Shelves in the living room: varieties, tips for choosing and design

The drawing room is a place where friends and relatives gather and have a good time. Not everyone can boast the huge dimensions of this room, so roomy wardrobes in the living room are not always appropriate. An excellent solution for creating coziness and comfort in this room will be wall shelves. Detailed information about these elements of furniture is discussed in the article.

Shelves in the living room can become not only excellent assistants in the storage and arrangement of things, but also beautiful decorative elements. Even if the room already has a lot of furniture, then there is a place in the interior where the shelf is useful.

The peculiarity of this design is that It is attached to the wall. You should not expect from the shelf that it will withstand a figurine weighing a ton or something else heavy. Therefore, the fastening of the shelf to the wall should be done at a professional level.

Sometimes these furniture elements are used exclusively as a decor.

The assortment of modern furniture is amazing. Even the shelves in the living room can be selected for hours, since there are a huge number of varieties. Wall and floor constructions are very popular.

All shelves can be divided into these two types. The first, respectively, are attached to the wall, and the second are located on the floor, for example, as part of a rack. For wall structures, an unoccupied wall is required, which allows you to firmly fix the shelf. Part of the wall is suitable for other furniture (sofa, armchairs, tables).Corner wall shelves are also popular - they decorate an empty corner, making its area useful. The floor structure is usually located near the wall and also requires free space on the floor.

Shelves can be open or closed. Open shelves are usually used for decorative purposes, that is, they install accessories that give cosiness to the room: figurines, photographs in frames, awards and much more.

All shelves in the living room can also be divided by purpose.

• Book. Such products are necessary not only for fans to read, but also for those who adhere to the classical style in the interior and want to create a cozy atmosphere in the room. Books need a sturdy construction.

• For beauty. Usually they are open, and they store cute cozy or memorable interior decorations. Collage of photos, soft toys in a child's room, flowerpots and figurines from travels.

• For storing things. Practical closed shelves will help to get extra space for storing linen, clothes, dishes. In small apartments where it is impossible to install large closets, such shelves will be a real salvation.

• On the windows for flowers. A great solution for lovers of indoor plants. Hinged glass or metal shelves are mounted in the window opening and allow you to place more colors than on just a windowsill.

Modern materials used to create furniture are very diverse. Shelves are most often made from several types of raw materials.

• Wood. The traditional wooden beam as the basis for any furniture continues to be used everywhere. It is convenient, beautiful, environmentally friendly. However, the cost of such an element of the interior will be much more expensive.

• MDF or fiberboard. A modern material that can have a different texture and color. Reasonable price allows you to purchase such designs without hesitation. Easy to install and maintain.

• Drywall. Usually performed in structural niches of walls or as independent elements of the interior. Installation of the structure is quite complicated and is usually carried out at the stage of overhaul.

• Glass. Glass shelves look light, airy and do not hide the space. They are not too durable, they easily beat, but with careful handling they will last for many years. Look great in a hi-tech style interior.

• Metal. Versatile material, strong and durable, but not too comfortable to look at. Metal structures are more appropriate in offices, and are only occasionally used in residential premises.

Modern designers often use shelves in living room designs. They can successfully beat any space and emphasize the style of the interior. Floor structures can even be used as a separator for areas in the living room, for example, a recreation area from the dining room.

Shelves that perform a decorative function, correlate with various styles of interior.

• High tech. They should be concise, made of metal, glass or just plain, without texture. Their shape is clear, geometric (zigzag, rectangle, square).

• Provence. Wood or wood-based MDF is an ideal material for this style. Bleached oak or another light natural shade, as well as floral wooden patterns emphasize the design idea.

• Loft. Sloppy shelves, as if cut down from timber, or metal open cabinets, combined with brick walls - this is a loft style. It is currently very popular for decorating living rooms.

• Baroque. Plasterboard or wooden structures in the living room with patterns or stucco molding will plunge into the atmosphere of luxury and celebration. Inappropriate will look in the interior of a different style.

• Country. Wooden shelves with jars of jam, checkered curtains on the windows - this is how you can play country style in the interior of the living room.A very cozy design is only emphasized by decorative wall elements for storing accessories.

The choice of such furniture in the living room is not too complicated, if you follow the rules.

• To shelves in the living room did not look elaborate and out of place, it is better to immediately select them in combination with the main furniture. Wooden elements should be combined with the armrests of chairs and sofas, and the color of cabinets and chests of drawers should also be in tone.
• Be sure to consider the weight of things that will be located on the shelves. Under the TV, you should choose a solid supporting structure with additional amplifications. For small figurines or frames with photographs, you can choose glass or other light shelves.
• If you yourself will install this element of the interior, choose shelves with simple mounts.

To place the shelves you need empty space. If the design is wall-mounted, then the wall above the sofa or TV will be an ideal arrangement. It is also convenient to place shelves in the corner if this section is free of other furniture.

It is necessary to take into account the height of placement if they will constantly walk past the shelves. It’s better to put them a little higher than human height to avoid unnecessary injuries. And it is also worth considering this factor if the shelves are located above sofas and armchairs. When standing up, a person should not touch his head about this construction.

If the shelves will serve as an element of decor and keep accessories on them, place them in a conspicuous place. Closed shelves for clothes and utensils can occupy any free space.

Shelves in the living room can be attractive on their own. Both laconic monophonic and decorated with stucco or forging, these interior elements in well-groomed appearance will perfectly beat the space.

Making your own storage space for things and accessories is not so expensive, your budget will not suffer much, and in the process of developing a decor you can relax your soul and do creative work. Amaze your guests, show your imagination with this small selection.

• Decorate country style shelves with curtains. It is easy to turn a rectangular open shelf into a kind of a window by attaching cute curtains to it.
• Paint the design with your favorite print or decorate with stickers. When you create a shelf in the living room, you can create a real work of art. Think over the design of future patterns so that it is combined with the general interior of the living room, and go for it.
• Attach hooks along the bottom edge of the shelf. Then it will also become a hanger for small items, such as keys, trinkets, cute trinkets.
• Think over a combination of objects on an open shelf.

Before a real choice of shelves in the living room, you can get acquainted with interesting ideas from designers.

• An interesting shelf in a modern style. Metal racks add a special charm to the design and serve as an additional support.

• Hi-tech style. The design looks weightless due to multiple bends and their chaotic arrangement. Two contrasting colors - blue and white - are combined with the basic shades of the interior.

• Large corner shelf of unusual shape. Thanks to the small width it does not clutter up the room, and the dark color against the background of light wallpaper emphasizes the unusual design.

• Shelving instead of a metal wall. It contains a lot of space for storing things, including a TV. Suitable for a laconic high-tech living room.

• Amazing simple composition. It looks very neat and modern, easy to maintain and install.

• Unusual but cozy shelf for books. You can post your favorite, often readable literature.

• Floor shelf rack. Delicate color in combination with an elegant metal support fits well into the cozy interior of the living room.

• Wall-mounted drywall construction for home library. Successful decoration of the interior, coupled with the convenience of storage.

You can find out how to make original shelves without nails and self-tapping screws by watching the video below.