How to Decorate a Shelf in a Dining Room

Display decorative vases over the dining room shelf.

A dining room shelf is more than just a space to store cups and plates.

You can also use it to display your favorite decorative accents to add a personalized touch to the space. Keep the shelf spare for a modern look, while a layered display is a more traditional style. Group items by style, color and proportion and use your shelf for creating vignettes and rotating displays. Try monochromatic displays like a collection of vases or silver frames. Fill your shelf with artful objects, and keep in mind that groupings work best in odd numbers.

Things You'll Need

• Decorative accessories
• Paint
• Lamps
• Mirrors
• Candles
• Wallpaper

Instructions

1. Create a small vignette on the dining room shelf with a favorite decorative collection, like vases, salt and pepper shakers or figurines. Rest colored glass jars on the shelf to add a pop of vibrancy to the space.

2. Paint the shelf an unexpected shade like lime green or a sunny yellow. Create stripes using robin's egg blue and fire engine red for a dramatic design and to define the shelf.

3. Add a small accent lamp over the shelf in a bright pattern like botanical, stripe or trellis print. Flank an oversized dining shelf with a lamp on each end.

4. Mount a mirror over the shelf; mirrors instantly make the room seem larger and brighter. Extend the design around the shelf by adding a wide range of mirrors in different sizes and shapes.

5. Nestle small, white votive candles over the dining room shelf to complement a wide range of home styles and colors. Swap out the white candles during holidays for a festive color.

6. Wallpaper the space behind the shelf in a bright pattern to accent the room and showcase the shelf. Use traditional patterns like stripes or whimsical patterns like a trellis to create the design. Give a layered look to the shelf with a collection of wallpaper samples and remnants applied to the wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Create a custom look without breaking the budget with a piece of mirrored glass cut to fit a vintage picture frame.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Dining Room Decor Ideas