#SHELFIE

by Chia Yulo July 16, 2014

With everyone taking selfies, I am relieved to have recently encountered the rise of the #SHELFIE, a spin off of the selfie where people take photos of their carefully curated belongings on a surface. 
I, for one, have numerous shelves all around my apartment, some books piled high on top of a stool and a few in my parents house which I share with my Dad. 
Despite the growing popularity of e-books, for me, the appeal of flipping through actual pages and smelling ink on paper can't quite compare.  I’ve always thought you can learn a lot from a person by their bookshelf and what they choose (or not choose) to display.
In fact, it is one of the first things that draws me into a persons home. It tells a lot about ones inspiration, dreams, what interests they have and what has influenced their knowledge so far. 
Here we share our #sheflies (including a few of our friends) and what we love about them.
Mikka Padua
Founder, Commander-in-Chic

What's on your shelf?

I love books and I use them not solely for entertainment but for decorative purposes as well. I feel a house is not a home without a bookshelf. 

On our bookshelf, you'll find books in both hard and soft covers. They are randomly arranged but I sometimes like to group them in color schemes so its more pleasing to look at. It is usually peppered with bits and bobs from trips around the globe, travel guides, and mementos. 

What do you love about your shelf?

I love that I can easily arrange and rearrange it according to my mood. I also love the fact that something as random and inexpensive as books on a shelf can bring life to any space. 

What is your favorite thing on it?

Almost everything that goes up on our shelf is well-loved or is a current fave. The pineapple ceramic is a gift from a good friend; the Mexican paper doll is my daughter's birthday invitation when she turned 2; and the letter M is from Anthropologie (my most favorite store in the world- second to STU, of course). My favorite reads are those that are fashion, travel, and E-commerce related. The books I highlighted here are those that I draw inspiration from which I always go back to and reread. 

What are you currently reading?

I'm currently reading Lessons from Madame Chic by Jennifer Scott and Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter which is so apt for our upcomingViva La Riviera collection. 

I also try to find time to read up on future seeking destinations. When my Lonely Planet guides get too overwhelming, I turn to Wallpaper's city guides which is just as useful, interesting, and informative.

There are also 3 glossies I religiously collect. Porter for fashion, Fast Company for E-commerce, and Conde Nast's Traveler for travel. They occasional go up the "pedestal" or otherwise known as our humble white- shelves-on-a-white-wall bookshelf. 

Mariel San Agustin
Purveyor of Home
What’s on your shelf?
Books that inspire me. 
Eiffel Tower and Ballet pointe shoe souvenirs I bought on my last trip to Paris
Cire Tredon candle and Bungalow 300 room diffuser
Anthropologie vase I bought online
A few postcards of my favourite artists.
A reminder given to me by my Aunt on how I should deal with everyday life issues — good or bad. SIMPLIFY!
What do you love about your shelf?
These are a few of my favourite things that I like to look at everyday.  It starts me off on the right foot and the best way to start your day is by looking at things that make you happy.
What is your favorite thing on it? 
SIMPLIFY wooden engraved stand serves as a constant reminder as I go about my day.
What are you currently reading?
The Happiness Project
Vanessa Santos
Purveyor of Beauty, #thevainmama
What's on your shelf?
Oliver and Maude #thevainmama vanity tray, massage oil, Grecian Mati given by a friend, and a FAE candle.
What do you love about your shelf?
This is my inspiration corner where I place all the new products am testing and exploring new ideas.
What is your favorite part of the shelf? 
This is my little pocket corner of calm. I love leafing through the pages of this Spa coffee table book about the beautiful spas found all over the Philippines. Beauty for me is also about wellness inside and out. Finding the right balance is key.
What are you currently reading?
Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
Bliss Mabini
Head of Creative
What's on your shelf?
A few design and fashion books, quirky novels, devotional books, autobiography of one of my face musicians, journals, books on apologetics and my trusty NASB Bible.
What do you love about your shelf?
Probably the colors of the books when combinedand the diversity of what I read. I could read fashion stuff, design, music and books about defending my faith. 
What is your favorite thing on it?
The Ukelele, maybe? It makes me look a bit cool hahaha!
What are you currently reading?
Blue Like Jazz.
Rachelle Janeo
Ops Manager
What's on your shelf?
Some of my favorite books, and some favorite things given by my friends. 
What do you love about your shelf?
It is where I can relax, see favorite book and treasured objects in one place.
What is your favorite thing on it?
Book from Wicked - My friend bought it for me after we watched the play in Singapore.
What are you currently reading?
Why We Broke Up

Pat Marcelo-Magbanua
Works in Fashion Retail, Mom to two adorable little misses

 

What's on your shelf?
Design books - staple faves like Decorate, Domino, Apartment Therapy, even Ikea catalogues. Art + lifestyle - Anthology, Frankie, VW coffee table books, Fashion and style - Sartorialist, Rachel Zoe, among others Business + Academic + Parenthing such as Freakonomics, Psychology, Nurture Shock Young Adult Lit - Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games, DaVinci Code And a host of other random titles. Plus random finds such as vintage stell prescription file from etsy, wooden softdrink case from a flea market, handicrafts, and the husband's Volkswagen toys, etc. 
What do you love about your shelf?
The shelf itself is a fave since I designed it myself and worked with our carpenter to make it fit our tiny room. Aside from that, I love how varied my titles and finds are.  They're representative of my world and my interests in a nutshell. Our other books are shared and stored in my mom's bookshelf.  Also not included are the children's books which have their own separate space. shelf awesome.
What is your favorite thing on it?
I would say my vintage finds, woodblocks, letterpress,  postcards -- all of which are lovingly sought from different sources or given as gifts -- and all the curated titles pretty much! But specifically, a book my mom edited on Martial Law, my published magazine articles and a story I wrote on volunteerism included in the JVP book Kusang-loob are some that are quite meaningful.
What are you currently reading?
Revisiting Elements of Style by Strunk, White, and Kalman. Catching up on  some magazines: Frankie, Fast Company, Smart Parenting, and Preview
Angie Gogna 
Makeup Artist, Store Owner What's on your shelf/vignette? 
My shelf is actually the top of a small cabinet that stores my collection of fashion accessories. Aside from some makeup and styling books, I keep my favorite "finishing" products on it so that they're easily accessible, such as the accessories, perfume, lip gloss and my favorite finishing powder.
What do you love about it?
The shelf stands right outside my closet so it makes it convenient to pick up the little things that complete my look right before I step out. And when I get home, the glass tray make it easy to rest my watch, earrings, rings, and lipsticks so that they don't get misplaced between switching bags.
What's your favorite thing on it?
My Bobbi Brown makeup book that keeps me refreshed with the basics I need for my makeup work and the Guerlain Meteorites that I use as a finishing powder since it adds a touch of luxury to my shelfie :)
What are you currently reading?
Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual
Chia Yulo
Purveyor-at-Large

I have A LOT on my shelf— novels, coffee table books, my favorite childrens books, arts and crafts books, old photos of my parents and grandparents, prints and artwork, a few old records, fresh flowers, shells, corals and rocks, some things I’ve collected through the years and little knick knacks from here and there. 
I love my shelf because of the books I have on it and the memories all over. I also love that it’s just mine! I have another one at my parents house which I share with my Dad, who was also a huge bibliophile but has since switched to e-books.
I have a few favorites- my Mom’s vintage Fiorucci case where I keep old photos and letters in, her old shell from Hawaii when she took hula lessons as a child, my Dad’s old wooden human figures, an hourglass my cousin gave me with turquoise sand inside, oh and the one area I attempted to color code!
I always have a few books in rotation. Now it’s Outliers by Malcom Gladwell (so I can finally get to What the Dog Saw and David and Goliath) and I am rereading Book 4 of Game of Thrones: A Feast for Crows. Current favorites for light reading are Parisian Chic and Imperfectly Perfect Home.

 

We hope to have inspired you to continually bask in books. And while you're at it, browse our carefully selected collection of hard and soft covers. We’re sure you’ll find something inspiring for you and your #shelfies.

 

Your Purveyor-at-Large,

 

 

 




Chia Yulo
Chia Yulo

Author



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