A shelving unit is a very convenient and practical interior detail. It consists of several shelves, which are fastened together by vertical posts. Most often, shelving can be found in built-in wardrobes, dressing rooms, libraries, kitchens. But they are no less appropriate in open form in any room – bedroom, living room, nursery, study.
There are several types of racks:
frame – these are the simplest, lightest racks, consisting only of shelves and racks;
in the form of a rack wall – several tiers of shelves with racks, partially divided into sections, a back wall has also been added, some sections of the shelves can be closed with doors. Often, in the center of the rack, there is a place for a TV;
Shelving advantages:
1 lightness, design, ease of assembly and operation;
2 the rack takes up little space and does not clutter up the space;
3 in an open rack all things are in sight, and you can easily find what you need;
4 using the rack, you can divide the room into zones;
five low cost compared to cabinets and modular walls;
6 decorative shelving can be a real highlight of the interior
Before talking about the types of shelving and how they are used, we would like to say a few words about the size and ergonomics of the shelves. Of course, everyone will choose a shelving unit to suit their needs, but there are some typical sizes of shelves that will best fit into the interior of an apartment..
HEIGHT. The most popular rack height is 1.80 m, all other dimensions depend on the specific application
WIDTH. The width of typical shelving is 90 cm, but this is more likely to be true for shelves for books or things, if you have a shelving wall, it will of course be much wider – maybe 2, maybe 3 meters.
DEPTH. The shelf depth optimal for the rack is 45 cm, so it is at this depth that you still see things at the back wall. For bookcases, choose a depth of 25-30 cm.
DISTANCE BETWEEN SHELVES. As a rule, in purchased shelves there is a standard number of shelves and you yourself calculate the distance between the shelves, depending on what items you will store on the shelves. But the most convenient shelf height is 35-40 cm, this applies to both book and storage racks, at this distance it will be convenient to take books and things will not lie in too large piles.
MATERIALS. The most convenient for the home will be wooden or MDF sheet racks, but iron and even plastic racks are also often found. You can use any storage systems in wardrobe storage systems, since super strength is not required there, but for pantries and closets – buy better metal ones, and you can not be afraid to load them.
Next, we will look at how to use shelving in the interior. Since this is a familiar piece of furniture for a long time, we would not like to talk about banal book shelves, we will try to select the most original examples, as well as advice on their placement in living space.
Zoning with a rack
In this capacity, the rack is simply irreplaceable, since, on the one hand, it divides the room into several zones, but at the same time does not clutter up the space and does not make it heavier, especially if it is a structure without a back wall. And this is all despite the fact that the rack retains the functions of a cabinet, namely, storage of things.
This is the highest function of design – when utility is combined with decorative.
Shelving as a partition will be appropriate in any room. For example, you can divide a living room and a dining room, a bedroom and a living room, an office and a bedroom, in the children’s room there is a sleeping and working place. You can also adjust the level «transparency» shelving.
That is, the more shelves in the rack, the smaller the distance between them, which means that the rack will seem less light and weightless. What can we say about shelving with a blank back wall – this one will also replace a real wall, only much easier and faster.
Decorative shelving
From this perspective, the shelving is not a practical, but a decorative function. Furniture designers constantly create a large number of distinctive, original models of shelving, which are art objects and are designed to decorate the space.
They may be inconvenient, have small shelves, or there may be a very small number of them, but the main thing is that such a rack will be the basis of the interior decor and will be able to attract everyone’s attention..
If the area of your home allows, you can safely buy such a rack, as it will be an investment in the style of the room for many years.
From time to time you will be able to rearrange the rack and change items on it, and each time it will look different.
We especially like the idea of a shelving in the door – it is original and practical at the same time, since the door ceases to be just a door, and for one there is space for books and all sorts of things..
Shelving built into furniture or walls
This method of placing shelving is very relevant in small apartments – it allows you to save precious meters. As a rule, such racks are placed in niches of walls or furniture, they frame a window or a recreation area with a rack, they cover the entire wall or embed them in wall openings with a non-standard layout, they are installed under stairs and in attic rooms..
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Since here you have to squeeze into the framework of a specific niche or wall, then the layout of the rack must be done in accordance with the dimensions of the given place.
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You do not have to limit your imagination – make the shelving asymmetrical, that is, all the shelves can be placed at different heights and made in different sizes – this will look especially beautiful in an irregularly shaped niche.
Or maybe you will like the idea of multi-layered shelving – when it consists of several sections, and they all have different depths of shelves, thus creating the illusion of volume. You can also put the front sections on wheels and, according to the principle of doors in a wardrobe, change their position.
Classic floor racks
The name speaks for itself – this is the traditional use of shelving, to which we are all accustomed for a long time. Several rows of shelves with uprights are placed on the floor in a convenient place. The top shelf is used as a table top, or as another open shelf.
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In this role, the rack is most often found in children’s and adult bedrooms, and in living rooms – for storing books and CDs..
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In children’s rooms – it is always convenient to store many books and toys in it, as you can quickly put things in order here. There is another advantage – the design of this type of shelving is very versatile, so it will suit the bedroom of both babies and teenagers..
In the living room – a large number of books will fit in the rack, and on the top shelf you can put a TV, photographs, statuettes, diplomas and awards.
Shelving in the bedroom Is an easy way to store things that usually lie in a chest of drawers, only in a less bulky and quick-access form.
Good luck!