Create a Customized Office Look Without Built-Ins
Make your home office highly functional and gorgeous with flexible, affordable freestanding shelving
Some of the most impressive home offices have drop-dead gorgeous built-ins to hold everything you need. But those built-ins come with a steep price tag, and you may not want a permanent storage solution if you're renting your home. If you're looking for office solutions that you won't have to leave behind, here are some great-looking and highly functional options.
More: Creative Multi-Purpose Office Spaces
More: Creative Multi-Purpose Office Spaces
One of the keys to making freestanding shelving look as substantial as built-ins is to fill the wall entirely with the shelving — even if it takes more than one unit. Using three of these shelving units side by side along one wall makes them look as if they are built in. In this example, a red unit between the black ones adds visual interest and a custom look.
If you love the look of built-ins but are working with freestanding pieces, create a tight, balanced and symmetrical grouping. If this office only had one of the taller units and the chest against this wall, the room would look lopsided and the furniture pieces would feel more like clutter than organization. By using two of the taller units, flanking them tight on both sides of the chest, and then using a mirror that perfectly fills the gap and is taller than the two side units, this designer has created an attractive and substantial arrangement.
The same tactic was used in this traditional office. The freestanding bookcases fit perfectly between the window and side wall so the window is framed tightly, adding to the illusion of built-ins. If you want the look of built-ins, use good-looking pieces of furniture like these bookcases.
This office has a completely different look than the last two, but uses the same technique of flanking two taller storage units tight against either side of a center item — in this case a cabinet. The white starburst mirror adds to the cohesiveness of this grouping.
Think big and fill the wall with your storage. These free-standing shelves with incorporated desk surface were made from reclaimed, thick planks on long, threaded rods.
Repeat after me: "Fill the space."
The secret to creating a look that looks like high-end built-in cabinets is to fill the space you have as completely as possible. These freestanding shelves almost perfectly fill the niches. They could have been purchased as single units, or could have been four separate bookcases in each niche. Whatever it takes to fill that wall or niche, fill it up instead of having a too-tiny storage unit stranded in the middle of a big wall.
The secret to creating a look that looks like high-end built-in cabinets is to fill the space you have as completely as possible. These freestanding shelves almost perfectly fill the niches. They could have been purchased as single units, or could have been four separate bookcases in each niche. Whatever it takes to fill that wall or niche, fill it up instead of having a too-tiny storage unit stranded in the middle of a big wall.
OK, let's talk a little about open storage versus closed storage. See these wonderful asymmetrical and open shelving units? See how little they have sitting in those shelves? Open shelving is for display.
Every single piece on these lovely etageres has been considered for its display value and attractiveness.
Again, we see beautiful open shelving with a carefully curated selection of accessories. If you try to use these open shelving units for your extra printer paper, ink cartridges and ragtag collection of miscellaneous papers, you wreck the look.
Look how minimal, serene, clear and uncluttered this office looks. That big cabinet provides lots of closed storage. Just a few sculptural objects and art are on display. Everything else is out of sight.
The shelving units behind this desk provide a mix of open display shelving and closed sections to hide the less pretty, but necessary items.
This beautiful office has a combination of furniture pieces offering closed storage and open display.
Tip: Before you go out to buy storage pieces for your office, take stock of all the things you will need to keep in your office. Decide what can be on display and what will be better off hidden. Think of it in terms of how many cubic feet of each you have, then buy your storage pieces accordingly.
Tip: Before you go out to buy storage pieces for your office, take stock of all the things you will need to keep in your office. Decide what can be on display and what will be better off hidden. Think of it in terms of how many cubic feet of each you have, then buy your storage pieces accordingly.
This is another great example of both closed and open storage. The bookcase turned sideways to the wall faces the books toward the desk where they need to be seen. The drawers under the desktop are useful and handy closed storage.
What do you do if you have a bunch of open storage but realize that some of your stuff would really be better out of sight? There's more than one way to create closed storage.
On this open shelving unit, boxes, magazine holders and baskets store anything that's not display-worthy.
On this open shelving unit, boxes, magazine holders and baskets store anything that's not display-worthy.
The attractive bins on these open shelves hold books, files and heaven-knows-what because we can't see it. Mixed in with the display items, the bins themselves become display items. A handful of books have been covered with attractive wrapping paper or wall paper. You don't need to hide books — it is an office after all — but some reference books or binders aren't all that attractive. If you are focusing on creating a very pretty space, this technique will turn your books into display items. This will work best if you have a small number of books that you can group by subject so you can remember which is which. If you need to see the titles of your books, grouping them by the color of the covers will make them look more attractive.
Some of us have odd-sized and shaped things that we need to store, so we have to think outside the box. And for creativity's sake, it can help to have those things out where we can see them instead of behind closed doors. In this office, a big cylindrical bin holds rolls of fabric. A garment rack holds paper patterns or templates. Clear plastic storage boxes keep things tidy, but visible. Black and white storage boxes on the floor at the back coordinate with the black and white ottoman in the foreground.
Baskets are a great way to keep things in one place.
Storage for your tiny objects can be as simple and attractive as this shapely little organizer on top of the desk.
An armoire, a vintage chest, two floating shelves and two plastic folding tables were magically transformed into an attractive office through the use of good design principles. The armoire and chest hide all the not-so-pretty necessities. The shelves handle display duty, with desktop items coordinated by color. Notice that even though the desks are not high-end items, they still fill the space, which suggests a custom-fitted look. The shelves also fill the available wall space.
You can't talk about home office storage without mentioning IKEA. Where would the home office be without their Expedit bookshelves? Here is a very nice use of open shelving and this is what makes it work:
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- It is centered on the wall and items flank both sides of it filling in the space
- The wall is painted a color so the white shelving stands out against it
- The top is accessorized beautifully — not crammed with stuff that didn't fit in the shelves — so it looks attractive and substantial in scale
- Closed storage is provided by nice-looking black and white boxes
- It is not stuffed to overflowing
- The whole office is decorated in a black and white color scheme with the patterned drapes picking up the colors in the books on the shelves.
More: Creative Multi-Purpose Office Spaces
15 Ways to Be More Inspired by Your Studio
More guides to office organizing and design