Creating a Curiosity Cabinet

Adding a cabinet or bookcase to any space is a great way to add height and visual interest. If you have a cabinet with glass doors it is an opportunity to showcase decor that reflects your personal style. Styling the shelves can feel overwhelming, because you have so many options. Adding a cabinet or bookcase to any space is a great way to add height and visual interest. If you have a cabinet with glass doors it is an opportunity to showcase decor that reflects your personal style, but styling the shelves can feel overwhelming because you have so many choices. Should I stack the books or lean the books? How many vases should I use? Does it look unbalanced or too symmetrical? Is it too full? These are all great questions, but honestly there isn’t one right answer. Your shelves should reflect who you are and each home is different and everyone’s personal style is unique. However, we have a few basic guidelines to help you create a curiously cabinet that you love. Here are our best shelf styling ideas for an eclectic mix.

Our first shelf styling idea is simple. When you are styling a cabinet, every selection can be personal to you. However, the unique objects you pick have a special way of exhibiting your personality. The Equestrian Pedestal Object could represent childhood memories of learning how to ride a horse or the Hestia Bust could be a reminder of European travels with friends. It is also a great place to frame your favorite memories. We suggest gathering a few objects and then creating a couple of different groupings. Try a grouping with multiple objects that have a similar material like how we styled the Diani objects below.

“I love incorporating a styled glass-front cabinet into a space, because it gives the area that much more dimension. It also serves as a place to showcase your interesting objects and really makes a room come to life.”

Shea McGee

Diani Marble Cuboid Object

Mcgee & Co

Zella Swan Object

Mcgee & Co

Diani Marble Cylinder Object

Mcgee & Co

Coffee table books and woven baskets are your cabinet styling basics. You can build on these and easily rearrange to fit. Books can easily be grouped with objects, vases, or boxes. It is hard to go wrong with books—you can create a stack, lean them up, or use a bookend. We love to style a pair of woven baskets, like the Striped Seagrass Basket, at the base of a cabinet, because it provides a contrasting texture and hidden storage.

Architectural Digest at 100

McGee & Co

Striped Seagrass Basket

McGee&Co

Eight Homes

McGee & Co

Layering artwork and a vase or two adds another dimension that makes a cabinet feel special. You can select artwork that is sentimental or has a beautiful color palette. We love the way artwork adds texture and pattern to the shelves. Vases are great because they bring in curves and height. Considering pairing two vases on the same shelf, like we did below with the Krissan Vase and Buhera Natural Vase.

Krissan Vase

McGee & Co.

Sky Studies 6

Mcgee & Co

Buhera Natural Vase

McGee & Co