7 tips for choosing wall shelves: design, types

The design of wall shelves is by far the most unimaginable, ranging from classic horizontal shelves to wavy shapes or maze shelves. The types of wall shelves are also very diverse: bookshelves, shelves for the bathroom or for the kitchen, shelves exclusively for decor or functional shelves for the children's room ... To make the right choice, which will combine external beauty and aesthetics with strength and durability, you need to be well-versed in main criteria. Let's consider everything in order and from the very beginning.

 

No. 1. What are wall shelves?

As Wikipedia says, shelf - This is a furniture product without a front wall, with the presence or absence of a rear wall, for storing books, or other items. Shelves can be made of materials such as wood, chipboard, MDF, glass, metal, drywall or be combined. Can be with LED backlight. There are also various types of mounts: hidden, open, removable mount or modular.

No. 2. Types of material

First, the purpose of the shelf will depend on the choice of material, and secondly, the style of its execution. The room in which the shelves will hang also depends on the choice of material.

• Wood, particleboard, MDF.A win-win for almost everyone interior stylesThere are always and will be wooden shelves. This is an ageless classic. Such shelves guarantee safety and environmental friendliness, with proper processing, this material is easy to care for, the tree has a pleasant appearance and texture, and most importantly - such a product will last a very long time!
• Plastic.Only disadvantage plastic, this is its unnatural composition. The rest is almost universal material. is he easy, lastingIn addition, it can easily simulate various types of coatings, such as wood or stone, and even be textured. Nicely will please and price plastic products.
• Metal.This stuff is very lasting, products from such material are very durable and reliable. The cost of a metal product will also be within reasonable limits, unless, of course, you stop your choice on shelves with forged iron elements. Such products look very expensive and interesting, but you need to choose them only if the style of your interior is fully consistent with them. Forged shelves, combined with the overall classic interior, will look out of place. The only “but” is corrosion, which over time will begin to appear on the metal, so do not forget that shelves made of iron must be painted.
• Glass.Glass products deservedly appealed to both designers and ordinary people. When choosing a product from this material, pay particular attention to the edges shelves. They are required should bevel and to be smooth to the touch, this will help you avoid numerous cuts both during installation and during subsequent cleaning. You should also pay attention to the thickness, shelves with a thickness of 5 mm and more will be strong, choose products from tempered glass, this will give them additional strength. With the help of glass shelves you can visually unload space and create light, weightless compositions.
• Drywall.Not a single repair, even the most modest, can do without this material. He is considered universal, a cost its very available. With it, you can do anything: align the wall, make a beautiful and unusual arch, make a niche for imitation fireplace or quit. So why not make wall shelves out of it? Moreover, you can do it yourself. It will be enough to watch a few training videos on the Internet. Drywall can be made as separate horizontal shelves, as well as whole modules or various compositions, because it is very easy cut out the most diverse figures. Everything will depend only on your imagination. After you decide on the shape and size, the finished product can be decorated artificial stone, or just paint, or wallpaper the color of the wall, it will look very impressive. The main thing is not to forget a couple simple of the rules. Do not load such shelves too much. The longer and wider your shelves are, the thicker the sheet of drywall should be. If it will be bathroom shelves or kitchens, where there is always high humidity, choose a moisture-proof drywall.
• Combined wall shelves.From the name it’s clear that these are products in which two or more different materials are used. By combining, you can influence the price of the finished product and achieve very interesting and creative solutions. The most common combinations are metal + glass or wood + metal, but this is all purely individual and depends only on your taste.

No. 3. Types of fastening

Strength and reliability your shelves completely will depend on the choice of mounting them to the wall. Be guided by the degree of load on future shelves. With various mounting options, various visual effects can also be achieved. It is up to you to focus on the mount and specifically emphasize it or not. Consider the main types of wall mounts:

• Rigid fixation.In this case, the shelves are attached to Wall with the help of special fittings, this type of mount is the most durable. Shelves can be attached as soon as to the wall, and at the same time to the ceiling and floor. it gives opportunity from the heart load up the product and not be afraid that the shelves are sagging or will not withstand the load and fall off. This is the best solution for bookshelves, especially if they look more like a bookcase, or for shelves in the kitchen, because kitchen utensils are also not the easiest thing.
• Removable fixation.In this case, the mounting is carried out using special staples and hooks. The hooks are attached to the wall, and the brackets directly to the shelves. Then you can either simply put the shelves on the hooks, or use the option more interesting. If you place the brackets not only on the back side of the shelf, which adjoins the wall, but also on the front, and add a couple more hooks to the wall, you can make a hanging shelf, as it were, but at the same time, it will still be strong and stable. You can hang such a shelf on leather belts, on a decorative chain or rope, you can also adjust the length of these elements by choosing the height of the additional hooks. With this type of mounting you will not have any difficulties if you ever want to change the location of your shelf.
• Modular mount.This is very comfortable and a modern look of fastening, which gives you the opportunity to independently select the number of elements and, if necessary, remove and return to the place some of them. The principle of attachment is very simple - the upper elements of the composition are strung on the lower. You can create your own unique composition.
• Concealed Mount.With this type of fastening, the shelves are attached to the wall using special hidden fittings, which makes themabsolutely invisible. Such shelves look as if glued to a wall. When choosing this type of mount in the future, you may experience difficulties with dismantlingif you suddenly want to outweigh them. And the installation of such shelves is not an easy task and you are unlikely to be able to cope without the help of a specialist if you yourself are not a specialist in the manufacture of furniture. But the visual effect, of course, should be given its due.

Number 4. Scope of wall shelves

The scope of this type of product is quite extensive and diverse. Wall shelves can be used in absolutely any room, from the living room to the balcony. Depending on their application, the following main types are distinguished:

• Bookshelves.They are used, of course, to place your favorite literary works or for school books. They should be particularly durableroomy to have secure mount. Typically, such shelves are somewhat voluminous and bulky, so it is better to place them either above the desk, or, if you have a whole home library, generally set aside a whole wall for bookshelves. Of course, this depends on the availability of free space. Do not take up all the free space with book racks, so you will significantly reduce the space.
• Shelves for decor.Such shelves are usually light and weightless, the most various forms and sizes, are made of the most different materials. The choice of fastening should be chosen depending on the items that will stand on such shelves. It can be photographs, figurines brought from another trip, or indoor flowers. The main purpose of such shelves is to introduce additional comfort and beauty to your room.
• Kitchen shelves.These shelves are used to place a variety of kitchen utensils, ranging from jars of spices or wine bottles and ending with beautiful dishes or tea sets. Such shelves should be strong and made of such material, which will be easy to clean. Indeed, they can get steam, or even splashes of water or fat during cooking, depending on where they will be located.
• Shelves for the bathroom.They may include towels, scented candles or oils, personal care products or medicines. Prerequisite - such shelves must be made of moisture resistant materials. After all, getting them spray or steam from hot water is almost inevitable. You should give your preference to materials such as plastic, glass or moisture-proof drywall, decorated tile.
• Shelves for a children's room.Surely you are familiar with a situation where there are already so many toys that there’s nowhere to go, and new ones are bought anyway, because how can you not please your beloved baby for the next holiday with a new collection of heroes from his favorite cartoon? Wall shelves will be a real salvation for you in this case. Moreover, when the baby grows up and goes to school, toys will smoothly replace textbooks. Shelf Recommendations for kids room Little. They should be capaciousto have hard mount, because sometimes children also like to climb such shelves, so you can additionally attach them not only to the wall, but also to the floor. Not give your preference to the shelves of glass! After all, they are easy to break and injure.

Shelves for pets.Almost every house has a pet in which the owner of the soul does not like. Now it has become very fashionable to create whole compositions from shelves of various shapes, imitating whole game sites for pets, at the end of such compositions there is often a house for them or a special soft spot and scratching post. It all depends on the degree of your love and the availability of free space.

No. 5. Variety of shapes

The choice of form depends entirely on the purpose of the wall shelves and their placement. Consider the most practical and common options:

• Cantilever shelves.Basically, but not necessarily, these shelves are designed to store dishes or various equipment. There are 1, 2 or 3 levels with the possibility of self regulation distance between levels.
• With the presence of the back wall.These are multi-level shelves that are divided into sections and have a back wall. Such shelves, in their appearance, are larger remind shelvingthat fit perfectly into dressing room or a personal library, or suitable for built-in appliances, such as a TV and speakers.
• HorizontalOne of the most common types of wall shelves. Depending on the material chosen, you can get either a classic wooden shelf or a more interesting glass shelf or with forged mounts. Such shelves can be either single or make up the composition of several shelves located diagonally with a certain step. They can be used to arrange any objects.
• Vertical.More capacious and more compact, compared to the previous ones. By placing such shelves around the sofa, and applying different heights between sections, you can arrange beautiful vases, books, and photographs and refuse walls in the living room.
• CornerCan be mounted both on interiorso on outer corner of the wall. It looks especially interesting and original when the corner outer shelf is a fragment of a wall. This is probably the most compact kind of shelves. Such shelves will be indispensable in small rooms or in the bathroom.
• Outboard.No less beautiful and varied, both in form and in combination of materials. May have both practical, and exclusively artistic application. It all depends on your preference.

Original shelves.Do not think that only designers with a famous name can create original shelves. You just need to show a little imagination, and your apartment can be decorated with a wall shelf and the most unimaginable improvised materials, with or without lighting, or even with a built-in aquarium, do-it-yourself! There are no limits for your imagination. On the Internet, there are photos on which shelves even make their old TVs or pianos, and after all, someone came up with it all! One thing is for sure - such a shelf never go unnoticed your guests and never get tired.

No. 6. Wall Shelf Tips

• Before you buy, you must know exactly future location. After all, if you come home, it suddenly dawns on you that you probably should have hung a shelf over a sofa, and not on the opposite wall, and you have already purchased a product the size of almost the entire wall, then at least you have to exchange it, and then think again before your next purchase.
• It is also necessary to clearly determine the size and with quantity shelves.
• Distanceon which the shelves will be attached to the wall should depend on the objects that will be placed on them. Think in advance what your wall shelves will serve you for, measure the highest item and add a few centimeters for stock. So it will be more convenient for you to put objects on the shelves and they will not rest against the upper shelf.
• And the most important thing - style wall shelf must fully match the style of the roomin which it will be located. Better not experiment, otherwise you risk losing money.

Number 7. pros and cons

No doubt advantages wall shelves have not small!

• They may well replace cabinets, while they will look much more compact and interesting.
• Shelves, even several, an order of magnitude cheaper cabinets.
• Ability to use in any room.

Not only practical application, but also the opportunity effectively complement the interior.There is only one drawback for wall shelves - it is dust that accumulates faster on them, and on objects located on shelves, due to its open design.