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Let the shelf carry the style

There are numerous ways to decorate a shelf, but it’s not always easy to pull the style together. Elfa invited three well-known stylists to give us their interpretation of a white and a grey shelf. See how Daniella Witte, Lokal 54 and Jenny Martinsson bring together the style in a children’s room, bedroom and spare room, and read their top tips on how to create a timeless style.

Daniella Witte is an interior designer and photographer who draws strongly on the natural world for her inspiration. She is currently studying integrative psychology which, she feels, is a completely natural path for her to take. She has always been greatly interested in how people live, feel and are influenced and hopes that with her skills and knowledge she can inspire other people and teach them to connect to their inner intuition and creativity when designing their living space. For Elfa, Daniella styled one shelf for the bedroom and one for the living room. Check out her top tips for creating a harmonious and natural feel.

A shelf for the bedroom

Improve the chances of a good night’s sleep with light, balanced colours with elements from nature and hidden storage that keeps any mess out of sight.

Daniella Witte’s top tips for styling the bedroom

Colours

I wanted the golden white shade to add stability and vitality to the bedroom while also having a dreamy and energising effect during sleep and rest. It tones beautifully with light to mid-brown species of wood and can also be combined with burnt shades and green, which creates a well-balanced scheme.

Objects

The objects have been chosen for the natural materials of which they are made and which exude soft notes. Their aim is to inspire harmony in the bedroom which can look messy if things are not given a well-planned space. Small storage solutions for healing crystals, jewellery, glasses and other trinkets.

Wholeness

A wholeness that radiates a modern and young bedroom feel with soft, earthy, organic contrasts.

Top tip

Bring harmony to the bedroom by focusing on soft shades and materials. Choose beautiful bedding and keep large storage spaces closed as this helps enhance the feeling of calm and relaxation. Visible storage space should be limited to a few small items that are conducive to a more tranquil atmosphere and restful sleep.

Personal shelf in the living room

Space in the room for different needs, coupled with earthy, organic shades, creates a good base in the living room or other open areas.

Styling the shelf in the living room

Colours 

Straight from the more earthy tones found outdoors on stones, bark and soil. These give the room a calm base while also providing space there for our everyday living and socialising.

Objects

A collection of objects from countryside walks, second-hand shops and handcrafted items made with a caring touch.

Wholeness

 Calm and soothing with beautiful contrasting shapes and colours. Exciting and imaginative!

Top tip

The living room is a space for many different needs. So create spaces in the room that are well-balanced for your personal requirements.

The stylist duo from Lokal 54

Lokal 54 is a business set up some 15 years ago by Sofie Lawett and Caroline Richter who work as interior stylists on projects for large and small clients. While Scandinavian design is at the heart of what they do, they always add a contemporary feel with a sensitive approach. ​ A couple of years ago, they launched a sustainable fashion venture called A second Love affair which rents out clothing for children in the 0 to 3 age group. ​ For Elfa, Caroline and Sofie styled a shelf in the children’s room and one in the office. See how they achieved the style and read more about how they combined colour and objects to add an extra touch.

Styling the shelf in the children’s room

A shelf can serve both a practical and decorative function in the children’s room. We’ve let the favourite pieces from the children’s wardrobe contribute to a personal feel and created a tranquil space with items in the same palette, in tone with the wall colour. For us it goes without saying that toys should be passed down through the years and our focus is therefore on recycled and sustainable materials.

Styling tips for the shelf in the children’s room

Colours

Choose one palette of colour to create a calm and tranquil base. Then use posters on the walls to change the colour scheme as the child gets older.

Storage

Use a combination of open and closed storage, so that items can be seen and hidden. An easy way to solve storage issues is to rent children’s clothes.

Maximize play

Installing storage on the walls gives little ones more space for play on the floor, covered with a soft mat to make it even more inviting.

Lighting

Lighting is important in children’s rooms, from general overhead lighting to mood lights and bedside lamps (to keep the ghosts away).

Organised office shelf

We love having a small, open shelf in our office. It functions rather like a notice board that we can fill with fabric samples and bits and bobs that provide us with inspiration. We’ve chosen materials and colours here that work well together and harmonise with the wall colour.​

Style your office with Lokal 54​

Colours

The painted walls give the office a neutral base and one of them is tiled which lends an industrial vibe.

Objects

Apart from the coffee maker, the best acquisition to our office is a large notice board that doubles as sound insulation. It has plenty of room for pinning up inspiring pictures and reminder notes and also adds a fabulously creative look and feel to the office.

Storage

At times it can be stressful seeing all the shelves in our office, so we’ve now put up a rail and curtain that we can open and close, depending on our mood. The fabric softens up the room and we’ve hung three different fabrics in tone-on-tone shades.

The furniture

Since it’s important for us to be able to use our office in multiple ways, as a gallery, shop and workspace, we’ve chosen flexible furniture that we can simply rearrange without much effort. For example, we have an attractive and practical marble tabletop on a trestle base that can easily be put to one side.

Jenny Martinsson works as a freelance interior stylist and blogger. She currently runs the interior blog Hemtrender for the Swedish interior design magazine “Sköna hem”. Jenny is passionate about harmonious Scandinavian colours and creating a soothing atmosphere. She chose to focus on the kitchen and spare room when asked to style two shelves for Elfa. Take a look at the results and check out her top tips for achieving impeccable styling.

A shelf for me-time

A shelf just for you. It might be on the wall by your side of the bed, or in the home office which doubles as a yoga studio and workout room. This is a me-time shelf, just for you - your body and soul. Light an incense stick, do your favourite yoga poses, read something wise, exert yourself with a sweaty workout. Let the crystals increase the flow of energy in your body. A collection of objects from which you can choose what you want to give yourself right now.

Jenny Martinsson’s tips for styling a spare room

Colours

Soft colours that help you relax after a hectic day and ease you into the next. Beige walls are classic.

Objects

Heaps of plumped up cushions, blankets and textile accessories for a cosy, welcoming feeling to help you wind down easily. You can place them directly on the floor in a large, soft, comfortable pile. Candles create a beautiful, warm ambience too.

Wholeness

Soft and cosy. Whether you have the whole room to yourself or just a corner. Decorate the space with objects that you love to make it feel welcoming and relaxing for you.

Top tip

Perhaps the room is also used as a home office where clutter tends to accumulate? Fix a rail to the ceiling and hang up a curtain so that all the clutter is out of sight when you want to focus on yourself.

A shelf for key kitchen items

On weekdays, the kitchen is usually a busy space but takes on a more leisurely pace when the weekend comes. Kitchen essentials can be placed alongside items you love on an open shelf. It’s perfect for coffee cups, salt and pepper pots and such like. Fresh herbs or a plant bring a touch of life to the shelf in the heart of the home.

Jenny's styling tips for the kitchen shelf

Colours

Personally, I have a weakness for earthy colours that can be combined in endless ways with different textures and natural materials.

Objects

The kitchen is home to all kinds of appliances and utensils. Try to find smart ways to conceal some of the less attractive objects, like the microwave and coffee maker. Hide them behind a cupboard door if you can. Objects you love should be on display, like on an open shelf!

Wholeness

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we spend much of our time and it needs to be functional too. If you’re planning a kitchen makeover, get expert advice and do some research to find practical solutions that will work for your everyday life.

Top tip

A round table. I think it is more social and intimate, offers plenty of table top surface and brings a spacious feel to the room.

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