There's little in the world of storage that is as useful as shelving. Perfect for books, ornaments, filing, music, nik naks, the addition of a few baskets or boxes practically turns shelves into cupboards. Shelves are not too easy to put up though, even for seasoned handy men, what with getting angles and alignments straight etc., so we liked these ideas from housetohome.co.uk for making the most of shelving that comes in the form of book cases or shelf units.
Place three open
shelf units flush to the wall to create the look of built-in
storage that doesn't dominate the room - and requires no DIY.
How
to choose the right unit
* Allow 3cm to
5cm space above books
so you can easily pull them out.
* For
accessibility, go for units no higher than 21cm, with the top shelf at 180cm.
* Shelves should
be 30cm wide to fit larger books and 20cm for paperbacks, CDs and DVDs. Leave
25cm to 30cm between each shelf.
* Hardback books
are heavy, so need sturdy shelves. Slim shelves are only suitable for lighter
paperbacks and ornaments.
Stylist's tip
Keep the wall
colour light to contrast with dark shelving and provide a backdrop for
ornaments.
Eco Chic's shelving is intended to be used as feature shelving, thus not ideal for this kind of treatment. We do, however, have some lovely baskets and boxes that can add storage and individuality to any shelf or unit.
