How to Plan for Functional and Stylish Shelving

I always have my eye out for ways designers have successfully integrated shelves into the design of a room. Whether it's an office, a living room, or a library space at home, a good shelving system is not only functional for storage and display, but it's form can be a major design element in the room.

Are you considering a wall of shelves or other built-in units to house your books and other media? There are some things to think about that we sometimes forget until it's too late.

How tall and wide are some of your tallest books? Do you want to display them vertically or will horizontal stacks for the largest ones suffice?

Will you be integrating a television set and other entertainment components?

Are there other items (papers, ugly binders, a scanner, printer, etc.) you'd like to conceal behind closed doors?

What other objects would you like to integrate into your shelves?

What materials are in the existing palette in your room? Would you like to pick up on some of the wood or metal you have? Perhaps you'd like to paint them the same color as the walls behind them to make let them blend in and not stand out.

Consider these questions when you are designing your shelves, and check out the examples below to help inspire your design.