how to style functional floating shelves

why yes, redecorating my floating shelves was the highlight of my wednesday.

because sometimes you impulsively buy yourself flowers while in the checkout line at trader joes, then decide you should find out if hydrangeas are poisonous to cats, which, indeed they are, and so in the process of finding a spot high enough to keep them away from your cat, you get too excited about rearranging your knick knacks.

thus, here is a quick tour of this "shelfie", and the tips i keep in mind when styling shelves:

top shelf:

stack books to create variety and height. i like to choose bindings that fit in with the overall color theme. in this case, i was testing out mixing warm and cool tones, especially oranges and yellows mixed with blues and greens, so i chose books accordingly. i also wanted to play up some darker shades here as it's a good way to work in subtle contrast.
old driftwood from my grandma's house - grandparents love to collect things you can steal for your shelves.
vintage salt and pepper shakers from the brimfield antique fair - got these for $2
3 drawer stack - these are filled with jewelry that i want to hang onto, but don't wear often. i'm all about knick knacks, but make them functional! i can still easily access this, but i don't need it right on my desk with my everyday jewelry, so it makes a great shelf piece.
open heart neon sign card - this is an anniversary card that my dad wrote to my mom
gold vase - to bring in the gold theme from the rest of the bedroom.
trader joes flowers because buying yourself flowers is important.

bottom shelf:

ikea plant - hands down, ikea is my favorite place to buy house plants and pots.
mini southwestern vase from brimfield antique fair. in the past few years, i have gotten rid of most smaller decor items from places like the $1 section at target, but finding special pieces that speak to me at flea markets makes me so much happier, and more willing to put them on display.
california license plate - found on the side of the road!
tiny cute log cabin incense burner
pendleton notebooks

i typically keep my larger surfaces mostly clear, but i do love filling up shelves with little odd treasures, especially ones that have a story. a well decorated shelf can make your space feel more put together because it is reminiscent of creating a nice storefront display. you should always want to window shop in your own home. if you tend to collect knick knacks, keep one box of your favorite vases, trays, art, and antiques, and switch up your shelves every few months. balancing height and dimension, and mixing up textures and colors can make your gadgets and gizmos look intentional and organized. (you want thing-a-ma-bobs? i've got 20.)