Wall Bookshelves

July 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

This is just one of those ways which you can use your furniture to serve more functions than it was intended to. When it comes to wall bookshelves, you may think that these can only be installed on an existing wall and used to store your books. However, did you know that you could also make the wall bookshelves become the actual wall? How?

Ceiling-high wall bookshelves

This is a great idea especially for those with very large homes or even normal sized homes that have an open floor plan.

What you will first of all need to do is get the measurements of your house from floor to ceiling so you can determine the height of your shelves. Of course, you should pick a position in the room which is central enough to leave either side of the wall bookshelves with enough space for activities you intend to carry out there. Once you have all your measurements down, you may now call in a professional woodworker or if you are experienced, you may do the job of building the ceiling-high wall shelves now.

You can either leave the back of the wall shelves open or cover it up with a board for more privacy on either side of the new wall. When done correctly, one wouldn’t even notice that it is a wall bookshelf as opposed to a wall itself. The best part is, you get to store your books, accentuate your home’s decor and still section off a space which can be used as the bedroom, study room or even just a relaxing lounge! Learn more about this at The Office Hub.

Knee-high wall bookshelves

This is a great way to divide a normal room and create a quiet little corner for reading or just section off a portion to restrict access or something like that. For example, let’s say you would like to create a space in your child’s bedroom or even in the sitting room where they can read, do their crafts or play without getting paint or ink on the rest of the furniture. Knee-high wall bookshelves allow you to do so but still let you get a good view of what your kids are up to from where you’re sitting. Supervision made easier! Plus, the kids will love the fact that they have bookshelves that they can easily reach.

Improvise as much as you want to get the perfect look with wall bookshelves for your storage and sectioning needs at home!

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Hanging Decorative Wall Shelves

June 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Taming clutter has never been easier than today, with a huge variety of decorative and practical wall shelving available to you. Displaying your treasures, making the most of space, showing the world your unique style can be achieved the moment you and visitors enter a room at home!

Options can be easily found both online and in stores, there is no need to be confused about where to buy these lovely decorative shelves, cupboards, and units. Modern construction techniques have made their use an easy option for sheer beauty, and displaying your treasures.

Your choices of materials used in their fabrication range from natural wood, glass, plastic and particle board, and all of them look wonderful as they ‘float’ on your wall.  Nor are they limited to a straight, traditional unit! There are corner shelves,  that draw the eye, increasing the impression of size in your room; shelves that are curved, designed to not sit up against the wall, but look as though it were floating on air unsupported. A very attractive option is a shelving unit, comprised of several ledges, with vertical posts to add visual appeal and stability.  The unit the following link leads to is particularly attractive, using  an asymmetrical “stepping” system that I myself find very appealing.

http://www.homedepot.com/Decor-Shelves-Decorative-Shelving/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbrcp/R-202368384/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Home depot has a wide selection, ranging in price from around $15 to $50 a unit, excluding the mounting hardware. Try their online site to get an idea of the options available to you:

http://www.homedepot.com/Decor-Shelves-Decorative-Shelving/h_d1/N-brcpZ5yc1v/h_d2/Navigation?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&searchNav=true

After you’ve made your selection of shelving to use, installation is fairly straightforward.

What you will need:

Decorative shelf

Tape measure

Anchor s / Molly’s (screw devices that have a sheath that sits inside your wall, protecting

The drywall from crumbling under the weight of the shelves )

Choose anchors that will support up to 90 pounds, including weight of shelf

Drill

Screws

Level

There is a nice, short video on youtube.com, if you’d prefer a visual step by step, go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-wVbSg91wU&NR=1

INSTALLING YOUR DECORATIVE SHELVING

1)      Determine where you want the shelves to be on your wall. Standard

height of a decorative shelf is around head high.  Mark a place on your wall for the first bracket, install it using the instructions that came with it, and then use your level to determine the placement of its partner bracket, and install that one. When the

bubble of air in the glass window of your level is in the center of the device, or between the lines,  your shelf is level.

2)      Drill the drywall anchors into the wall, where you’ve marked.

3)      Hold the shelf against the brackets, and insert the screws into the anchor.

4)      Place shelf, arrange your items

Be sure to “click around a bit before you select your shelves. Get ideas from decorators, design experts, and carpenters to get a nice picture of the different styles, placements, and uses you can employ shelves for.  Check these few out:

Touch of Class – A home like no other

http://www.touchofclass.com/category/wall+decor/wall+shelves.do?sortby=bestSellers&page=all&code=CAGC0406&gclid=CMjO5LD5iqsCFQt_5QodwSN5tg

Pottery Barn – This major supplier of home décor and hardware has a wide selection, is cost conscious, and their website shows many different examples of uses:

http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/accessories-decor/accessories-ledges-shelves/?cm_type=lnav

Bed Bath and Beyond – They have VERY attractive fireplace mantles, as well as functional shelving that can be used in every room of your home.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/stylePage.asp?RN=190

There is another consideration for YOU, when considering your wall décor options, ledges.

These are basically shelves with a very shallow depth, and which are intended to support minimal weight. Purely decorative, they are a wonderful way to display photos, certificates and other small, lightweight objects.

Have fun considering your options, and for ease of project completion, focus your attention on those decorative shelves, shelving units, and ledges that come in a KIT. They are usually more cost effective (cheaper) and the headache of being sure you have all the hardware you will need is eliminated !

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