This article was first published on OneRoof.co.nz and is republished here with permission.

Display shelves should be easy, right? They should but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to misjudge what and how many items should be on a shelf at any given time. Some people put too many photos and trinkets on their shelves, some people don’t put enough, or have clashing objects sitting next to each other.

I never thought that display shelves were the sort of thing people would struggle with until a client approached me for help. I was glad they did because display shelves are my thing. Shrieking in delight, the job meant one thing for me: shopping! When styling wall units, bookcases or floating shelves, it all comes down to three important elements: variety, balance and layering.

Getting variety right can be challenging. If you don’t have any memorabilia to display, I would encourage you to choose sculptured objects so your display has wow factor. Select three main pieces as the focal points, then the rest is a cluster of plants, books, decor objects and personal items. Consider different textures, heights and tones when you are out shopping.

With layering, place your larger pieces on the shelves first – these will be your anchor points. Then pinpoint other blank spots between the larger pieces. For example you may layer a pot plant with a candle in front, followed by a flat ceramic. This starts to tell a story, which is created by carefully curated layering.

Balance is a difficult thing to master, and you won’t get it right the first time you style a shelving unit. I encourage you to give it a go and craft what you think is a well-balanced collection. Take a photo, then remove most of the items and do another cluster variation. Take another photo and repeat. Use the photos to keep a track what works and what doesn’t. Swap one piece around for a different height or colour and eventually you will find you land on the perfect composition, offering a conversational feature to any interior space.

Wish list: 10 items that will lift your display shelf

1. Mist Vase, Citta Design – $269
2. Bille Planter, Shut the Front door $79.99
3. Cloud Vessel by Tom Dixon, ECC – $545. Pic below
   
4. Geo Marble Sphere, Citta Design – $79.90
5. Tea bowl, Kina.co.nz – $90
6. Miller road candle, Bauhaus – $65
7. Leaf Plate, Boconcept – $259. Pic below
8. Toi tū Toi Ora book, Auckland Art Gallery – $65
9. Tom Ford, Flux Botique – $399
10. Veron Sculpture, Coco Republic – $205

– Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors