Crazy Cool Shelves
It's easy to go mad for the staggered heights and unusual pairings of these modern shelf and storage designs
I've been designing some special custom shelving for a client building a new modern home in Venice Beach, California. He is really pushing the limits of the expected norms in shelving, and I like that. In working with him on developing and refining the designs, I have been browzing the Houzz archives and have found some really inspiring projects.
Plank shelves are so simple yet very efficient spacewise, especially in a tight office that may double as a guest room. The minimal hardware supporting these gives them the look of floating shelves.
This combination of wall-to-wall shelving and a desk makes for an attractive and productive use of wall space. The pinboard element behind the shelves is conducive to brainstorming.
This white of this desk and wall unit allows it to blend into the surrounding walls. The irregular heights of the shelves and of the closed storage keeps the eye moving, and the overall design is energized.
This office space leans toward a commercial aesthetic, with chunky industrial-style wood shelves and exposed mounting hardware. Some of the floating shelves are on an angle for display of more graphic elements such as magazines and small art. This would also be useful in a studio or even as a store display.
Staggered shelf heights is a fun approach to making the library less serious and more approachable. A trend in shelving is using construction-grade plywood, double layered, with a natural finish.
Here's another staggered example, but the slim vertical components don't really allow for book storage. The unit itself becomes the showpiece in this white-on-white modern bedroom.
This smaller yet refined shelving unit would work well in an urban entryway or as a room divider.
This style of pipe shelf unit has caught on like wildfire in the design blogs. Originally conceived by Commune for the Ace Hotel Palm Springs lobby, it has inspired many design-savvy DIYers to construct their own versions out of plumbing pipe and wood planks.
And now to show you what's on the boards for the Venice beach home: In the kitchen, a long expanse of open shelving is set upon subway tile. There are barely any upper cabinets in this large kitchen. Just salvaged wood shelves that are 3, 4 and 5 feet long above the lower cabinets.
In the den, a wall-to-wall shelf unit with closed storage surrounds a flat-screen TV and the existing window. The client insisted on a random series of openings to keep things interesting.
In the master bedroom, a wall-to-wall shelf unit will have randomly sized openings. This design includes shelves, a window, a desk and closed storage boxes that encase a flat-screen TV. As if that doesn't sound complicated enough, the frame will be made of a welded steel open grid. A little crazy, a little cool, huh?
More:
Browse thousands of shelf photos
See more crazy and cool shelves in the Products section
More:
Browse thousands of shelf photos
See more crazy and cool shelves in the Products section