But, here's the thing. The stuff we want to display on the shelf is pretty much entirely fragile. As a result, we've filled the top three shelves, but we are at a bit of a loss in terms of what do about the bottom two.
Here is the shelf:
The very bottom shelf, especially, is a danger zone--I've already seen Montana sniffing around there, and while she wouldn't intentionally be destructive, she could very easily knock something off that shelf with her tail, or her nose. The second shelf is slightly safer, but still well within her reach as well as that of small children.
So, we need non-fragile stuff to fill those bottom two shelves. So far, the only thing I can think of putting there would be books, maybe? But we have tons and tons of books, all organized on bookshelves upstairs. I suppose we could get some bookends and display a few books on this shelf instead--but we don't NEED to do that, and also, how would we select the books? Are there some books that are more deserving of prominent visibility in our living room than others?
So, my point here is, please help. What sorts of attractive, non-fragile things would you recommend putting on those bottom two shelves?
Books and photo albums!
ReplyDeleteoh, I like the photo albums suggestion.
ReplyDeleteOr you might get some nice baskets or boxes to store odss and ends.
I really like that shelf. I think I would put a big basket on the bottom shelf (dog toys? candles?) and books on the other. Photo albums are a great suggestion.
ReplyDeleteBed Bath and Beyond has wicker baskets that aren't too expensive and i use them to store photo albums.
ReplyDeleteI have that same style of shelf but we use ours for books and some vinyls.
I'd probably go with a couple nice, hardback books, some photo albums and maybe an interesting conversation piece, non-breakable of course.
ReplyDelete(an odd shaped basket, some kind of art work?)
Books that make you look literary and sophisticated. Either that or vinyl LPs. Haha
ReplyDeletePhoto albums is a good idea, or how about back issues of great magazines, like National Geographic or the like?
ReplyDeleteI would go with some great, favorite hardback books and some interesting book ends. And probably a basket with some great silk flower arrangement that can be swapped out seasonally (not sure if you are into decorating seasonally or not, we do that at my house).
ReplyDeleteI'm adding my hat to the wicker basket ring. You could put anything in there - table linens, extra napkins, throw blankets...
ReplyDeleteFor the second-to-bottom shelf, do you have a heavy bowl or decorative box? Something that wouldn't be easily knocked over, but different from the basket. Or to at least have a little variation, two smaller baskets with one big basket on the bottom shelf.
Unsolicited advice: personally, I'd arrange the vases on the top shelf in a loose, asymetrical cluster as opposed to the straight line of descending height. More interesting, and overall more balanced for the shelf.
Looks nice! I love those ladder-style bookshelves. And I also really like your neutral-tan paint color with the white trim. That's the exact style of shelves I wanted for one empty space in our living room, until we filled it up with a piano.
I think a pretty basket of some kind that you could house more fragile items/odds and ends in - maybe even a knitted basket of some kind or a pretty box... Photo albums is a good idea too!
ReplyDeletePhoto albums, colored storage boxes for loose photos etc, candles, folded blankets for snuggling up, or books that are specifically geared towards groups - maybe beautiful picture books of Colorado, Germany, etc?
ReplyDeleteMagazine, CDs, DVDs, basket with blankets, photo albums (wedding album?). Cute shelf!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love the shelf!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the big, (square-ish) basket on the bottom shelf. You can use it as storage for anything because people won't be able to see into it easily. I also like the idea of a heavy bowl or big vase on the second to bottom shelf. Otherwise books could be good, but I don't know if Montana would try to check photo albums or books if their corners were easily chewable.
The basket idea is great. We did that, and it looks very organized.
ReplyDeleteIf you decide to put books on those bottom two shelves, I'd choose books of similar colors or sizes to group together. You can line them up side by side or stack them in neat piles for visual interest.
Very recently I saw a blog post showing books lined up on a shelf in ascending and then descending order so that the tops of the books created a line that kept going up and down. I thought that was cool.
Oh, the options! :-)
Books, with some stacked horizontally. Nice, hardcover books would look nice. I also like the idea of the basket for the photo albums on the bottom shelf.
ReplyDeleteif that were my shelf, it would be filled with books, no questions asked. I actually just had to buy another full sized bookshelf because I'd ran out of room.
ReplyDeleteI love the basket idea though, and the suggestions of candles and blankets, picture frames, etc. Do you collect any TV series on DVD?
I love baskets for these empty spaces. And what about candles? I prefer the thick, chunky kind that are virtually indestructible anyway; they could maybe be burned when Montana is safely outside or crated for the night? (Do you crate her? Can't remember.)
ReplyDeleteI also like the photo album suggestion, at least until there are mobile babies/kids present. Then they're also a risk for ripping, etc.
I thought I was being original, but I have the same baskets / boxes suggestion as everyone else! That way it will help to anchor the shelf visually too!
ReplyDeleteI thought I was being original, but I have the same baskets / boxes suggestion as everyone else! That way it will help to anchor the shelf visually too!
ReplyDeleteWe have 2 wooden bookshelves in our living room, with knick-knacky things on the top shelves. The bottom shelf of one has some heavy books with bookends, and the bottom shelf of the other has decorative photo boxes. I like the wicker basket idea though, maybe with a silk flower arrangement.
ReplyDeleteWe have a very similar shelf in our dining area and we use the bottom two shelves for wine and bottles of liquor :)
ReplyDeleteBut for you guys, I agree with the nice storage box idea. You could even do more photos in inexpensive frames, so if they do fall off, it's no biggie.
With such precious objects up top, I hope the shelf is secured to the wall!
ReplyDeletePutting heavy items on the bottom of the shelf can also stabilize it. Baskets, stacks of National Geographic magazines, cookbooks, low-light plants in heavy pots, a collection of heavy book ends, or door stops, or perhaps a flea market antique that's an interesting piece just to own - like a vintage iron.
What about children's books? You know, start a collection of your favorites...
ReplyDeleteOr maybe some decorative pillows?
Definitely some wicker baskets, as mentioned in previous comments. And/or some cool "coffee table" books. I would also suggest maybe some big candles or something. It's a great shelf, by the way!
ReplyDeletePhoto albums or photography books. Or just some boxes with photos or random stuff?
ReplyDeleteI like the books, but if you don't want books you could do colorful boxes - like the kind gifts go in? It would add color to the room.
ReplyDeleteI actually put out my impressive books in the front of the house and the less impressive ones in the bedroom. Impressive = making me look damn smart. So all my Dawkins/Shakespeare/Audre Lorde in the front...My Harry Potters in the back. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the basket suggestion up the top somewhere. We have a basket under our coffee table which has a few puzzle books, remote controls for things in the room, tissues etc. It's all quite functional stuff so not pretty but its good to have it to hand.
ReplyDeleteI'd go with candles, just for decoration purposes, and not actually to light them.
ReplyDeleteI love the basket idea & I also love the idea of photo albums. Storage AND fun things to look at? In a great location? I'd say that sounds pretty perfect.
ReplyDeleteWe have a bookcase just like that which we kept next to our desk. On the bottom shelves, I kept pretty paper boxes in which I stored things like notecards and stamps.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when we staged our house, I replaced the boxes with vintage books of varying sizes. It looked really great.
candles?
ReplyDeleteI love Nilsa's idea of pillows (larger for the sofa or floor) on the bottom shelf and then maybe big art/coffee table books on their side on the second shelf. And you could put your wedding album on top. Or, do you knit? You could put yarn in the basket everyone is suggesting.
ReplyDeleteWe keep a handful of reference books in our living room - dictionary, atlas, etc. And we have a great book of photographs by Yann Arthus Bertrand. Books like that shouldn't be hidden away upstairs somewhere.
ReplyDeleteBut then the "breakables" on our upper shelves are whisky bottles and Lego models, so we may possibly have different decorating tastes :)