Home Decorating Guide: Shelf Decorating

Several tiny tchotchkes on a shelf will only collect dust and look like jumbled clutter. Instead, choose bigger, bolder accessorizes that will stand out. Tall vases (if there's no shelf above, fill them with giant flowering or fall branches for a dramatic display); giant balls of knotted rope; substantial pottery; large art books — whatever strikes your fancy, as long as you can see it from across the room. Give smaller items more visual presence by collecting them in a container: "I love an old jar filled with vintage photos, sea shells collected at the beach or even colorful crayons and marbles," says designer Megan Samuels, ASID.