Shelf Styling

My favorite part about my living room are the shelves.  Especially the tall ones.  I've always loved the idea of a wall full of shelves.  Filling them with books and time-worn treasures warms my soul like hot chocolate sliding down your throat on a cold winter day.  Here's a peek inside my soul.

the whole thing.  plus a bunny.

Shelves from Target online.  Candlesticks from World Market, bunny from Mom.

 

Top shelf, left side.  Hive vase from West Elm.  Clear glass pumpkin jar from Walgreens filled with M&Ms.  A Pharmacist Prayer framed, a gift from my MIL.  Three things, similar color scheme.

Top shelf, right side.  A lovely poetry gift to my hubby from when we were first dating.  Hurricane from Crate and Barrel, filled with candle and sea shells collected from our many beach walks.  Paper weight stolen from my Mom, gnomes from West Elm, gifted from my Mom and Hubby.  Five things, again similar color scheme.

Upper middle shelf, left side.  Another poetry piece, glass bottle and tea light arrangement, collection from West Elm, World Market, and up-cycled wine bottle.  Again, similar color arrangement.

Upper middle shelf, right side.  Mercury glass vase, West Elm,  framed print, gift from Mom, love letters, from Target, stacked books, apple, hubby's NYC souvenir.  I had to play with this arrangement until I found one I liked.  The apple does get moved often and is currently living on the top shelf.  Let's just say munchkins can reach him so he gets moved a lot.

Middle shelf, left side.  Two black and white photos of my kiddos, framed in Target frames.  Basket is from Pier One.  Black and white photos are my favorite.  I like the clean look.

 

Middle shelf, right side.  Books collected since childhood.  Its a combination of mine and hubby's.  This is just a small bit of paperbacks.  I tried to put them in a color arrangement, but it really doesn't have much of an impact on a small scale.  Notice how these two lower shelves are more kid-friendly, in other words, nothing can break.

Bottom two shelves.  Mainly heavy books.  I felt we need to anchor the shelves a bit.  The milk crate baskets are from Target and are VERY functional.  I can't recommend them enough.  One acts as a filing cabinet for important paperwork.  The two others hold throw blankets and toss pillows.  The teal boxes are also from Target.  One houses loose photos, and the other CDs.  Who uses CDs anymore?  I'm stuck storing them.  Also, notice the toys on the floor.  The toy basket/shelf organization is another post, for another day.

And that's my shelf post.  Seriously, I love rearranging them.  I call it therapy.  In another month or so, I will "winterize" them.  Can't wait.

How do you display your treasures?  Anyone else find rearranging trinkets therapeutic?  Spill.