For part two of storage week, I wanted to touch on the most basic – the shelf.  While the design might vary, the setup is generally the same.  With this post I aim to highlight a few basic systems: free standing, wall or post supported, and hybrid.

Wall mounted adjustable systems, like those from Rakks,  Issdesign, and twentytwentyone are the way to go when you want freedom and flexibility without the footprint.  Another obvious benefit of a wall mounted shelf system is that it is not on the floor.  Brilliant, I know. These simple ideas go a long way in small spaces, or for parents who seem to have a constantly changing set of needs.  Especially when the shelf does double duty, like Design Within Reach’s Sticotti Collection, which combines two uses into one.   Not having shelves sitting on the floor gives a visual lightness that is key to confined spaces.  The added space allows room for other things..furniture, chair legs, toys, or just space to swiffer.  Another perk is the ability to raise shelves higher than a toddler’s reach…something  I clearly think a lot about.  Usually you can find these types of systems for a reasonable price in the hardware section or even from some designer sites.  Last  I checked, the Rakks set-up was less than $15 per component.  I even have a set of industrial steel standards and brackets, found free in a junk pile, ready to be combined with nice wood planks for shelves…as soon as I get around to it.

I love the shelf design from Domesticity.  I am not sure which room a rose, two bottles of something you spray, and…milk?…goes in, but I’m sold. I would guess that’s a bathroom or kitchen, but this shelf would work just as well in the entry way, keeping keys and eye glasses out of the reach of tiny grabby hands while still letting you hang your coat.

Issdesign‘s room dividers are great strategy for creating intimate spaces inside a larger area without total separation.

It Design‘s “Itbox” can either stack or be mounted to the wall, in multiple configurations and colors.  Eastvold has put together a beautiful set of modular pieces that appear to work as drawers, shelves, cubbies, and cabinets.  I love the variety of space this offers, the ability to conceal some of the components, and the use of reclaimed materials.

Design Public and Kerf give us a unique look at free standing and built-in, generally the most affordable (things are always on sale at IKEA).   I love the look of the painted interior space.  That is a great and inexpensive solution for the tired old shelf collecting dust and hiding in the corner, or maybe for something you happen to stumble upon at a second hand store.  Kerf’s built in units go the extra mile with a unique configuration and the ability to easily conceal mess in the lower section.  This is something I keep coming back too.  The lower shelf area mainly belongs to those that reach it the easiest.  In our house, what starts out as books, photos, cases, and other interesting things above, slowly transitions into plastic and battery powered noisy things below.  The option to shut the doors and conceal the inner chaos on the lower portion is a nice feature.