Whether it's books or bowls, there's an art to displaying a collection in an attractive and interesting way. We've got 7 cool looks - two we're showing you here - so pick your personality and style your shelves!

Okay, so you've got a whole heap of "stuff" that's stashed away out of sight because it's just too random, uncoordinated or unattractive to be put on show. Think again! Whatever your collection, it can make an interesting and eye-catching display if it's presented in the right way. Here's how...

Young creative

If your shelves look plain and boring, it's easy to jazz them up with a lick of paint, like we did with our bright yellow and green combo. Painting in lively colours will turn the shelves into a funky feature - a great look for young, creative types on a low budget. These units were a bargain find at just $20 each from Bunnings, and they're great for keeping all manner of objects in different sizes - practical pieces mix with decorative items to create a system that's fun and functional.

Mono minimalist

Fuss-free and simply styled is the key to this look. The rustic shelves contrast beautifully with the simple black and white pieces to create a timeless, elegant display that's pleasing to the eye, while tiny pops of purple add an element of surprise. With a pared-back colour palette like this one, add interest by grouping items into small vignettes, combining different shapes, sizes and textures. And don't forget the golden rule of vignettes - group an odd number of dominant objects to create visual appeal. Some of the most striking groupings have very subtle themes running through them - here, books and old Scrabble pieces relate to words, while the woman's face is a reccuring theme in the little Matryoshka dolls and decorative plate.

For more super shelving ideas, get hold of your copy of April 2011 real living.