If your home feels overrun by clutter, but your closets are already stuffed, adding a shelving unit can help get things in order.
“In almost every project, our clients ask us to add a lot of storage,” said Frederick Tang, a New York-based architect. “But in a lot of cases, people don’t want a big, hulking closet, or a closed piece, so we use open shelves.”
To find the best kind of open shelving for your home, consider where you’ll put it and how it will be used over time. In a studio apartment, a free-standing unit could be used to divide a sleeping area from the living space, Mr. Tang suggested, but in a child’s room, a wall-mounted unit with adjustable shelves might be preferable, as it can be reconfigured over time.
Also think about whether you want the unit to visually recede or to serve as a statement piece.
“Open shelves can be a place to add a little color or texture,” Mr. Tang said. “Whether it’s with white oak, walnut or glossy orange paint.”
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Does it need to be anchored to the wall? In most cases, it should be, Mr. Tang said, “especially when you have little kids who want to climb.” And if you’re using a free-standing unit as a room divider, he recommended choosing one with a depth of at least 15 inches, for stability.
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Do you need flexibility for the future? If so, consider a modular unit with adjustable shelves and optional add-ons like cabinets and drawers.
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Can it hold more than books? Yes, shelving units are ideal for storing toys and files in bins or boxes, Mr. Tang said, as well as displaying collectibles.
Happy Day Shelving 4 Shelf
Engineered-wood and powder-coated-steel shelving unit
$1,299 at Blu Dot: 844-425-8368 or bludot.com
String Wall Shelving
Modular shelving unit by Nils and Kajsa Strinning with shelves in lacquer or wood veneer
From $255 at Design Within Reach: 800-944-2233 or dwr.com
Soft Shelf
Wood shelving unit by Regular Company for Artisan
From $3,990 at Stillfried Wien: 212-226-2921 or stillfried.com
Stick System
Modular powder-coated steel-and-ash shelving unit by Jan & Henry
From about $450 at Menu: 760-230-6010 or menudesignshop.com
Zig Zag Shelf Low
Oak shelving unit by Studio deForm
$699 at Hem: 310-980-3029 or hem.com
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