Jennifer Sheahan: Shelving, from storage to visual appeal
Jennifer Sheahan and Perry next to the bookshelves in the living area in Jennifer's Rathmines home. Pictures: Moya Nolan
Shelving is daunting. There are endless options and the ever-present risk that someone with a limited DIY skillset (some one like me!) will install them wrong.
There really are few things more visually unappealing in a home than sagging shelves — one side with a screw flailing around in mid-air and the other clinging onto the wall for dear life.
When done right, shelving adds visual appeal as well as storage. Even shallow shelves add a visual depth that can create a feeling of more space in a small room. I can’t help much with installation advice (something about studs and plugs?) but I can give you my best advice for choosing the right shelves for your space.
As with every design decision, the first step is to decide what you need the shelves for. This may be a storage decision — perhaps you need bookshelves or somewhere to put your glassware. It may also be a visual decision — maybe you have a blank wall that needs some visual depth and interest.
Either way, what’s going on the shelves will determine which shelves to install as it’s important to marry the depth and thickness of the shelf with its contents.
It’s also crucial to ensure the style of the shelf fits in with the aesthetic of the room. The first step to ensuring this is to measure the available space and size your shelving accordingly. You can choose shelving that goes the full width of the wall for a clean, modern look — this works especially well in smaller rooms or alcoves.
You can also choose to match the width to objects above or below the shelving — for instance, above a couch, or underneath a mirror. Finally, don’t forget the height — it’s OK to hang shelves high up, just make sure you plan to leave an additional 10cms above the tallest object that will be on the shelf.
If you are using your shelves for storage — for example pots and pans in a kitchen, bookshelves, or an electronics shelf — you’ll need a sturdier, deeper shelf. Make sure when installing that the shelf you’re using can hold the weight of the items it will be holding.
Bookshelves in particular need to be sturdy — books are heavier than you might think!
Again it’s very important to measure the shelves to the space available, and also to accommodate what you’re planning to put on them. Having the right-sized shelving gives a customised look which is deeply satisfying, even if the shelves are not custom-made.
You don’t want to have cluttered shelves with objects hanging over the edge, nor do you want half-empty shelves.
In a small space, it’s better to have open shelving where possible, to avoid overwhelming the space. If you have items you don’t want on display, you can use storage baskets on the shelves to hide them away.
Alternatively, opt for closed shelving or cupboards lower down to store bulkier items, and keep the upper shelves (above waist height) open.
If you are using your shelves purely for artwork or other small decorative items, shallow display shelves are the way to go. These are slim, lightweight shelves that sometimes have a small lip to hold picture frames.
Display shelves are excellent because they are shallow — I have one above my banquette dining seating, and the shallowness means that nobody bangs their head when standing up.
Freestanding shelving units are super for sturdiness, plus you don’t have to bother with drilling holes or finding studs.
The drawback, especially for small space owners, is that they require floor space. If you, like me, are short on floor space then consider whether you can really afford to give some up to a shelving unit.
One brilliant utility of shelving units is to use them as room dividers — if you’re in a small home that doesn’t have an entryway you can create one with a slim freestanding shelving unit to give yourself some privacy and additional storage. It’s also a great way to create zones in an open-plan living space.
One of the first dilemmas when choosing shelves is whether to have brackets, or whether to choose floating shelves.
Floating shelves have clean lines and a minimalist look, whereas brackets can add a more traditional or industrial element. Brackets offer more support, although floating shelves installed correctly can carry quite a bit of weight too and can be easier to layer if you need multiple shelves.
Decide which fits in best with the overall style of your home, what works for the space available, and what’s best for the items that the shelves will support.
The same guidance goes for materials. Most often the material is likely to be some kind of wood, which you can leave as-is, or MDF, which you can easily paint — the same colour as the wall is never a bad idea, so that they blend in, or you could use them to add an additional pop of colour or metallic shine to your decor. Particularly for display shelves, because they’re small, a pop of colour won’t overwhelm — just ensure it goes well with whatever is on them!
I love to add a strip of LED lighting to the back of the shelf for a cosy yet dramatic effect. It’s a great way to add wall lighting when you’re low on wall space!
For freestanding shelves or bookshelves, adding a mirrored backing gives the room even more depth and a feeling of spaciousness. Maximalists can take it one step further by swapping the mirror for dramatic wallpaper.
Metal shelves give a more modern industrial look, with the added benefit of being low maintenance. Glass shelves are also an option but I’m choosing to ignore them — they’re too hard to keep clean and I am far too lazy to deal with that.
- Got a question for Jennifer Sheahan? Email home@examiner.ie
