• Home
  • Contact
  • Disclosures & Ground Rules
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

My Pear Tree Home

  • About Me
  • For the Home
    • Ideas & Inspiration
    • Seasonal & Holidays
  • Easy DIY
    • DIY Signs
    • DIY For the Home
    • DIY Gifts
    • EASY Sewing
    • Crafts
    • Recipes
  • For Mama
    • Encouragement
    • Planner Pages
  • Printables

04/25/18

Decorating Shelves-My TOP 5 EASY TIPS

Do you get stuck on how to decorate your shelves? Click to the post for easy tips and tricks!

Do you get stuck on how to decorate your shelves? Click to the post for easy tips and tricks!

I’m a person who is not a huge fan of change. There’s a saying: “Change is good. You go first.”

That’s very much “classic Morgan.” I like to watch on the sidelines before diving in. With Most things….

Except when it comes to home decor- I LOVE switching things out to make something look new and fresh.

One of the easiest places to do this is on my bookcases. Hello multiple shelves to decorate!

Ikea Billy Bookcases. “Billy, I love you.”

We’ve had these two “Billy” bookcases from IKEA for 11 years and they have served us well! (We opted to add on the doors to the bottom half and we have been very happy with them.) They have been in a home office, which was then converted to a nursery (in our old condo) and now are in the living room in our current house. (Can’t you just picture Hugh Grant saying to Sandra Bullock, “Did you say: ‘Billy, I love you’?” in Two Weeks Notice? That’s what I always think of when I think of a “Billy Bookcase.” Ha!)

Brightening Up IKEA Billy Bookcases

Now I have to say, when we were buying furniture soon after we got married, I was very drawn to black furniture. And while I still think black furniture can look lovely in a space, I am much more drawn to lighter furniture these days. What’s a girl to do with all of this black furniture? I can’t just get rid of lots of things (that would be a waste since they are in perfectly good condition AND it doesn’t fit my budget), but I CAN style them to look a bit less “dark.” 

That was my goal with these bookcases: to brighten them up.  (I did an “update” at the end: we brightened them up even more by painting them white! Don’t get confused by the black shelves in the photos below. Same shelves, same tips!)

{This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Using these links might result in me receiving a small commission, but at absolutely NO cost to you! You can read more about my commitment to transparency, by visiting my Disclosure Statement.}

Here is the before (I feel like a lot of things just got lost in the dark “abyss.”)Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration

And the after (See the end of the post for the shelves with updated white paint.)Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration

Top 5 Tips for Styling Shelves

  1. Pick a few key colors that you want to feature. These help pull everything together and make them look unified and intentional. (I think it also has the added bonus of making your space look calming and polished all at the same time- WIN!)Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration
  2. Pick a few different textures to create depth and interest. 
    Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration

    I love the glass jug, wood, and paper elements.

  3. Add a few personal touches that can tell a story or bring a smile. This is your space. When restyling something, aim to only put things that you love on the shelves . (Now, I realize this isn’t always helpful or doable. A lot of us would have pretty bare houses if we had to absolutely be in LOVE every little thing in our home. But start to gradually move out the things that you don’t really like and replace them with items that you DO.) 
    Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration

    Personal Items in this picture: pear my husband got me when I launched the blog, a picture from when my daughter was born, and a prayer book.

  4. Arrange items to make them appealing to the eyes. How? Vary heights. Another tip:I like to pretend I am drawing an imaginary triangle when spreading colors around. I frequently place a key color in 3 different “corners” to draw the eyes across and make the area appealing. (See the white items on the shelves?) Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration
  5. Shop your home! Go around your home and gather all of the items in the color scheme you are aiming. Need some budget friendly options? Dishes, picture frame with scrapbook paper (or a free printable), or books. You can also paint items. That fun pig was actually gold. A little acrylic craft paint and BAM, ready for my “new” shelf makeover! Need help styling your IKEA bookcase? Click to the post for inspiration(To lighten up the back of my two largest spaces on my shelves I used old cabinet doors. My parents recently redid their kitchen and gave me the old doors. These helped add some color to lighten up the black background of my shelves.)

Let’s Recap Those Shelf Styling Tips:

Need help styling your shelves? Click to the post for inspiration

That’s all there is to it! So fun and such a quick and budget-friendly way to makeover a space in a short amount of time (you can get this done during nap-time with time to spare!).

Update: We went ahead and went “whole hog” and painted the bookcases white. I will have to share the process soon, but here are updated pictures. The items on the shelves are basically identical, but white paint sure does change how things look.  Do you get stuck on how to decorate your shelves? Click to the post for easy tips and tricks!
It made the space feel so much brighter with the “new” white bookshelves! 

I’d love to hear what you like to put on your shelves! Leave a comment below!hugs tag line
Opt in image

Need help styling your shelves? Click to the post for inspiration
Do you get stuck on how to decorate your shelves? Click to the post for easy tips and tricks!
Want some decor ideas and inspiration for how to style your shelves? Check out these 5 easy shelf-styling tips to get the perfect shelifie.

More from my site

  • Week 2: $100 Laundry Room ChallengeWeek 2: $100 Laundry Room Challenge
  • Sometimes, You Just Need New DrawersSometimes, You Just Need New Drawers
  • Ladder for Front Porch DecorLadder for Front Porch Decor
  • Master Bedroom Refresh for $100 Room ChallengeMaster Bedroom Refresh for $100 Room Challenge
  • Star Light, Star BrightStar Light, Star Bright
  • How to Update a Fireplace MantleHow to Update a Fireplace Mantle

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn

11 Comments
For the Home// Ideas and Inspiration

About Morgan

Hi there friend! I'm Morgan and I'm a thrifty DIY-lover just like you! My small budget has taught me to make a dollar stretch 'till it's basically transparent!No matter what your budget is, I want to give you the motivation and encouragement you need to make your own nest feel like HOME.
SO grab your glue gun and let's get DIY-ing, sister!

« Sometimes, You Just Need New Drawers
Topiary DIY Mantle Decor Hack »

Comments

  1. Nokwazi says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:05 am

    Hi Morgan. Thanks for writing this article. Am about to change my server as the other one broke. Your article was just what I needed for styling. Oh and did I tell you how much I loved your disclaimer? So honest and unashamedly beautiful.

    Reply
    • Morgan says

      June 21, 2017 at 4:33 pm

      Awww thanks so much for your kind words! I just like to keep things “real”- on the blog the pictures don’t capture the full chaos that is “real life.” 😉 Hope your styling goes well. No fun to have something break on you, but hope you can get it looking just like you want in no time! Hugs, Morgan

      Reply
  2. Tracy says

    June 22, 2017 at 1:31 pm

    Great tips! I loved how you styled them! It’s something that I struggle with.

    Reply
    • Ann says

      August 7, 2017 at 3:59 pm

      Me too Tracy. Thanks Morgan.

      Reply
      • Morgan says

        August 7, 2017 at 8:00 pm

        I’m sure your shelves will looks beautiful! It’s such a fun project for a weekend or a rainy afternoon!

        Reply
  3. Nicole says

    June 23, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    Great tips and I love how you have links to items that were in your pics! That makes it so easy to find a way to recreate your look! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Morgan says

      June 23, 2017 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks so much for stopping by Nicole! Have a great weekend!!

      Reply
  4. Neelam says

    June 24, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    Love the use of an old cabinet door! Such a clever idea – adds texture and colour. Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.
    xx
    Neelam

    Reply
    • Morgan says

      June 26, 2017 at 8:12 pm

      Thanks so much Neelam! I always find it kind of a fun “challenge” to only use things I already have around the house (or in this case the shed! ha!) when decorating. I have some other ideas for using the other doors, so stay tuned! 😉 They were great oak doors, so seemed a pity to throw out good wood! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Reply
  5. Bernice Patterson says

    June 29, 2017 at 8:30 am

    I’ve enjoyed your post, it was very helpful to me as I love making things also. Now I’m off to make a sign the easy way, thanks again.

    Reply
    • Morgan says

      June 29, 2017 at 12:00 pm

      This makes me so happy Bernice! Thanks for your comment! I am so happy you found something that was helpful (and I’d love to see your sign- I can’t stop making them. They bring me a smile when I see them hanging in my home. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




A Little About Me…

Hi there friend! I'm Morgan and I'm a thrifty DIY-lover just like you! I'm passionate about making a house feel like HOME. I bet that's why you're here too!
SO grab your glue gun, sister, and let's get DIY-ing! [Read More About Me]

Categories

Tags

$100 Room Challenge $100 Room Makeover 4th of July bedroom bedroom. master bedroom budget decor budget diy budget home ideas budget makeover Christmas Christmas decor craft decorating DIY DIY art DIY project DIY sign easy craft easy DIY fall free printable gift holiday home decor ideas home ideas Home Tour Independence Day kitchen decor laundry room living room makeover Mantle decor painting painting project playroom printable recipe room makeover sign signs spring spring decor Summer sunroom wreath
  • About Me
  • For the Home
    • Ideas & Inspiration
    • Seasonal & Holidays
  • Easy DIY
    • DIY Signs
    • DIY For the Home
    • DIY Gifts
    • EASY Sewing
    • Crafts
    • Recipes
  • For Mama
    • Encouragement
    • Planner Pages
  • Printables

Helpful Links

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Disclosures & Ground Rules
  • Privacy Policy
Home Decor, DIY, and Mama Encouragement

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 · Dainty theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2025 My Pear Tree Home Logo Created by Duncan Illustration http://www.duncanillustration.com
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.