How To Style Surfaces Throughout Your Home
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How to Style Surfaces Throughout Your Home
Styling any surface is a foolproof way to add colorful, eclectic, and timeless vibes to your home. When I walk into a home with nearly empty built-ins or free & clear tabletop surfaces, I know the space will feel fully transformed by the time I leave.
Styling is an instant (and non-committal) way to bring a space to life, add personality, and display thoughtful collections of goodness. However, many of my friends and clients feel daunted by the process. Remember, styling a space is a step-by-step journey that any homeowner can accomplish (I believe in you wholeheartedly 🤩), as long as you consider the layout and scale of each item.
Scale is crucial in any room layout. If you missed my breakdown of the importance of scale, you can catch it HERE. Let’s dive into my quick tips on how to style surfaces throughout your home.
How to Prep Your Space for Styling Surfaces
Clearing out all the excess to make room for the new is one of my favorite tips. Whether you’re styling shelves, a fireplace mantle, or a coffee table, start by moving all the accessory items to the other side of the room. If you’re working with a full room design, take all the items out of the room. Even removing the things you know you’ll keep and use in the space helps you be more thoughtful about how those items are arranged once they come back into play.
Gather Items from Around the House
You can never have too many accessories to start your styling process. I often roll into a bookshelf styling session with a carload of accessories and just make it filling the shelves. Collect books, small artwork, vases, trinkets, bowls, baskets, toys, magazines—anything that fits on a shelf or surface and makes you smile.
Place One Item at a Time
Begin by placing stacks of books and larger items that can stand on their own. Continue to bring in your smaller accessories, one at a time. Group accessories that vary in height or shape to add sculptural interest. Where groupings feel small or short, ground them with a leaning frame behind them or a stack of books underneath. If you have small collections of items like matchbooks or rocks, ground them in a clear vase or a mounding basket to feature and organize them. Play around with color and shape to your liking. Nothing is set in stone until you put a nail in the wall, and even then, you can adjust as you go.
How to Use Trial and Error in Styling Surfaces
Shift a few inches here and there and make sure each item feels purposeful. I’ve been experimenting with placing trinkets on shelves since grade school. As a lifelong collector, I still play around with scale, color, and texture every time I style bookshelves and surfaces. There isn’t a designer or stylist in the world who would style a set of shelves in one go without shifting items as they proceed—even after decades of experience!
We move things to different shelves, test things stacked, and shift items an inch until everything feels complete. Each styling session creates unique vignettes that require thoughtful action. Every combination of items on every bookshelf in the world is unique. That’s the beauty of styling—it customizes your home to you!
Give yourself grace and start filling those empty shelves with items you have around the house. You’ll be thrilled with what you create. Style surfaces throughout your home can easily be the most rewarding step of the design process. It takes some practice to build confidence, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly you catch on when you give it the ol’ college try!
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xo,
SHOP THE MMDH LOOK
