Shelf Life

Are your shelves gathering dust? Well, you might want to check the expiration date on your style and grab more than your feather duster to combat it.

Here's the best of Real Simple Magazine's tips on how to keep your shelves fresh:

1. This is genius. Paint the inside of your bookshelves a shade or two darker than your walls to give definition and make objects standout. (Below)



2. Use a myriad of empty, colorful frames to create a geometric pattern. Layer, mix-and-match, rotate and voila! (Below)

3. Find an interesting motif, as the clock or letter represents in pictures below, and repeat throughout with varying sizes, styles and colors.

5. Or if your shelves are inevitably going to be catchall for everything that doesn't have a place elsewhere, try panels--either plain or with a simple stencil design-- to disguise what's behind.