Easy ways to dress up your shelving

Easy as 1-2-3 Set a theme, reduce clutter, and draw focus to collectibles. Arrange items on wall shelves by size and color. Bold shelves on light walls scream for attention, but be careful that they do not detract from the contents of the display. Items are placed on shelves in a number of arrangements. In rare cases and informal locations, long shelves placed high overhead are effective when loaded with a variety of theme-related collectibles.

Spotlight one item on a small shelf - use a glass shelf with under lighting; line objects along a medium-sized shelf, resisting the urge to clutter the shelf. When three items are placed on one shelf, the center item will draw focus if it is larger or smaller, but items on each side should mirror each other in size to lend balance.

Let the Imagination Fly
Corners are often awkward and empty. Measure a bare corner and determine placement and sizes for corner shelves. Consider tiers of wood or glass corner shelves to display the curiosities you've collected through the years. Corner shelves seem to float in space. Add a small lamp to the display, and the illuminated corner will lure people into the room.

Space magically disappears from homes; the solution is fixed wall shelving that adds storage space. Consider the wall space around fireplaces, beds, desks, and workstations, even to the left and/or right of entertainment centers . . . built-in shelving complements the decor while increasing storage space. Mirrored tiles or dark paint on the wall behind open shelves brings depth to the room.

Dress up decorative horizontal wall shelves by draping delicate crochet doilies over the shelf and placing a collectible or jar candle in the center. Light dances upon walls when candles are lit on decorative shelves. For horizontal decorative shelves that measure 7 feet or longer, elegant dresser scarves with scalloped or eyelet edges will complement formal or bedroom groupings.

Whatever your style, balance is everything.