room shelves are a blank canvas for your creativity, and filling them can add personality to your space.
Whether you want to showcase your favorite books, display cherished mementos, or create a pop of color, there are plenty of options to explore.
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When decorating your living room shelves, it is essential to start with a plan and curate the pieces carefully.
There are so many ways to make a series of living room shelves pop, and the right theme can tie the whole room together.
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Shelves, and the items they hold, contribute to the overall ambiance of the room and you can easily rotate decorations to keep things fresh.
But, if you’ve got a couple of shelves in your living room and you are not sure what to do with them, here are 10 fun and easy ways to decorate those shelves and make them uniquely yours.
Before you start Decorating your Living Room Shelves
Decorating shelves is one facet of decorating your home.
If you don’t already know your preferred style or color palette, we suggest looking through a few basic interior decorating books or spending some time on Pinterest to get a sense of what you like and dislike.
Having a clear theme for the living room and your whole home will make the process of decorating your shelves a lot easier.
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Empty shelves provide an opportunity for you to express your style and creativity.
Think of each shelf as a mini vignette that should stand alone and be in harmony with its surroundings.
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To jumpstart your decorating, the following list provides some broad categories of decorations that you can consider for your living room shelves:
- Houseplants
- Photos, art and mementos
- Souvenirs and special finds
- Books and bookends
- Color Palette
- Seasonal decorations
- Heights and dimensions
- Textures
- Lighting
- Themed display
Within these broad categories, there are several possibilities for you to explore and pieces of decor to acquire.
These themes can be applied no matter what type of shelf you are trying to decorate: a bookshelf, a general-purpose shelf, a floating wall shelf, or a corner shelf.
Incorporating Greenery with Houseplants
Adding plants to your living room shelves is a fun way to bring in some life and color.
You can mix different types of plants and pots to create visual interest.
Plus, having greenery around can make your space feel fresh and inviting!
A few beautiful potted plants provide mental health benefits while lending a natural look to your room.
Two or three plants among your other decor infuse life, color, and texture to your space.
Here are a few recommended plants for living room shelves; these are mainly low-light tolerant plants since shelving tends to be located away from windows.
| Plant | Features |
| Pothos | Low maintenance; vines create visual interest. |
| ZZ Plant | Structural appearance; thrives on neglect. |
| Peace Lily | Graceful appearance with glossy, deep-green leaves. Periodically produces flowers. |
| Staghorn Fern | Needs more light than other plants on this list, but can be mounted on wood for a unique shelving display. |
As with any furniture, be careful not to damage your shelving when watering your plants.
Use a cachepot or a saucer under the plant to catch any excess water.
For those who lack a green thumb, high-quality artificial plants give you the same look and do not require any care!
Photos, Art and Personal Mementos
Adding art pieces to your living room shelves can really bring them to life.
Mix different styles, like paintings or sculptures, to create an interesting look.
Don’t forget about ceramics and metalwork!
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Figurines add more shapes, finishes, and textures, which in turn add dimension and interest to the shelf.
Remember, the goal is to showcase what you love and make your space feel personal.
You can find reasonably-priced art prints to suit any style, size, and color scheme.
Including personal mementos to your living room shelves is a lovely way to showcase your memories.
Consider displaying framed photos of family and friends or souvenirs from your travels.
These items not only look great, but they also spark conversation and bring warmth to your space.
Varying the shape and texture of photo frames can also add visual interest to your shelf display.
This prism frame on Amazon, for example, adds an unusual geometric shape to your shelves.
Shelves are about drawing the eye to a particular place, and adding an odd shape to the mix can help draw attention to the items around it.
Souvenirs and Special Finds
If you have been fortunate enough to be able to travel in your life, some souvenirs from your journeys will be a perfect accent piece to your living room shelves.
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Treasured souvenirs are not limited to typical tourist purchases; they could be any special find that has a personal meaning to you, like a unique soda bottle or the menu from a memorable takeout meal.
Something from a tour abroad or a trip to the local thrift shop!
Souvenirs and small treasures are often conversation starters, and they can help remind you of your fabulous trips.
Remember to keep a balance between eye-catching focal points and more neutral filler items.
Utilizing Books and Bookends as Design Elements
Books can be a fun and stylish way to decorate your living room shelves.
Stack them both horizontally and vertically to create visual interest and balance.
Don’t forget to mix in some decorative items or plants to keep the display lively!
What would shelves be without a few good books on them anyway?
You probably already have some attractive books in your collection, but if not, you can hit up thrift stores or local used bookstores for inexpensive vintage books.
Books can also be stacked up, and then place one or more of your other items on top.
That gives your objects added height where you need it.
Coffee table books and art books with beautiful covers can be displayed face out, like works of art.
When you’re looking for books to add to a shelf, keep in mind the color scheme you are going for, or at least your theme.
If you have a bunch of modern-looking pieces of decor on your shelves, a worn old novel will probably look out of place.
Bookends can be used as well.
You can introduce different materials and finishes to your shelves as they are just as visually appealing and interesting as the books themselves.
From metallic figurines to bright geodes and just about anything in between, the right bookends can make shelves pop.
Color Palette
Your living room probably has a color scheme that you are following, so it stands to reason that your shelves should match that color scheme.
By using color, the concern shifts from what objects you choose to whether the items go with the rest of your living room furniture and decor.
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You do not want to have too many colors; one to three complementary colors will do nicely.
When you are decorating by color scheme, make sure to pick out items with varying shapes and textures to help break up the surface and provide interesting things to see in your home.
That is how you create a beautiful living room shelf display!
Seasonal Decor
It is easy to go overboard on seasonal decor, and you have undoubtedly seen examples of that.
However, adding a few items to mark upcoming holidays and seasons can be a subtle and charming addition to your living room shelves.
A shelf with some summery pastels or a beach theme can quickly become a fall lover’s dream with just a few changes.
You could have a small bin for each season, so all you have to do is pull it out and make the swaps.
The key to keeping this from being overwhelming or tacky is to mix-and-match with your standard decorating items.
Here are just a few of the seasons and holidays you could consider having a dedicated set of decorations for:
- Summer
- Winter
- Fall
- Spring
- Easter
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Independence Day
- Christmas
Seasonal and holiday decorations are available to fit any type of interior design and theme.
No need to overpower the rest of the shelf; only a few tasteful Christmas or Fourth of July decorations can be enough to get you in the festive spirit!
Balancing Heights and Dimensions
When decorating your living room shelves, it’s all about mixing heights and dimensions.
Try placing taller items, like vases, next to shorter books or decorative boxes for a fun look.
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This creates visual interest and helps everything feel balanced and inviting.
Creating a Themed Display
One fun way to spice up your living room shelves is by creating a themed display.
Choose a theme that reflects your interests, like travel, nature, or art, coastal, or boho and use items that fit that theme.
This not only adds personality to your space but also makes it visually appealing and cohesive.
Mixing Textures with Decorative Objects
When decorating your living room shelves, mixing textures can really elevate the look.
Consider combining smooth ceramics with woven baskets and natural elements like plants.
This variety creates a warm and inviting atmosphere that feels both lived-in and stylish.
Using Lighting to Enhance Displays
Lighting can truly change the vibe of your living room shelves.
Soft, warm lights can highlight your favorite items and create a cozy atmosphere.
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Try using LED strips or small spotlights to draw attention to books, plants, or decorative pieces.
Living Room Shelves Decorating Tips
There are also several general guidelines espoused by interior decorators that will help keep your shelves looking elegant and intentional.
These guidelines include, but are not limited to:
- Less is more
- Group like items
- Group by color
- Group in odd numbers
- Leave negative space between objects
- Vary shapes, textures, and sizes of objects
- Incorporate art or framed prints
- Layer items
- Use Decorative Baskets or Boxes
- Include personal touches
While you are arranging items on your shelves, step back and reassess periodically to see where your eyes naturally land.
Does it make you feel interested, calm, or stressed?
Are these items creating the atmosphere you want in your home?
Visitors should notice and appreciate the shelves without being distracted by them, so try to observe each decorated shelf as if you are seeing it for the first time.
Taking photos of your decor can allow you to see it from a different perspective and determine looks right and what doesn’t.
One of the best things about decorating shelves is that you can update them as often as you like.
If you get tired of your display or think it doesn’t quite look right, changing up the appearance is easy.
So use the tips here as a starting point, but then go off and experiment until you love the result!
Closing Thoughts on Styling Living Room Shelves
If you decorate living room shelves with items that spark your interest, your display will complement the rest of the room’s decoration.
By choosing which items to put on your shelves and how to arrange them, you can highlight favorite pieces without it looking too busy.
Ultimately, living room shelving is the place to show your personality, style, and interests.
A living room shelf is a blank canvas of opportunity and possibilities.
There is no right or wrong way to decorate them, and the stakes are low if you make a mistake.
The suggestions offered above are a starting point, but we encourage you to take chances and experiment until you find exactly what you like best.
You are sure to end up with a shelf display you love!
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