Living Room Shelving Unit
Caroline is a young, New York-based interior designer and home decor writer, obsessed with textiles and designer furniture. Backed with rigorous training from a prestigious design school, as well as a profound understanding of material quality and fabric care, she offers spot-on advice on how to furnish your place with reliable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing pieces.
In modern and classic styles, from the future look to the more artistic trends, we give you a collection of living room shelving units for showcasing whatever you want to display in your living space. These shelving units will cater to your decor scheme and individual style very nicely, and even give you a new conversation starter. See collection for more.
Our Picks
Shelving units that are suitable for effective organization of small living rooms. These wooden shelves finished in neutral color look nice in any interior design. They are suitable for books, decorations and other items.
Chunky 2-inch by 12-inch boards used to create floating shelves adds a crisp, clean look of organization to any minimalist-living space. Floating shelves use limited materials and do not take up precious floor space, allowing you to add a credenza or table.
Why restrict yourself and rely on ready-to-use forms, if you can stack one cube on another to obtain a fully customized living room wall shelving unit. Here: in white. It also works as an open concept room divider.
Living rooms inherit a lot of clutter, especially in a busy family. This white, floor to ceiling cabinet and open shelving combination is perfect for storing everything from electronics and sound recordings to your best and most beautiful books.
Have you ever argued that you do not have enough place to store all your books and the standard shelves are too deep? This solution gives you all you living room wall for disposal. It is your decision how you would like to decorate it.
Practical and minimalist living room shelving unit designed to offer an array of compartments for all your collectibles. The piece offers a strong metal frame, finished in industrial black, an array of wooden shelves, and incredible crown molding at the top as well.
It still does not go out of fashion - an idea to build the entire wall with a wooden shelving unit, consisting of cabinets, shelves and stylized aprts,that give the basis for the TV and media. White - receives overwhelming character and adds lightness.
A charming, DIY shelving unit in a minimalist design. It features several dark, wooden planks and metal posts mounted to a wall. It will accommodate a lot of books or decorations and with an old-fashioned chest it gives the room a nice, rustic flair.
Using widely available materials can yield amazing results – just look at this beautiful, full wall bookcase. Made from IKEA bookcases, this piece of white elegance combines ergonomy with aesthetics.
Add geometry to create visual interest on an otherwise blank wall when organizing your books and collectibles: arched art deco bookcase with asymmetric shelves hits the point of funky contemporary furnishing.
Buying Guide
What materials are best for a large shelving unit?
The best materials for large shelving units are wood or metal. Which you choose depends on what you will be placing on the shelves, how often you will be moving the shelving unit, and your interior decor.
Large living room shelving units allow for storing or showcasing more items. They can also hold more weight than smaller units. For this reason, you want a solidly built shelving unit made of solid wood, steel, or a combination of the two.
Wood shelves are stylish and durable. Certain types of wood are more rigid, limiting the sag that can occur when additional weight is added. Look for shelving units made of hickory, oak, maple, cedar, and other strong hardwoods.
You can also go with a straight metal shelving unit if it blends in better with your room’s decor. Choose powder-coated steel or galvanized aluminum; these materials are not only strong but also corrosion-resistant to prevent rust.
If you think you’ll be moving your shelving unit frequently, consider a lighter material such as plywood and composite woods, such as MDF, or opt for a model with lockable casters on the base. If you plan to use your shelving unit for lightweight items, you can also go with plastic or glass.
How big should my living room shelving unit be?
A living room shelving unit should be relatively small to allow as much space for movement as possible, so each one is typically no larger than 12” x 48” x 72”. This is big enough to allow room for books, DVDs, toys, decorations, and other essentials in your living room.
You can also use multiple smaller shelving units to create the same amount of total storage capacity. Using various tiny shelves may be more aesthetically pleasing if you have a small living room, as a single long shelf can overwhelm the space. Try low and wide shelves around the edges of the room, especially if you have low ceilings.
What items can a living room shelving unit hold?
Living room shelving units can hold various decorative and functional items, from photos to vases to digital media players; however, you need to check the unit’s weight capacity to ensure you don’t overload the shelf.
A freestanding or full-length anchored living room shelving unit can hold a larger quantity and more diverse range of items, making them ideal for placing either side of your TV to create an entertainment center.
Stack books, DVDs, and gaming discs on the lower shelves, digital players toward the center, and lighter items, such as small house plants or keepsakes toward the top. This ensures that the items’ combined weight is distributed evenly along the unit and reduces the risk of toppling.
