Have You Overfilled Your Open Shelves? Here's the Designer Test for When to Stop, Drop, or Rearrange
"If your eye doesn't know where to look first, you've probably gone a little too far"
Almost every home has some iteration of open shelving, whether that's a console table, floating kitchen shelves, or a built-in bookshelf. More than just storage, open shelving can be a really effective design tool. It adds color and texture to an otherwise blank wall through plates, books, vases, and decor. However, overfilling open shelving to the point of visual clutter is one of the easiest mistakes to make, so let's talk about the do's and don'ts of this style.
First of all, "Styling is often more about what you leave off than what you put on," says interior designer Montana Burnett. Since everything is on display with this shelving idea, restraint is key. You want to mix pieces with meaning with things you actually use every day, but you also shouldn't be afraid to leave space empty. Space creates balance, and balance is what will make your open shelves feel curated rather than cluttered.
"I like shelves that feel collected over time, not like they were bought in one shopping trip," adds Montana. As you find the right decor for your shelves, you can experiment with spacing and arrangements. Knowing when and what to take or leave off gives everything else a chance to shine. Below are a few tips and tricks to help prevent overfilling your open shelving.
Sourcing everyday pieces that also look beautiful in your space will instantly elevate your open shelf design.
Identifying when you've overfilled your open shelving is more about a gut feeling and a trained eye. "You can't really think in percentages or say there is an exact moment an open shelf becomes 'overfilled' because every home is different," says Montana Burnett. "But the goal is always that your arrangement feels beautiful without feeling precious."
Design Lab by Livingetc stylist Iokasti Sotirakopoulou says, "One of the biggest signs that open shelving has been overfilled is when your eye doesn't know where to rest." The shelves start to look cluttered, and even beautiful objects lose their impact. "Open shelving works best when there's a balance between display and negative space," Iokasti adds.
So, the main trick to making this open storage look better becomes all about negative space. "People often feel like they need to fill every shelf, but actually the empty moments are just as important," explains Montana. For example, if you fill one area of open shelving in your kitchen with stacks of plates, give the next ledge more space. This creates balance in design and "gives your eye somewhere to rest. Not to mention, it makes the pieces you've chosen feel much more intentional," she adds.
A good rule of thumb is: if your eye doesn't know where to look first, you've probably gone too far.
Montana Burnett is a Canadian interior designer and entrepreneur whose work sits at the intersection of design, craftsmanship, and commerce. With over 20 years of experience, she is known for creating refined, highly considered interiors that blend global influences with a strong sense of place. Montana is also the founder of Salt by the Caza Project and Louka Hardware, a curated, artisanal home decor site and a design-led hardware company, respectively.
You can use your shelving to add color and texture while still keeping in line with your design scheme.
If your open shelving is overwhelming your room, "start by taking away the little filler pieces," advises Montana. For instance, "If you have lots of small objects sitting together, try removing half of them and replacing them with one larger sculptural piece instead," she adds. The size of a larger object can instantly feel calmer because of the visual balance it creates.
Iokasti agrees that the easiest way to fix an overfilled shelf is to remove the smallest decorative accessories first. "Too many candles, vases, or ornaments competing for attention can make a shelf feel visually noisy," she adds. Her pro tip: try grouping objects in odd numbers and at varying heights.
Then step back and look at the shelves from across the room. "That's usually when you notice what's working and what isn't," says Montana. "I always find styling is less about adding and more about editing." It's the same idea as when you might be wearing too many accessories in an outfit — if your eye is competitively drawn to more than one piece, then you probably have on too many statement items. "I also like to edit down duplicate items and keep only the pieces that genuinely add character or tell a story," adds Iokasti.
It can also help to think about the room as a whole. "The shelving should support the architecture and overall design scheme, not compete with it," says Montana. So, if you have a cozy living room with minimalist furniture, then you might not want to overload your shelving with miscellaneous knick-knacks.
Instead, try creating little vignettes within the shelves that tell a specific design story — a framed photo next to your favorite reed diffuser or a thrifted vase. A mix of pieces that bring personality to your shelf and help elevate your design scheme. Bonus points if there are bowls or decorative boxes that double as clever storage ideas.
But again, when collecting these pieces, always stay conscious of your shelving starting to fill up too much. If you find yourself fighting to find space for new pieces, then it's time to step back again and reassess.
Open Shelving Pieces to Inspire Your Setup
"Some of my favorite shelves have a bowl that's used every morning, books that get picked up all the time, or ceramics collected while travelling," says Montana. "When the things you're living with are beautiful, the line between styling and function kind of disappears." And isn't the thrill of learning how to thrift and source beautiful things for our interiors the best part of decorating?
Or you could always try our personalized Find service, where our Design Lab by Livingetc stylists will source a piece specifically for you.
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