Accessorizing a Shelf or Side Table

It's like the great Charlotte Moss once said, "Decorating is like math, a game of adding and subtracting."

[photos from Lonny Magazine]

In putting together the right accessories for a side table, one thing you must always consider is, is it useful for its place in the  home? End tables can contain a lamp, a set of coasters to use when you sit down with a drink, a beautiful or interesting bowl or tray to put remotes on, a small vase for fresh flowers on the occasion you need to quickly fill it with water and drop a few stems in for entertaining, a lovely jar filled with candy, a candle, or a picture frame filled with a lasting memory...

[photo from Lonny Magazine]

Shelf decorating should also have a degree of usefulness, but can carry more precious things for admiration. William Morris said it best when he said, "Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful."

[photos from Domino Magazine]

Shelving works best when you use books and objects together. The books show your smarts and personality. They are a little glimpse into who lives here and what they believe. They give a home conviction. We have been to plenty of houses where the shelving only contains accessories. it feels like a retail store instead of a home. Stack books by size, biggest to smallest, or if you are stacking them horizontally, the largest book is on the bottom.

Make triangles with the heights of the objects... high, low, medium. The same heights of objects aren't going to be interesting unless you are contemporary and using the same object repeatedly, like three vases in a row. You'll want to use odd numbers when decorating.

Study some of the photos below of interesting objects and arrangements in display.

[photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat]

Alice Lane in store display: Antique reading books, jeweled fish is hinged to open up - perfect for putting your wedding ring in at night, picture frames and sculptural pottery/vases.

[photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat]

Alice Lane in store display: Crystal lamp, water carafe, set of bamboo trays and a collection of gold candlesticks.

[photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat]

Alice Lane in store display: End table is a small surface and only contains a collection of antique novels and books with one dimensional picture frame.

[photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat]

Alice Lane in store display: We used a collection of three interesting frames, a collection of candlesticks at various heights and different sizes of candles, and a sculptural lightbulb lamp.

[photo from Lonny Magazine]

Candle in a hurricane, collection of nice pens, beautiful try for coins, etc. and a lovely candle.

[photo by Josh Caldwell]

Alice Lane 2009 Parade Home - Stone Gate, Provo, Utah Home Office - Journals and a pen, brass candlestick lamp, obelisk marble statue, bust of a man

[photo by Josh Caldwell]

Alice Lane 2009 Parade Home - Stone Gate, Provo, Utah Living Room End Table - Books on travel, magnifier on wheels, sculpture, favorite quote in a frame, grandchild's photo in frame, interesting lamp and candlestick