The best freestanding shelves for all budgets
The phrase “left on the shelf” suggests, rather unfairly, that something placed at the back of a bookcase or unit is an unwanted or neglected thing. Yet, a vase positioned decoratively upon a shelf, or a photograph carefully chosen can add great visual interest to an otherwise empty wall.
Freestanding shelves can be an excellent way to break up a large blank space. They don't require holes to be drilled to fix them to the wall, which is ideal in a rental where you may not be at liberty to do something with more permanence, or simply if you're indecisive and like to rearrange your furnishings at whim. Some freestanding and lean-to models, however, are advisable to be secured to the wall for added stability, particularly if they are going to be loaded with heavy books.
Tricky nooks, such as the hollows either side of a fireplace, can be turned into feasts for the eyes when snugly filled with a unit that's the perfect size. As columnist Rita Konig says, it is a “good idea to slip bookcases (or at least shelving) in as partitions between rooms.” There, they can become handy additions to your hallways and “provide invaluable extra storage for wine glasses and cookery books.”
How to curate a bookshelf?
Play with heights and textures when arranging bibelots on a shelf, as this will prevent things looking too neat and shop-like. Consider creating clusters of novels, mixed with book ends and photographs; coffee table books can be laid down and stacked rather than placed side by side which can open up space on top for more ornaments. After all, a bookcase doesn’t have to solely house books.
In a kitchen, a shelving unit or a floating shelf can be used in lieu of a full blown pantry. Mason jars of jams, chutneys and sauces can look wonderfully decorative. Sit them alongside baskets of potatoes and fruits to add pops of colour. In a bathroom, metal shelves can be useful storage in a room which is often lacking it. Perfumes, makeup brushes, candles, matches, and boxes of soaps are often beautifully packaged and ornamental in themselves.
So if you’re after a definitive guide to the best shelves available now, as chosen by the House & Garden team, scroll on.
A selection of fabulous freestanding shelves
Midas Shelving
A luxury choice, the alternating angles of these Soho Home shelves make for an unusual design, while remaining practical with plenty of space to store books, vases, plants and all manner of decorative trinkets. The oak shelving has been designed so that several could be slotted together and lined up down a wall.
606 Universal Shelving System, freestanding
Designed by Dieter Rams in 1960, Vitsoe's 606 shelving is modular and endlessly customisable depending on your needs. It's often configured as wall shelving, but there is also an option for it to be double-sided and freestanding, as seen in this image.
French Industrial Style Etagere in Steel and Bronze Made to Order in Any Size
This steel unit is similar to the old baker's shelves seen in Rita Konig's country kitchen. Konig uses them like a dresser, displaying colourful glassware throughout.
KRÖNIKÖR Open Storage, red
This freestanding shelving unit in a vibrant red is an easy and useful storage solution for smaller living spaces, for the incredibly low price tag of just £25. Lean and display picture frames on the top shelf, and use the lower two for books and magazines.
