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

The living room is a place where friends and family gather and have a good time. Not everyone can boast of the huge dimensions of this room, so spacious 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 pieces of furniture is discussed in the article.

Living room shelves can become not only great helpers in storing and arranging things, but also beautiful decorative elements. Even if there is already a lot of furniture in the hall, there is a place in the interior where the shelf will come in handy.

The peculiarity of this design is that it is attached to the wall. Do not expect the shelf to support a tonne figurine or anything else heavy. Therefore, the fixing of the shelf to the wall must be done professionally.

Sometimes these pieces of furniture are used exclusively as decoration.

The range of modern furniture is amazing. Even shelves in the living room can be selected for hours, since there are a huge number of their varieties. Both wall and floor structures are very popular.

All shelves can be conditionally 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. Wall structures require an unoccupied wall that allows the shelf to be firmly anchored. A part of the wall above other furniture (sofa, armchairs, tables) is also suitable.Corner wall shelves are also popular - they decorate an empty corner, making its area useful. The floor structure is usually located against 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 are equipped with accessories that add coziness to the room: figurines, framed photographs, awards and much more.

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

• Book. Such products are necessary not only for lovers of reading, but also for those who adhere to the classic 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 keep cute cozy or memorable interior decorations. A collage of photographs, soft toys in a child's room, flowerpots and travel figures.

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

• On the windows for flowers. An excellent solution for indoor plant lovers. Hinged glass or metal shelves are mounted in the window opening and allow you to place more flowers than on the windowsill alone.

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

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

• MDF or fiberboard. 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. They are usually performed in structural wall niches or as independent interior elements. Installation of the structure is rather complicated and is usually carried out even at the stage of overhaul.

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

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

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 divider for areas in the living room, for example, the seating area from the dining room.

The shelves that serve as a decorative function correspond to different interior styles.

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

• Provence. Wood or MDF imitation wood is the ideal material for this style. Bleached oak or another light natural shade, as well as floral wood patterns will highlight the design idea.

• Loft. Sloppy shelves, as if carved from a bar, or metal open cabinets, combined with brick walls - this is the loft style. It is currently very popular for living room decoration.

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

• Country... Wooden shelves with jars of jam, checkered curtains on the windows - this is how you can beat the country style in the living room interior. 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 difficult, if you follow the rules.

• So that the shelves in the living room do not look pretentious and out of place, it is better to immediately select them in combination with the main furniture. Wooden elements should be combined with armrests of armchairs and sofas, and the color of cabinets and dressers should also match.
• Be sure to consider the weight of items that will be located on the shelves. A solid supporting structure with additional reinforcements should be chosen for the TV. For small figurines or photo frames, you can choose glass or other light shelves.
• If you yourself will install this element of the interior, choose shelves with simple fixings.

You will need empty space to place the shelves. If the structure is wall-mounted, then the ideal location would be a wall above the sofa or TV. It is also convenient to place shelves in the corner if this area is free of other furniture.

It is necessary to take into account the height of the placement if you are constantly walking past the shelves. It is better to place 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. Standing up, a person should not touch his head on this structure.

If the shelves will serve as a decorative element and hold accessories on themselves, place them in a conspicuous place. Closed shelves for clothes and dishes can take up any free space.

Living room shelves can be attractive on their own. Both laconic monochromatic, and decorated with stucco or forging, these interior elements in a well-groomed form will perfectly beat the space.

It is not so expensive to arrange your own storage space for things and accessories, your budget will not suffer much, and in the process of developing a decor, you can relax your soul and do your creativity. Surprise your guests and get creative with this small selection.

• Decorate the shelves in country style with curtains. A rectangular open shelf can be easily turned into a kind of window by attaching cute curtains to it.
• Paint the design with your favorite print or decorate with stickers. When decorating a shelf in a 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, for example, keys, key rings, cute trinkets.
• Think about the combination of items on an open shelf.

Before the real choice of shelves in the living room, you can familiarize yourself with interesting ideas of designers.

• Interesting shelf in a modern style. Metal struts add a special charm to the structure and serve as additional support.

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

• Large corner shelf with an unusual shape. Due to its 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. Contains tons of storage space, 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 book shelf. You can place your favorite, often read literature.

• Floor shelf rack. The delicate color combined with the elegant metal support fits well into the cozy interior of the living room.

• Plasterboard full wall construction for home library. A successful interior decoration coupled with easy storage.

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