Custom Quarters: Create a Uniquely “You” Living Room

Your living room is more than just a space. It is a blank canvas waiting to be decorated with elements that reflect your personality and style. The living room is where you unwind, entertain, and showcase treasures with sentimental value. Crafting a cozy living space that welcomes you to relax and enjoy is a great way to unleash your creativity. One of the easiest ways to add a unique touch to this vital space is through the stylish use of living room shelves. Have trouble visualizing your ultimate living room? Here is the Shelfology guide to a uniquely “you” living space tricked out in all the happy design moments, memories, and creature comforts that make you feel at home.

Are you looking to design a room that’s uniquely yours? It’s easy to do when you follow these design tips for your ultimate happy living space!

Define Your Design Palette: How to Choose Living Room Shelves

Well-executed home decor starts with a vision. Before you even think about purchasing your first shelf, take a moment to define your aesthetic preferences. Are you drawn to minimalist modernism, cozy rustic charm, or a fusion of eclectic elements? Think about how you will decorate your shelves BEFORE you buy, not after. Understanding your design palette will serve as a compass, guiding you through the process of selecting shelves that seamlessly integrate with your overall theme.

Whether you’re aiming for bold and energetic or calm and peaceful, Shelfology has living room shelving for every interior design aesthetic. Take your wall from Bland to Bazinga in no time!

More guidance on decorating and arranging shelves in the living room:

• Color Stylings with Mercedes Austin.
• How To Create a Cohesive Design With Floating Shelves - Shelfology

Wild Wall Shelves: How to Arrange Living Room Shelving

Much like orchestrating a piece of music, arranging living room shelving requires a delicate balance of composition and harmony. Start by mapping out the available wall space, envisioning how various wall shelves will interact with each other and the surrounding decor. Consider mixing different sizes, shapes, and materials to create visual interest. Experiment with asymmetry or symmetrical arrangements, depending on your preferred style.

Chip Wade used a blend of metal shelves in his Pinhoti Peak project, choosing to mix functional game storage and art display on our Double Bender shelves, while across the room he carried over the same color into Skaksel shelves that display art, treasured books, and small plants. The symmetrical shelving setup becomes a work of art in itself!

Curate Your Treasures: Living Room Shelf Decorating Ideas

Now comes the most exhilarating part – curating the treasures that will adorn your shelves. These could be anything from cherished family heirlooms and travel souvenirs to beloved books and art pieces. Each item should tell a story or reflect your interests, passions, and memories. As you select and arrange your treasures, strive for a balance between functionality and aesthetics. Group similar items together for cohesion, but don't be afraid to intersperse them with unexpected elements for added interest when needed. Two of our collaborators focused on what they loved, and just like them, we love the results!

Nicole from Grace in Magnolias set up our Aksel shelving as a living room-adjacent Bourbon bar showcasing her husband’s favorite drink collection. Cheers to that!

Meanwhile, in Dallas, Texas, Hoang-Kim Cung had this to say about setting up a thoughtful corner of her living room for their Buddhist practice. “Thankful to partner with @shelfology, who helped us create these custom floating shelves to properly pay respect to Buddha, and in the near future, our ancestors in our home. Growing up in a Buddhist home, it is very important to me that I continue these teachings and instill these values in our future children. Buddha is not for decoration. Instead, Buddha is to be respected and I encourage you to please remember Buddhism is a religion. We paid particular attention to the placement of these shelves and wanted to make sure they are in a respectful spot.”

On her HGTV show “Tough Love”, Designer Hilary Farr chose a selection of Tromso Steel floating shelves to display treasured photos in this open-concept living room space. Steel shelving in the same color as the accent wall allows the photos on display to become the center of attention, rather than the shelves themselves. Whether you’re displaying a passionate hobby or paying homage and respect, customized spaces allow you to do just that- and do it with a perfect fit!

Show & Style: Display What Matters and Hide the Rest

Wall shelving is a chance to show off memories and favorite collectibles; it's also a versatile solution to help organize your living space. Use built-in compartments or drawers to stow away things not worth putting on display while keeping them within easy reach. Incorporate modular shelving systems that can be adjusted or expanded over time, allowing your living room to evolve along with your changing needs and interests.

While built-in units are popular, having upper cabinets isn’t always ideal in a living room space. Wanna have your cake and eat it too? Mix-and-match storage cabinets with open shelving! The resulting combination of stylish display space and hidden storage space means you can show off what you love and hide what you simply want to store. Just ask Jennifer Maune, who juggles 6 kids and has an award-winning career as a Chef. Making storage count is key as well as creating a beautiful environment. Her living room incorporates classic Aksel shelves and countertop slabs to carry the wood look to the built-in cabinetry. What’s hiding inside those cabinets?

“We transformed our family living room into a more functional, modern space by adding open shelving, an electric fireplace, and storage cabinets below for kid toys and media storage. We love the quality and durability of the ash wood shelves, and how they bring warmth and modern organic touches to our home.” - Jennifer Maune.

Illuminated Display Space: Let There Be Light!

To truly elevate your shelving displays, consider incorporating subtle lighting elements that accentuate your treasures. LED strip lights installed along the underside of shelves can create a warm, inviting ambiance, while adjustable spotlights can highlight specific objects for dramatic effect. Experiment with different lighting configurations until you achieve the perfect balance of illumination and shadow.

“Indirect lighting, under lighting on shelving, helps create an ambiance and vibe. It helps bring out the tremendous beauty in the shelf and what’s sitting on it. It is a way to make your soul, and your guests feel amazing and at home. It lifts any value to any property. It is such an easy upgrade to do, with so much to gain.” Pierre Miller of Pierre Miller Design

Pierre Miller’s home is an open-plan treasure, and each room flows into the next with modern clean efficiency. Lighting features in each room create interest and become a feature to enjoy. To create a warm, welcoming office space, Pierre was looking for other lighting options, this time on his library shelves. He chose Aksel LED, and his curated library becomes a design feature and another illuminated space that catches the eye.

Visual Harmony: Match New Shelves with Existing Decor

Lastly, ensure that your wall shelving harmonizes seamlessly with the rest of your living room decor. Choose shelving units that complement existing furniture pieces in terms of color, texture, and style. Integrate natural elements such as plants or woven baskets to add warmth and texture to your display. And don't forget to leave some breathing room around your shelves to prevent overcrowding and maintain visual balance.

Whether you’re going for Cottagecore or Modern Minimalism, putting your walls to work to enhance your design is always a good idea. With so many options, many opportunities to infuse your living room with personality, style, and functionality await! By following these design principles and embracing your unique sensibilities, you can transform your living room into a customized sanctuary that speaks volumes about who you are and what you hold dear. So go ahead… embrace the canvas of your living room shelves, where creativity reigns supreme and your cherished treasures claim their rightful spotlight.