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Alyona
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Ordinary wooden shelves on the wall, photos of which can be found on the Internet, have become a thing of the past. They have been replaced by interesting design works that can breathe new life into a familiar interior. Decorating a room with such an element will help solve the issue of filling empty space.
What types of shelves are there?
Popular design varieties.
Open
They allow you to significantly relieve the tension, which is very important in a small room. Another undeniable advantage of wall-mounted open models is that they clearly demonstrate their contents and provide easy access to objects.
Closed
It is considered a fairly profitable solution. Such shelves do not create clutter in the room and thus allow you to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the room. Closed structures can have transparent and corrugated glass facades or be equipped with sliding, swing or lifting doors.
The photo shows an asymmetrical shelf on a closed wall in the design of a modern living room.
Built-in
They complement and fit into the design of the room as harmoniously as possible. They provide an excellent opportunity to rationally use “dead zones” in the form of joints, openings or niches.
The photo shows the interior of the hall with shelves on the wall built into niches.
Mounted
Hanging shelves on the wall will become an original interior decoration and are especially suitable for lovers of creative ideas. Structures of different sizes and shapes are suspended using chains, cables, belts, ropes and other materials.
The photo shows hanging shelves on ropes in the children's interior.
Transformable shelves
This transformable furniture composition, thanks to its modular design, allows you to vary the elements in any order, as well as remove or add additional parts depending on what items will be stored on the wall shelves.
Main advantages of shelving
Racks are structures consisting of almost nothing but shelves, rarely covered with doors. And the back or side walls are also not often present. All this makes such structures much lighter and airier than, say, a closet or a familiar wall of furniture covering the entire room.
The rack is weightless and literally transparent, which makes it possible to quickly find the thing you need without “shovelling” tons of papers or piles of things. It is equally convenient both at home and in offices.
Agree that the times when entire rooms were dedicated to a library are a thing of the past.
Now many people think that this is not modern, and others simply cannot afford to spend precious living space on placing their favorite books.
Nowadays, lovers of reading place their copies in living rooms or halls, for which shelving is a good idea, in which everything is clearly visible, and therefore you don’t have to search for the right book for a long time.
But in order for the library to serve for many years, it is necessary to equip the shelves with glass and other devices that will protect it from moisture and dust.
There are also models of shelving that are equipped with drawers for small items and wheels that allow you to rearrange them at your convenience.
The latter will especially please those who have lived for many years with a wall of furniture and numerous shelves tightly screwed to the walls.
But you need to move such structures with caution, because the risk of turning the rack over and breaking all the contents is very high.
Asymmetrical shelving will help you use the space of your apartment wisely, especially since they have long acquired the most unusual shapes - from angular to round - while delighting with an abundance of color schemes.
But sometimes using them for their intended purpose is a whole art that only a born designer can comprehend.
Forms
A shelf on the wall can have a wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations. Designs can be horizontal, vertical, curved, inclined, and also form fancy lines or even abstract patterns.
Design of corner shelves in the interior
Corner shelves on the wall can rehabilitate an impractical and empty corner space. Models are mounted on two adjacent walls of an internal or external corner.
The photo shows an interior with white corner shelves above the workplace.
The unusual design of wall-mounted corner structures mainly depends on the choice of material and accessories, although such shelves themselves already look quite original and interesting.
Square shelves in the interior
Walls complemented with standard square or classic rectangular shelves give the room a stylish look. Wall structures in the form of cubes are very often made by hand.
The photo shows shelves on the wall in the shape of cubes and rectangles in the living room.
Honeycomb Shelves
Models in the shape of hexagons not only organize storage space, but also attract attention, forming a bright geometric pattern on the wall. Due to their characteristic configuration, wall shelves can be hung separately or made up into a beautiful composition of multi-colored or different-sized honeycombs.
The photo shows a children's room with hexagonal-shaped shelves on the wall.
Round shelves
They become an interesting interior addition. Round or oval wall products visualize the decor in an unusual way, giving it a unique frame.
The photo shows a round shelf on the wall, decorated with a mirror.
Zigzag shelves
Due to their non-format appearance, such models undoubtedly attract attention and fit harmoniously into futuristic interiors. Zigzag shelves add a non-standard character to the decor and create a unique atmosphere in the room.
The photo shows the interior of a kitchen-living room with a wall decorated with wooden zigzag shelves.
Decorative design
Despite the many design options, there are basic rules that should be followed when creating a decorative or work area with these interior elements. For example, the shelves above the table in the children's room should not be of too bright colors, contain prints with cartoon characters and textures that can distract the child's attention from the main process - studying.
Bright colors in any interior are an irritant, so they should be used only consciously. If it is quite problematic to decide on the choice of shade, it is better to give preference to pastel colors and natural textures - stone, wood.
In order to highlight the shelves, you can resort to a little trick: use brightly colored materials to make the side parts of the product.
When creating a work area for a student, you can use models with cork covering elements so that the student has the opportunity to attach reminder sheets. Options with a built-in chalk board or marker are very popular, which will allow you to use notes and make the interior more interesting.
Materials
Even for such simple products there is a wide choice of materials.
- Tree. A classic option that fits perfectly into any design. Wooden shelves are considered versatile and durable. They can withstand heavy loads, so they are suitable for books, dishes and other heavy utensils.
- Chipboard/chipboard. Moisture-resistant material is often used in the manufacture of bathroom shelves. Structures made of chipboard or chipboard can be finished with plastic, veneer or film of any shade.
- Metal. It has high characteristics, is a high-quality, durable, strong and reliable material. Metal models blend harmoniously into an interior in a minimalist or hi-tech style.
- Glass. Hanging products can be made of plain, tempered, colored or embossed glass. They look stylish, fashionable, do not weigh down the walls and fill the atmosphere with airiness.
- Plastic. Shelves made of inexpensive, pliable plastic have a simple and luxurious appearance at the same time and easily imitate various natural materials.
The photo shows laconic shelves on the wall made of black metal.
Not only the strength qualities of the product, but also its configuration, character and style decision depend on the choice of material.
Kitchen
To accommodate all the necessary utensils, owners of small kitchens implement many interesting ideas.
Spacious furniture
Absolutely all standard furnishings can serve as a storage system: instead of chairs and stools, a bench with a folding seat is suitable, where you can keep large dishes or preparations for the winter. A table with drawers is useful for storing small items, and a kitchen set thought out to the smallest detail will ensure comfortable cooking.
Wardrobes up to the ceiling
How to place it on the wall?
Shelves can be placed anywhere on the wall. However, several nuances are still taken into account. The place where these products will be attached must be thought out in advance. Shelves should be hung so that they do not interfere with movement in space. In some cases, safer models with smoothed or oblique corners are chosen.
An excellent solution is to place full-wall shelves above a desk or computer desk. This way you can achieve systematization of things and keep them as convenient as possible at hand. In addition, due to such a spectacular design technique, the decor will look stylish and acquire a creative spirit.
The photo shows gray shelves located on the wall above the desktop.
Shelves can be added to any free wall, corner in a room or space near a window, or hung above a bed, sofa, chest of drawers or dining table. Wall shelves in combination with low cabinets in the design of the area around the TV will look harmonious. It should be borne in mind that models distinguished by an unusual shape and color should have a calmer and more restrained environment in the form of wall decoration and decorative elements.
A hanging shelf with indoor plants will fit perfectly into the space between the windows. This design will be an excellent alternative to flowerpots or flowers in pots placed on the windowsill.
The photo shows a living room design with a closed shelf above the sofa.
Location recommendations
The arrangement of structures can be arbitrary, the main thing is convenient. However, when it comes to placing shelves above a student’s desk, you should follow a few simple rules:
- The hanging structure should not block the light, especially if the workplace is located in a dimly lit area.
- The furniture tabletop and shelves should be positioned in such a way that the child, sitting at the table, is facing or sideways to the doorway. It has been proven that a person sitting with his back to the door experiences discomfort while working.
- The structures must be at a sufficient height from the seated person’s head so as not to reduce the size of the working space. When answering the question about what height to hang the shelf, it is worth noting that its bottom panel should be located at arm's length so that the child can take the desired item without getting up.
There is one more thing to consider before hanging the shelf. It is advisable to place the upper part of the structure at a low height; the person sitting at the table should not have the need to use a chair and other objects to reach the farthest compartments, since this can be traumatic.
In cases where wall furniture elements perform an exclusively decorative function, the height of their location is not important.
Another criterion when choosing a location for a shelf above a table is the amount of free space in the room. For example, multi-tiered or corner models are great for small rooms.
The hanging structure should not obscure the light
The person should sit facing or sideways to the doorway
The structures must be at a sufficient height from the seated person’s head
How do they look in different interior styles?
Original design options for different style solutions.
Photo of wall shelves in loft style
For the urban direction, they prefer the most simple and primitively processed wall structures. Metal rods, rusty iron pipes, various taps, bolts and screws can be used in the manufacture of products. Also in the loft style, bright yellow, red, orange and other shelves in contrasting colors would be appropriate.
The photo shows a loft-style living room with a brick wall decorated with a long black shelf.
Shelves in a classic interior
Miniature shelves with metal consoles, straight or corner wood products will harmoniously fit into the classic design. Forged models decorated with lace elements and openwork curls will also match the surrounding design.
The photo shows multi-level shelves on the wall in a classic style interior.
Examples of shelves in a Scandinavian interior
There are products made from natural materials here. Most often, wooden shelves are chosen, which are decorated with candles, pots with green plants, small paintings or photographs of northern animals, which favorably emphasize the stylistic direction.
The photo shows a Scandinavian-style bedroom with wooden shelves on the semicircular wall.
Shelves in Provence style
For decoration, wooden shelves coated with white paint or vintage designs with an aging effect are selected. Careless execution will give the atmosphere a special charm. Models can be decorated using forging, carving, patina, decoupage or curtains with floral patterns.
The photo shows a shelf on the wall made of aged wood in Provencal style.
Billing solutions
Traditionally, wood is used to make such furniture items. The material fits perfectly into both classic furnishings and ultra-modern decors.
Modern bookshelves made of wood and metal
In the latter case, an alternative to wood can be metal, plastic and glass. The most popular of these three are glass bookshelves. They are frequent guests of modern interiors. And this is not surprising, since glass is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also easy to maintain.
The surface of such a shelf will be easy to remove dust. The structure is not afraid of moisture, so glass shelves will serve for a long time and faithfully.
Practical glass bookshelves
Plastic shelves are advantageous in terms of design, as they are often transformable. Sometimes it seems that their bizarre shapes are trying to defy the laws of gravity, but this does not prevent them from perfectly coping with their main functional task.
Textured plastic bookshelves
Shelves can have movable elements such as sliding or opening doors. In this case, you need to check the quality of the fasteners. Ideally, the hinges will be made of stainless steel.
Ergonomic pull-out bookshelves
The same applies to the rest of the fittings. Painted handles will not be aesthetically durable. Frequent touching will quickly damage the protective layer.
Photos of shelves in the interior
Photo examples of the use of products in room design.
Wall shelves in the living room interior
In the living room, the most common place to place shelves is the wall surface behind the sofa or armchairs. An empty area can be supplemented with compact or narrow structures and filled with elegant souvenirs, small paintings or family photographs.
The photo shows a room with diagonal shelves on the wall located in the TV area.
Products placed in a chaotic, checkerboard pattern or shelves with a contrasting design in relation to the wall decoration will look original.
The use of triangular models that can be swapped will make it easy to change the look of the guest room.
Kitchen ideas
Useful tips
These basic tips will help you optimize the placement of shelves and book volumes on them:
- Books should not be placed near heating appliances. The cardboard of the quail may become deformed.
- Volumes must be protected from direct UV rays. This causes the pages to become brittle and turn yellow.
- It is not advisable to ventilate the home library if it is damp outside. This contributes to the destruction of glue and paper, as well as the appearance of mold.
- You should not place books in two rows: this is not very convenient.
- Do not stack the volumes too tightly, as the binding may be damaged.
- The optimal amount of free space above the books is 30 mm. Therefore, lying copies above book volumes, especially in a closed cabinet, is not the best option.
Direct
The side walls and “ceiling” create a whole world in a simple rectangle. It's like a small stage box in the interior. A miniature theater in which books and small works of art play roles. Even a lonely vase, shell, or pair of teas in a rectangular frame take on a special meaning. Inside a rectangular shelf there can be memories and hobbies. Everything that tells the guest about the owner of the house.
A straight open shelf made from precious materials becomes a work of art. She may have antique consoles, carved or bronze. Or it's a marble mantel rescued from ruins, or a custom carpenter's creation made from precious wood. To display something on such an interior decoration without spoiling the impression, you need to have good taste.
But most straight shelves do a modest job of keeping things close at hand. In kitchen interiors, they should be convenient for frequent cleaning. In bathroom interiors - to save space and not be afraid of moisture. In the rooms of children and teenagers - to be reliable and spacious.
