Categories: DesignHerFixitUpLifeTheresa's blog

Update your design process? It’s OK to think of a shelf as wall art.

If you are ignoring the first three letters of ‘functional’ then it might be time to update your design process.

A leather strap and a board is a powerfully simple idea

A shelf isn’t just a flat surface to put an object on, storing that object until it is needed.

It’s true that’s why we have shelves. And the growing amount of objects is why we have more closets and shelves and bins and storage niches around our homes and in storage buildings miles away. We have a lot of stuff.

The bright side of all of that stuff is that we can get creative with how we display and store our stuff.

So why let a shelf be just a shelf?

When form follows function, it’s ok for the form to be fun. The form can be more than just the expected, and to be unexpected the form can still remain minimal or be as extraordinary as delights our inner child and as there is practical space for a celebration of an unexpected storage delight. So use old coffee cans or luggage or ladders or belts or chairs as shelves.

The fun from the functional is only limited by how you approach your design process for your home.

I might not store breakables on this shelf, but it is a fun idea

Pallet shelf painted and distressed adds texture and charm

Playing with the idea of a intersecting hexagons made for this interesting shelf

A secret passageway bookshelf is ridiculously cool

Simple shelves can be a major statement

Upcycled shutters are charming backer to this shelf

We made this shelf for a little baseball player’s boy cave

While I am curious how the shelves are attached, or not attached, to the wall I still like the look

We made this shelf for a bakery makeover for Food Network

I hosted a #HossColor chat about shelves, and shared a few inspirations on HossMagazine.com. Click over to check it out, and let us know what you think.

Theresa

Theresa is a handy designer and writer. She shares DIY projects, tool how-to, and home makeovers as a book author, home show speaker, DIY workshop coach, and radio host. Plus, she has a degree in journalism with a minor in architecture, and is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPs) and certified color consultant. She's created fast-paced makeovers for TV shows, and shares home trends and DIY tips as a freelance writer and guest on news shows and satellite media tours for TV and radio.

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