Shelves are a staple in most homes, and for good reason. They provide a clever, efficient storage system and can double as beautiful interior decor. Carefully choosing the most appropriate shelves for your home is important. That way you can ensure the shelving provides enough storage and compliments the space. We’ve put together six interior shelving ideas for you to start brainstorming!

Built-In Bookcases

Built-in bookcases can be highly functional and visually pleasing. This type of custom woodworking works particularly well in living rooms. It provides space for books, decor, and more. Often these can be built around a fireplace or television, creating an entire wall of storage. Balancing the contents of the shelves to include books and decor is a good way to avoid a cluttered look. Art adds a splash of sophistication to a room while plants add a natural element and pictures give a personal touch. The key is choosing a few pieces that really inspire you, allowing negative space to help them stand out.

Built-in bookcases allow an entire wall to be highly personalized, bringing a greater sense of home into the room.

Suspended Shelves

Any shelf that is suspended to the wall is a fantastic way to add a stylish new dimension into a room. There are a few types of suspended shelves: from a single shelf above a dresser or bed, to the classy torsion-box shelves. They are a perfect place to display a few of your favorite books, pictures, or art pieces. They also make an outstanding home for a hanging plant, because the height will allow the leaves to overflow into the room.

When choosing suspended shelves, consider material, shape, and size. For example, if you have oak wood floors, consider getting your shelves in a similar wood. Visually connecting elements in the room can create a harmonious look. If you have white trim, you could consider selecting white shelves to match.

Staircase Bookcases

Installing shelves underneath your staircase or building a bookshelf along the stairs is a marvelous use of space, especially if it opens up into another room! Staircase bookcases can make an empty space feel very cozy. Putting your books on display adds such a personal and inspiring touch to a room, and having the books along your stairs can be quite enticing! They draw you up the stairs, and it’s the perfect way to choose some nighttime reading on the way to bed.

Free-Standing Shelves

Free-standing shelves are perfect for anyone looking to bring a bit more organization into their home. This is primarily because of how practical they are. Free-Standing Shelves are the easiest to add into a room and come in a variety of styles and sizes. You can add free-standing shelves into the bathroom to hold towels, toiletries, and plants. Smaller shelving units are great for children’s rooms to store storybooks and toys at a height that the child can reach (be sure to follow any instructions included on anchoring these shelves to the walls so they’re child-friendly!). You could even add some into your closet for handbags and shoes. Free-Standing Shelves offer endless possibilities for all your storage qualms.

Corner Consoles

Fitting shelves into the corner of a room is not only an efficient use of space, but can really bring a finished look to the room. Empty corners can be quite plain and boring. Whether you choose to have them suspended or free-standing, corner shelves provide practical storage space without creating clutter. They also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A rounded corner shelf, for instance, works well beside the front door as a place to hold your keys. Alternatively, installing suspended shelves into the corner of your kitchen beside your cabinets can be a stylish place to store wine bottles, dry goods, herbs, cook books, and more!

Custom-Made Options

Perhaps you’re still unsure of what type of shelving will work for you. That’s okay. It may be time to consider investing in custom-made shelves. Hand-made woodwork is perfect for what you and your home need. You’ll have more control over the shape, size, and materials. Additionally, with another set of expert eyes to guide you through the process, you’ll be guaranteed long-term value and enjoyment. Custom Made Shelves are a solution you can be confident in.

At Kelley Astore Interiors, we are well versed in designing and building custom shelving for our clients. Head to our services page to find out how we could help you!