Living Room Shelving Units
A great option if you’re always losing everyday items or are sick of constant clutter, a living room shelving unit will solve all of your issues. They are especially helpful for smaller spaces due to their multi-purpose use. Just because they count as storage, it doesn’t mean they can’t look good, and the ones we’ve chosen below are fashionable and functional in one.
5-Tier Bamboo Shelf
$97.99 $99
5-Tier Bamboo Shelf
WFX Utility™
$97.99 $99
Perfect For: Adding ample storage to various rooms in the home
What We Like: Eco-friendly and versatile design
Our 5-Tier Bamboo Shelf offers a simple and elegant solution to your storage needs. Crafted from environmentally-friendly bamboo, this durable and solid shelf features a stable frame and a smooth, moisture-proof surface. Its five spacious tiers provide copious storage capacity, allowing you to display and organize items with ease. The lightweight design and bamboo color make it a seamless addition to your living room, bedroom, balcony, bathroom, or kitchen.
Designer Advice:
To enhance a cohesive decor, use matching bamboo or complementing wood furnishings in your chosen space, and accessorize with plants and decorative accents for added visual interest.
Easy-Assemble Wire Storage Shelves
$39.99 $114.99
Easy-Assemble Wire Storage Shelves
WFX Utility™
$39.99 $114.99
Perfect For: Maximizing storage space in any room
What We Like: Simple and tool-free assembly
These Easy-Assemble Wire Storage Shelves provide ample storage while occupying minimal floor space. With a straightforward setup process that requires no tools, you can have this sturdy wire shelving unit assembled in just 15 minutes. It offers a significant amount of storage, ideal for organizing a wide variety of items in any room of your home, office, or garage. Its efficient design allows you to create additional storage without any hassle.
Designer Advice:
Arrange heavier items on the bottom shelves and lighter items on the top shelves to maintain stability and avoid overloading the unit, ensuring safe and long-term usage.
Minimalist Industrial 5-Shelf Unit
$179.67 $229.99
Minimalist Industrial 5-Shelf Unit
South Shore
$179.67 $229.99
Perfect For: Showcasing decorative objects and organizing essentials
What We Like: The sleek and functional design
Embrace the minimalist trend with this stunning 5-shelf unit, featuring a unique X-shaped structure on the back for a touch of originality. Designed with clean lines and an open concept, it adds a breath of fresh air to your decor. Equipped with versatile and sturdy shelves, this industrial piece can be used in the office, living room, or reading nook, catering to your exact needs.
Designer Advice:
To enhance the industrial appeal, try pairing it with raw materials such as concrete or exposed brick walls. Use metal or wooden accessory pieces to complement the shelf's aesthetic.
Sturdy Multi-Function Bookshelf
$76.99 $79.99
Sturdy Multi-Function Bookshelf
Loon Peak®
$76.99 $79.99
Perfect For: Organizing and displaying items in various rooms
What We Like: Thoughtful details for item protection
This sturdy and stable bookshelf boasts ample storage space for your books or other displays. The smooth painting makes it easy to maintain and clean, while the perfectly spaced bars and horizontal supports prevent accidents and ensure proper organization. Its modern design and strong practicability make it ideal for use as a storage shelf, display shelf, or even as a flower stand for balconies, gardens, and flower shops.
Designer Advice:
Place this versatile bookshelf in your living room, home office, or even kitchen for an organized and stylish display. Don't hesitate to mix books with decorative items for a personalized touch.
Fan-shaped 5-Tier Corner Shelf
$112.99 $94.99
Fan-shaped 5-Tier Corner Shelf
17 Stories
$112.99 $94.99
Perfect For: Maximizing storage in limited spaces or odd corners
What We Like: Multi-functional and stylish art design
This fan-shaped corner shelf merges home art design with multi-functionality to make your life organized and chic. Its 5-tier shelves design optimizes limited spaces, providing additional storage for small items or knickknacks. Ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, home offices, kitchens, hallways, balconies, and bathrooms, this sturdy corner shelf serves as a small bookshelf, display shelf, plant stand, or flower rack.
Designer Advice:
Enhance your corner shelf by adding vibrant potted plants, succulents or decorative items that reflect your personal style, creating a charming and functional decor piece.
Glam Art Deco Open Shelving Unit
$138.99 $475.5
Glam Art Deco Open Shelving Unit
Mercer41
$138.99 $475.5
Perfect For: Showcasing accent pieces and books in a stylish and modern living space
What We Like: The luxurious combination of gold metal and marble white shelves
Infuse your living room or home office with a touch of glam as you display your accent pieces, books, or trays on this stunning Art Deco open shelving unit. Featuring a gold metal frame and four floating square marble shelves, this unit offers both elegance and practicality. The gold stoppers on the base protect your floor from scratches, and the welded construction ensures a long-lasting, sturdy design. Best of all, it arrives fully assembled, letting you embrace glamour effortlessly.
Designer Advice:
To elevate the glam vibe, pair this unit with plush textures, dazzling details, and sleek finishes for a sophisticated and luxurious home style.
Farmhouse Wood Shelf with Scrolling Patterns
$349.99 $624.5
Farmhouse Wood Shelf with Scrolling Patterns
Kelly Clarkson Home
$349.99 $624.5
Perfect For: Enhancing rustic style dining spaces and maximizing storage
What We Like: Felt or rubber stoppers at the base for furniture protection
This farmhouse wood shelf features a distressed white finish and scrolling patterns on the side of the top two shelves. Made from solid wood materials, it provides a sturdy structure with five spacious shelves, supported by turned style slender posts. Its felt or rubber stoppers at the base prevent scratching surfaces and sliding. Ideal for any rustic dining space, this shelf adds charm and extra storage while preserving floor space.
Designer Advice:
Style this shelving unit with rustic dinnerware and décor, use wicker baskets to organize smaller items, and incorporate greenery to create a cozy, farmhouse atmosphere.
Rotating Multi-Purpose Shelving Unit
$899.99 $1799
Rotating Multi-Purpose Shelving Unit
Williston Forge
$899.99 $1799
Perfect For: Versatile storage and display solutions
What We Like: Innovative 360-degree rotating shelves
The Orkney Rotating Shelving Unit is a distinctive multi-purpose piece that allows for multiple levels of personalization. Its angled sections and 360-degree rotating shelves offer endless display options, while the sleek design adapts effortlessly to a room divider or functional storage. Made with an antiqued steel metal frame and driftwood oak veneer, the elegant shelves also feature guard rails for added support and style, perfect for any office or family room.
Designer Advice:
Pair the shelving unit with bold, decorative accents to truly showcase its versatility, and optimize its functionality by using it as a room divider in open-concept spaces.
Sculptured Solid Oak Plank Shelving Unit
$2130 $2302
Sculptured Solid Oak Plank Shelving Unit
AllModern
$2130 $2302
Perfect For: Modern homes with a natural touch
What We Like: Its simple, airy design with plenty of space
Our sculptured solid oak plank shelving unit creates an effortlessly stylish space for books, knick-knacks, and other essentials, adding a natural modern feel to any living space. With its open, airy design, this shelving unit is perfect for showcasing your favorite items while keeping them organized and within easy reach. Made from high-quality oak, this piece is not only beautiful but also durable and long-lasting.
Designer Advice:
For a cohesive look, pair this shelving unit with other solid oak furniture pieces, or use it as a statement piece by contrasting it with minimalistic or industrial-style decor.
Floating Design Bookcase with Natural Legs
$129.99 $218.63
Floating Design Bookcase with Natural Legs
Wade Logan®
$129.99 $218.63
Perfect For: Enhancing the look of any room or office
What We Like: Versatility as a bookcase or pantry storage
This sleek floating design bookcase features white cubbies with natural-colored legs, making it both practical and attractive. The contemporary design ensures it will complement any existing décor in your home or office. Use it as a bookcase to showcase your favorite reads or as pantry storage to keep your kitchen essentials organized and readily accessible.
Designer Advice:
For an eye-catching look, style the cubbies with similarly colored or themed items, and pair the bookcase with comfortable seating for an inviting reading nook.
Corner Shelf Unit
$112.99 $97.99
Corner Shelf Unit
17 Stories
$112.99 $97.99
If you are struggling with where to potentially place your shelf unit, this unit will solve all of your problems. Designed especially to slot into that pesky abandoned corner, it features five wood shelves and a metal frame.
Designer Advice:
This unit has a charming rustic look and is available in white or vintage brown. It would fit in seamlessly with a farmhouse or country-style living room with distressed wood furniture. Stick to classic farmhouse colors like cream for a cozy look.
Narrow Living Room Shelves and Cabinet
$82.99 $114.99
Narrow Living Room Shelves and Cabinet
Red Barrel Studio®
$82.99 $114.99
Narrowly sized at just over thirteen inches wide, this shelving unit has four deep-set shelves that will easily fit books or plants. Crafted from wood, it is a natural espresso color and has a clean openwork design for an understated look.
Designer Advice:
Due to the darker wood color, we recommend contrasting these living room shelves with lighter colors for a welcoming vibe. Warm neutrals like cream, taupe, or even off-white will complement the espresso finish perfectly, or you could opt for gray if you want something that is more cool-toned and contemporary.
Steel Living Room Shelves
$39.99 $114.99
Steel Living Room Shelves
WFX Utility™
$39.99 $114.99
Made from high-durability steel with a thin wire design, these living room shelves can store books, games, CDs and much more. Measuring sixty-one inches high, they are available in gray, white, or black.
Designer Advice:
The minimalistic look of these shelves means they will blend in easily no matter your décor style – they would look good against brighter feature walls, wallpaper, or you could pair them with classic neutrals to achieve a calm and minimalist look.
Living Room Shelf Unit for Small Spaces
$38.99 $34.99
Living Room Shelf Unit for Small Spaces
Rebrilliant
$38.99 $34.99
The smallest on this list, this living room shelf unit only has two shelves. However, they will hold a lot due to the wide spaces. Moreover, the shelves are adjustable so you can slot them depending on what you want to store.
Designer Advice:
Depending on the amount of floor space you have, you could even place this shelving unit on top of a cabinet or underneath a coffee table. Featuring white shelves and a manufactured walnut brown wood exterior, its simple and up-to-date design would look lovely with neutral colors.
Multi-Function Large Freestanding Shelving Unit
Multi-Function Large Freestanding Shelving Unit
17 Stories
Perfect For: Organizing and displaying items in various spaces
What We Like: Versatile open-shelf design and impressive weight capacity
This freestanding shelving unit boasts a generous size and multi-functional capabilities, making it suitable for your office, living room, or balcony. The open-shelf design allows for easy access and versatile storage, while its E1 level manufactured wood provides sturdiness, and its robust metal frame supports up to 40 lbs per shelf. Its modern and simple style complements any existing furniture, and the waterproof and rust-free materials make maintenance a breeze.
Designer Advice:
For increased stability, we recommend leaning the unit against a wall. Further customize the look by adding decorative elements, storage boxes, or a mix of books and cherished items to create a personalized display.
5-Tier Retro Industrial Bookcase
5-Tier Retro Industrial Bookcase
Latitude Run®
Perfect For: Showcasing books and other decorative items in your living space
What We Like: The fusion of retro industrial and modern minimalist styles
This 5-tier bookcase is a stylish mix of retro industrial and modern minimalist design elements. Featuring smooth lines, right-angle borders, and a beautiful color to match any interior, it's made of high-quality MDF board and steel frame for added durability. Each shelf can support up to 80 lbs, with a total capacity of 400 lbs. An anti-falling device allows you to screw it to the wall, while adjustable pads ensure stability on uneven ground. Choose from different colors to match your space.
Designer Advice:
This versatile bookshelf can be used not only to store books, but also to showcase decorative items like framed pictures and potted plants. Consider styling it with a mix of both for an appealing, well-balanced display.
Multi-Functional Large Shelving Unit
Multi-Functional Large Shelving Unit
Mercer41
Perfect For: Organizing and displaying items in various spaces
What We Like: Versatile usage and open shelf design
This multi-functional large shelving unit is perfect for those who need a spacious and versatile storage solution. It can be used as a bookcase in the office, display rack in the living room, or even as a plant stand on the balcony. The open shelf design makes it easy to store and organize items, while the E1 level manufactured wood and thick metal provide a weight capacity of 40lbs per shelf. Not only is this unit water-proof and easy to clean, the rust-free metal ensures durability and longevity.
Designer Advice:
Lean the shelving unit against a wall for added stability and coordinate it with both modern and simple furniture styles for a seamless look.
Heavy Duty Five-Tier Boltless Storage Rack
Heavy Duty Five-Tier Boltless Storage Rack
Rebrilliant
Perfect For: Organizing and storing heavy equipment or supplies
What We Like: Solid laminate shelves and adjustable height
This heavy-duty storage rack boasts high-quality, durable riveted steel construction, making it more stable and long-lasting than wooden kitchen shelves. Its powder-coated finish offers rust resistance and extended product life. The solid laminate shelves are perfect for holding items that might tip over or fall from regular wire or vented shelves. Designed for versatile use, this five-tier boltless shelving unit can be adjusted in 1.4-inch increments, allowing for customizable storage spaces in kitchens, living rooms, warehouses, offices, trade shows, supermarkets, garages, or industrial environments.
Designer Advice:
Place heavier items on lower shelves for additional stability, and make use of the adjustable shelf heights to accommodate items of different sizes while maximizing storage space.
Geometric Shelves for Living Room
Geometric Shelves for Living Room
17 Stories
Unique and very cool, this geometric shelving unit will elevate your living room to the next level. You can choose from a rustic brown, black, or white frame, but whatever you choose the steel base will keep things sturdy.
Designer Advice:
Curved inwards to create an interesting and abstract shape, this unit would be perfect for adding vitality to your room, and the floating half-shelves give you a major opportunity for organization. Add some plants to the very top shelves to recreate a stunning country-style paradise.
Black Metal Outdoor Shelf with Floral Design
Black Metal Outdoor Shelf with Floral Design
Red Barrel Studio®
Perfect For: Enhancing traditional or rustic home decor and indoor gardens
What We Like: The bold shapes and decorative metal flower sculptures
Bring a touch of elegance to your space with this large, black metal outdoor shelf featuring decorative pink and purple metal flower sculptures. It showcases a scalloped silhouette at the top, accompanied by long stems and leaves that effortlessly blend style and functionality. With four spacious rectangular metal rack shelves, you'll have ample storage and display options for flowers, plants, and home accessories. This stunning shelf is an excellent addition to traditional or rustic-themed homes and indoor gardens or sunrooms.
Designer Advice:
Place it in a sunlit corner of your living room or sunroom, and use it to exhibit your favorite potted plants and other decorative items, enhancing both style and greenery in your space.
Wide Shelving Unit
Wide Shelving Unit
Measuring seventy-eight inches tall and seventy-five inches wide, this shelving unit is for those who wish to make a grand statement. Crafted from solid and manufactured wood, it has an open cube-style design with floating shelves.
Designer Advice:
Pick from traditional color choices and finishes like brown or chestnut, or go for more modern gray. Whichever you choose, this unit would look amazing in a room with taupe walls and a rug with a subtle pattern to really bring out the natural wood grain it has.
Solid Wood Living Room Shelving Unit
Solid Wood Living Room Shelving Unit
With an unusual curved design and a frame made entirely of solid wood, this living room shelving unit has five shelves with a weight capacity of 22lbs each.
Designer Advice:
The rich mid-brown color of this unit would pair really well with distinguished darker colors such as navy blue or burgundy – achieve this look with cushions on your sofa, a feature wall, or a decorative vase placed on your unit shelves.
Cube Shelving Unit
Cube Shelving Unit
Rebrilliant
Another understated shelving unit, this one is made up of six separate cubes, meaning it would be a good choice if you like to put items into sections. With an openwork wire frame so you can see everything, it comes in black, silver, and white.
Designer Advice:
We think this unit would work best in a modern living room due to its simple and uncluttered vibe. Go for silver or white if you want it to blend in to the background, or choose the black option if you want your living room to have a little bit of an edge.
Shelving for Living Room on Wheels
Shelving for Living Room on Wheels
Rebrilliant
Available in bright white, this shelving for your living room is innovative and fresh. Standing on wheels, it is portable and easy to maneuver around, ideal if you change up your living room often.
Designer Advice:
Measuring just under sixteen inches wide, this shelving is another option if you don’t have much space to work with. While the matte white shelves and metal frame look chic and stylish, bear in mind that they will get dirty earlier, so this unit might not be the best choice if you have pets or children.
Adjustable Bamboo Living Room Shelf
Adjustable Bamboo Living Room Shelf
Rebrilliant
Cool and contemporary, this set of three living room shelves can be adjusted to your preference. Made from 100% bamboo with rounded corners for safety, it has an overall weight capacity of 30lbs, meaning it’s best for smaller items.
Designer Advice:
The light brown color and stripped-back industrial look of this unit would look lovely on a wooden floor, and the differing height of the shelves means you can order items in order of importance – i.e. keys on the top and books on the bottom.
Buying Guide
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.
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.
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.
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.
