Uncommon (but Fantastic) Shelves

The person who can eke out storage space in his/her home is a happy person…because where there is storage, there is order. Shelves are a perfect way to do this, and there are many places (some of them unexpected) in homes where shelves work miracles. This is especially true when shelves can be created to perform double-duty as an aesthetic style element that doubles as functional storage space.

Green shelves

These bright red bedroom bookshelves take an otherwise “wasted” wall and turn it into an eye-catching display of various books and knick-knacks. Where built-in bookshelves tend to appear more solemn and dark, these bright free-floating shelves provide a lighter, airier feel to the room overall. I love how the bold color makes each shelf stand out and, combined, creates an artistic element.

Green shelves

Hutches and buffets are common in dining rooms, but wall-mounted shelves like these are not seen every day. I love this idea! Built in and decorated with lovely china and creamy ceramic-ware, these shelves create a beautiful display while also likely freeing up some cupboard space elsewhere. Too pretty to be called “storage,” the shelves here provide an unarguable element of style in this dining room.

Green shelves

These custom modern shelves are a piece of art! They are stunning pieces, with their varied depths, lengths, and heights, put together to create an intricate and balanced wall space. This is so impressive because the shelves hold an assortment of office-y type items, and they inject substance and style to the entire wall and room overall.

Green shelves

In this small kitchen, enclosed cupboard space appears to be at a minimum. The shelves here are an excellent use of open aesthetic design, mixed with function. Because they are ceiling-mounted with rods and constructed out of sleek and slim materials, the shelves are modern and visually lightweight. People on either side can easily see through and/or around them, creating a much more pleasant food preparation/dining experience. And what a perfect place to house dinnerware.

Green shelves

This character-filled whole-wall shelving unit is completely charming. One would never have a hard time finding anything kitchen-related here. Ever. Because it’s all out in the open, ready to be seen! The homeowners embraced an “it is what it is” environment by unabashedly painting the entire unit a delightfully rich green, which adds charm and personality. I also love how these country shelves are built around a contrastingly modern stainless steel fridge and bare-bulb light fixture.

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.