Styled book shelves reveal

Our book shelves are finished and completed styled! 

You can read about my first craigslist purchase and the installation of these book shelves.

I love how they look in our entry area and I am totally satisfied!  It definitely adds warmth and completes this small and awkward entry area.

I am finally at a point where I can say I am done!  I like each and ever shelf and the story it tells. 

First off…..I have to admit I was scared!  Scared of buying a ton of new items to fill each shelf.  Really scared that because the shelves were so deep it was going to take A LOT OF STUFF!  Buying new things WAS NOT an option.  I had to make due with what I had and to “shop my house”.

To contradict on what I just said, I did buy 3 new picture frames with birthday money and a gift card to Hobby Lobby.  So I guess it’s not really money out of my pocket.  My favorite item on both of the shelves has to be my newly purchased gold and silver mirrored picture frame.  It sparkles every time I walk by and reflects light from almost every angle.  That one piece started my so called “theme” of using gold and silver through out the book shelves.  I’ve done a mix of both and I really like how it’s looking.  I bought it at Hobby Lobby in their Christmas display area, but I think I will end of using it all year round.

I have used treasured family heirlooms that are special to me in some areas….

and special items that are mine in other areas. 

It might be weird but I think I have a candle stick obsession!  I have several:  wood, brass, silver, glass and even rattan.  If I’m out shopping it’s one of the things I look at the most and I think that I need.  When in actuality have I several of the same kind at home.  I want to see how it would look if I burn down some candles to put in the candle sticks.

Favorite photos of my kiddos and marble-looking paper in all the right colors fill picture frames.  Right now the family photos are of fall scenes and I’m thinking I will switch them out as the seasons go.  Trinket boxes and flowers fill other spaces and color coordinating books laying flat or standing up fill other areas.

The item I’m most surprised at myself for including has to be my Dad’s deer antlers.  I never thought I would EVER EVER have antlers displayed in my house.  About a year ago I started noticing antlers hung in interiors of homes that were not log cabins or homes that had hunting memorabilia.  They were just hung for their beauty and for their sculptural nature. 

My book shelves may be deep but the height of the shelves itself was not big enough for me to prop the antlers up.  I had to lay them flat.  I’m actually preferring it anyways.  Yes, they are backwards as my husband pointed out but they just didn’t work with them turned around.

Finished!

I’ll tweak things from time to time and as the seasons go.  I can’t wait for Christmas time and infuse seasonal and wintery items.

Of course I still have my kiddos silhouettes.  They had to be moved a bit from the increase of the book shelves' depth.  If you are interested in making your own you can find my tutorial here.

Onto the other side of the room, the black cabinet is finished with my mirror hung above.  BUT….I’m not totaled satisfied with it.  I mean everything is all nice and fine and I don’t want to change anything but it just seems sort of wimpy sitting up against the wall.  I’ve thought about adding some pictures on both sides of the mirror to add more presence on the wall.  Possibly adding a stool to one side and maybe an umbrella canister or a coat rack for the other.  I don’t know…have to see what I come across and what I can find.

Until then please take away one lesson from this post.  Use what you have!  I pulled things left and right from different rooms of the house switching things around seeing if it would work.  I pulled things from our bedroom, my daughters’ bedroom, boxes in the basement and even grandma’s house.  See what will work.  Change an item by painting it or using it in a different way.  If you tackle a project like this and before you buy a ton of new things, “shop your house”!   

Thanks for stopping!

Bye for now.

Linking to these parties:  Romantic Home, The Charm of Home, Jennifer Rizzo, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, The Shabby Nest, French Country Cottage, Tatertots and Jello, Under the Table and Dreaming, Lamberts Lately, Living Well Spending Less, Finding Fabulous