Just Shelf It

    I am a collector, and almost everything I collect is antique. I am not sure they all started out as antiques, but they are now. Let's just say after fifty years of collecting I have many, many items that I love. The real problem became how to organize and display these treasures. The solution, for me, became shelves or more precisely bookcases.
    Bookcases may have solved my display problems, but not necessarily my organizational problems.  However, many options are available for organizing shelves; organize by theme, size or subject matter, just to name a few.  I have seen toys grouped and interspersed between books with stuffed animals used as the bookends. I have also seen a camera collection that looks nice displayed with photography books and original black and white photos. Whatever your collection, the trick is to make a calm, cohesive, and visually pleasing arrangement. You could also choose to have no theme at all, just a random assortment of the things you enjoy.  Whatever you choose, follow a few very basic design tips.


    I start by arranging my books by size but that does not mean I put all the same size books on the same shelf. It just seems easier for me to find the right books for the right space, as I arrange each shelf. However, I do recommend putting your largest books on the bottom shelves to help anchor the bookcase. Through the years I have collected metal bookends, I like to prop up a small group of books on the side of the shelf with a bookend holding them in place, I use the rest of the shelf to display an object of my choosing. You can also put a group of books in the middle of the shelf with two bookends, and display an object on either side.

    Gather up all the different sized treasures you want to display. Place the collected objects beside the books, set them on top of several horizontal books, or have a whole shelf of just treasures. Remember to scatter objects with different sizes, shapes, and materials (glass, metal, wood, paper) for visual interest. Be sure to add an unexpected object or two for fun and whimsy. A pretty glass jar with agates picked up by the lake, or shells collected at the ocean bring back fond memories and add a bit of the unexpected as well.  
    Stand back and look at your arrangements.  Add or remove things if the arrangement doesn't please you.  Grouping like objects will have more impact. Solid colors tend to jump out more.  An odd number of items are more appealing to the eye. It’s your bookcase and your treasures, so follow your own design. Reuzeit Emporium has many unique items to help you fill up your own shelves.