Decorating is all about telling your story...The story about the things you love and the people you love in the place you love. Learning how to translate that story to shelves in your home can be slightly overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. You can decorate bookshelves so they are both fully functional and pleasing to the eye.

First things first, if you’ve been collecting things for a little while, gather everything together. It’s good to have items that vary in size including books, art, greenery and vases. This is the perfect spot to add some of those family photos as well.

If you already have items on your shelves, I recommend completely clearing them off so you are starting with a blank slate.

As you begin to reassemble the shelves, start with the larger items to create a foundation and fill in with smaller accessories. Create groups of smaller items such as vases or books to balance the larger items.

Books are some of the most useful accessories because they are so versatile. Alternate stacking books horizontally and vertically. Horizontal books can be used as platforms for displaying other objects, like small potted plants while vertical books add height. Creating visual height draws the eye upward.

To create flow, choose a color palette that pulls from other areas of the room. You can also add seasonal touches to freshen up the shelves and keep it interesting.

Remember, keep it simple and meaningful. We can’t stress this enough. The more items you have on a shelf, the less of an impact each individual item is going to make.

Design Tip Tuesday: Table Settings

I don’t know about you but table setting is one of my favorite things to do. I typically change my table settings each month at my house (I know you are shocked I would change something). It’s a fun way to add seasonal touches to your home without a ton of effort plus it’s fun to be creative with your tablescapes and utilize things that most people wouldn’t. Since we are right before Easter, we thought we’d give you a little table setting inspiration. Whether you are having an intimate gathering, a large family affair or just doing it for yourself, there are a number of ways you can set your table. When dressing up your table a couple of basic principles apply:

1. Table Selection: First things first, determine the foundation for your table setting: round, rectangular, wood or plastic. Each of these tables can be decorated beautifully. Pick what works for you and run with it.

2. Textiles: After you've determined your table, then decide what textiles you are going to use. Will you be using a tablecloth, runner, placemats or a combination? I like to layer for added dimension and visual interest. Seasonal table runners are really fun to use. We love the script on this particular Easter runner.

3. Plates: Layering isn't limited to textiles, you can also layer your plates by using a charger, your dinner plate, and if the menu is formal, a salad plate or bowl as well. For clarification, a charger plate is a base plate that goes underneath your dinner plate. It's simply for decoration. I don’t always use standard chargers in my table settings. In this case, I actually used an old book. I love the way the pages look underneath the plate. Tip: If you don't have enough plates, mix two different coordinating sets to increase your quantity.

4. Napkins: As you can see above, we used a coordinating napkin that matched our table runner. This particular “napkin” is actually a dishtowel. I interchange napkins and dish towels in my tablescapes because sometimes I find dish towels I like better. In lieu of using a napkin ring, we found super cute bunny ear headbands that we tucked underneath the napkin. These make great party favors for your guests and they are fun for kids too. Below is an additional table setting example with the layered effect. In this example, we layered a dinner plate with a beautiful scalloped edge bowl. Then topped it off with a bird nest and a jasmine tea sachet from PinkCherryMama as a party favor.

5. How to set Silverware: Sometimes silverware is tricky...But here are the basic rules. Forks are on the left and knives on the right with the blade facing the plate. If you are having salad and plan on using a fork specifically for the course, the salad fork goes to the left of the dinner fork. Tip: When you sit down to dinner and there is more silverware than you know what to do with, remember to work from the outside in when it comes to silverware.

6. Use Natural Elements that Fit With the Season:Whether it's a centerpiece or place setting decor, incorporating natural elements not only keeps the cost down but it also increases the festive feel of the table. Daffodil plants are making their way to the stores. Instead of getting fresh cut flowers, pickup a couple of plants, use them on your table as a centerpiece. Then plant them in your garden for blooms to enjoy year after year.

The Takeaway: Making an impact doesn't have to be expensive.You can do a lot with natural elements and also by re-inventing items you have in your existing collection. The most important part of the day is simply being together and making memories for years to come.

Need help putting a table design together, let the experts at Eddy Street Vintage Market help you! Contact us for more details.