A styled shelf is a small still life. The pieces matter less than the space between them — and almost everyone overfills.
Leave a third empty
Aim to leave roughly a third of every shelf as breathing room. Crowding reads as clutter, no matter how lovely each object is.
Stack books two ways
Some upright, some lying flat with an object on top. The horizontal stack becomes a plinth for a small vase or sculpture and gives the eye a rest.
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