Can I photograph books standing upright or do they need to be flat?

Either works. Books standing upright on a clean background cut out nicely. Flat works too but may look slightly less natural when placed on the shelf canvas.

Can I use this for medicine cabinet or pantry organization?

Yes. Canvi works for any shelving situation, including kitchens, bathrooms, closets, and pantries.

How do I make the objects look proportionally right on the shelf?

Use a photo of your actual shelf as the background and resize each object based on its real dimensions relative to the shelf height.

Can I mix existing pieces with potential new purchases?

Yes. Photograph existing pieces and screenshot or download images of new ones, then place them together to see how they will coexist.

Can I save different shelf arrangements to compare them?

Yes. Export each arrangement as a PNG and compare your options before making any real-world changes.

Perfect Shelf Styling Without Touching a Thing

Photograph your books, plants, vases, and decorative objects. Arrange them digitally on a shelf layout and find what works before you rearrange your actual shelves.

Why people use it

Try multiple arrangements of the same objects without the physical effort
Balance visual weight across shelves before committing to an arrangement
Plan new shelving purchases around existing pieces
Create a reference image so a partner or family member can recreate the arrangement
Experiment with mixing books, plants, and objects without the mess

How it works

Photograph each item: Lay books, vases, plants, and decorative objects on a clean surface and photograph them individually. Natural light works best.
Remove backgrounds automatically: Upload your photos and Canvi isolates each object cleanly. Books and ceramics tend to come out especially crisp.
Set up your shelf canvas: Upload a photo of your actual shelves as the background, or use a simple neutral canvas to approximate the shelf space.
Arrange and balance: Drag objects onto the shelf, resize them to realistic proportions, and keep adjusting until the arrangement has the visual balance you want.

Use cases

Bookshelf redesign: Mix books, objects, and plants across multiple shelf levels and visualize how they balance before rearranging everything.
Built-in bookcase styling: Plan how to fill large built-ins with a mix of books, baskets, art, and objects without over- or under-filling sections.
Floating shelf arrangements: Preview which objects will look natural on minimalist floating shelves and how much breathing room to leave between them.
Seasonal shelf refresh: Swap in holiday or seasonal objects virtually to see how they change a shelf before pulling them from storage.

Tips

Vary heights across your shelf by mixing tall books or vases with shorter stacked objects to create movement
Group objects in threes for most shelf sections since odd numbers tend to feel more balanced than even groupings
Try turning some books spine-in for a quieter look if your shelf feels visually noisy
Leave some intentional negative space rather than filling every inch, shelves often look better with breathing room
Mix textures like wood, ceramic, glass, and fabric to add visual interest without adding more objects

Frequently asked questions

Can I photograph books standing upright or do they need to be flat?: Either works. Books standing upright on a clean background cut out nicely. Flat works too but may look slightly less natural when placed on the shelf canvas.
Can I use this for medicine cabinet or pantry organization?: Yes. Canvi works for any shelving situation, including kitchens, bathrooms, closets, and pantries.
How do I make the objects look proportionally right on the shelf?: Use a photo of your actual shelf as the background and resize each object based on its real dimensions relative to the shelf height.
Can I mix existing pieces with potential new purchases?: Yes. Photograph existing pieces and screenshot or download images of new ones, then place them together to see how they will coexist.
Can I save different shelf arrangements to compare them?: Yes. Export each arrangement as a PNG and compare your options before making any real-world changes.