Shelf Love

05 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in Uncategorized

Tags

bookshelves, color play, decorate bookshelves, decorate shelving, interior design, less is more, mix and match, shelving, styling, styling your home

One thing most people have in their homes are shelving units. Just because they are considered storage furniture doesn’t mean they have be boring. There are plenty of ways to dress up these pieces and make them super stylish and interesting. Here are a few tips on how to do that:

Sometimes Less is More
This image is a great example of how negative space can really help your cabinets look fresh. A few pieces on top, a lamp or a pair of vases, and either one of more pieces of art. Always remember that most of the time groups of three look best. Take note of the symmetry that comes into play on the shelves. The horizontal and vertical stacks on each side, the few round decorative items to help keep the space fluid, and the size of the items help keep everything even.

(Photo credit: West Elm)

Color Play
If you want your shelves to stand out, then keeping within a color scheme will do the trick. Because everything on the shelves are cohesive, they will actually pop more. As apposed to having so many different things thrown together, which can just end up looking like a big mess. Below is a great example of how finished and fresh this idea can be. Yellow and White are taking the main stage here, as pretty dining pieces are featured. A few books, photographs, and other decorative items help mix it up a bit for more visual interest. You can also organize books by color to really make a statement.

(Photo credit: Home Stories A to Z)

(Photo Credit: Lonny.com)

Mix and Match
Now this can be tricky, but you can have a bunch of items on a shelf with books and have it look pretty cool. The photo below is a nice example of how to do this. Notice the decorative items are all of the same theme, birds! And the colors of those items are found in the books as well. This is how to keep it less messy and more about making sense.

(Photo Credit: HGTV Home)

Creative Shelving Ideas

08 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Liz Alton

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

closet, design, home, Liz Alton, mudroom, organization, pantry, shelving

Pantries and mudrooms are necessary evils. We love the houses that have them and whine about the apartments that don’t. But we crave those storage/wet room/drop your snow covered gear areas because they make the messiness of living (especially with pets and kids!) a little easier. If you’re lucky enough to have an entry of the “non-grand foyer” variety, finding a shelving solution that’s both functional and attractive should be your top priority. It’ll help you get the most out of the space, without worrying about it becoming a disaster. I’ve been on the hunt for inspiration and I’m excited to show you what I’ve found.

Go Go Gadget Pantry
These aren’t your mom’s pantries. In fact, the range of devices that I found that made pantries magically expand (or that at least use smart technology to maximize space) was amazing. It’s endless what you can do with a custom shelving unit.

Photo Credit: Hometrends

This solution actually allows shelves that go deep into a pantry or closet to slide right out, so the whole surface area is accessible. No more finding that weird bag of rice at the back of a shelf when you’re cleaning it out a year later.

Photo Credit: Houzz

Segmented shelving can help you maximize any pantry. This is a great combination of a corner unit, shelves that are customized to different items, and hanging baskets for bags, pasta, etc.

Photo Credit: Lynnashusna

Enter This Way
This is the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen! Does your entryway consist of a lot of stairs? Check out this option for converting those stairs into extra storage space.

Photo Credit: Honey + Fitz

If you don’t have a lot of space to work with, these old school approaches to hanging up coats and shevling your boots and shoes look really charming. They are also practical, inexpensive, and highly functional.

Photo Credit: Lodging 4 Vacations

Photo Credit: Coastal Living

Solutions so the Mud Room Doesn’t Get….Muddy
The way I remember mudrooms as a kid was an absolute mess. Dirty shoes, sports gear, and assorted things my brothers dropped going in and out of the house piled up in no particular order. Every winter, stuff was wet from snow and every summer it was dusty from the baseball field. But today’s mudroom solutions make that old vision a design Neanderthal. Here are a few fun ideas.

Use a hearty outdoor tile on the floor. Not only is it super easy to clean, but it looks great and can stand up to wear and tear. You can even go for patio grade tile if you want.

Photo Credit: The Trendy Home

A recessed closet with a shelf can combine a place to drop your bags and hang your coats, along with other storage. But it minimizes the amount of space that you sacrifice in the overall entry way.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Photo Credit: Arcadia Homes

When wall space is your primary solution, there are some great DIY options to create above the ground storage. Here are a few fun ones.

Photo Credit: Organize Your Stuff Now

Photo Credit: View Home Trends

I’m ready to get to work revamping the storage in my mudroom and pantry. What are your favorite designs that I missed?

Written by Liz Alton

Piping Hot Design Trends

03 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Liz Alton, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bathroom, bedframe, bookshelves, country, exposed duct, historic, Industrial, Liz Alton, loft, minimalist, pipes, recycling, shelving, steel pipes, Storage, upcycling, urban, vintage, wine rack

One of the beautiful things about working in a historic mill building is the gorgeous exposed piping and ductwork. Combined with the brick walls and the high ceilings, it’s one of the selling points of the space. When I was coming up with some creative ways to accessorize the space, I found some visually striking examples of designs that integrated pipes along the ceiling or in accent pieces. If you love this look and aren’t currently calling a loft home, there’s some creative designer and DYI pieces on the market that you can use – from shelving to lighting fixtures.

Exposed Duct Works, Redux
Exposed ductwork is a hot look in a lot of urban apartment and office buildings right now, especially the ones that used to be factories, mills, or big commercial facilities. These lofts go for big bucks, and have tremendous character that you can work with. Lots of natural light, exposed bright, and rich woods permeate the space.

Piping Hot Design Trends

But not all exposed ductwork is urban. This beautiful country example of an exposed duct takes a really practical turn as place to hang pots and pans!

Photo Credit: Trilogy Builds

A colorful paint job makes this design a standout for a fun take on exposed pipes in a kids’ bathroom.
Piping Hot Design Trends
Photo Credit: Houzz

Hanging Storage Solutions
Who doesn’t love a creative storage solution? DIY crafters are rock stars at recycling and upcycling, and these pipe shelves are a great way of using steel pipes and even a bellowsflex hose to create unique shelves and bookcases that can adapt to almost any arrangement.

Here pipes double as both the supports and the mechanism for attaching the shelves to the wall.

Photo Credit: Interior Result

With pipes’ structural integrity, it’s really possible to combine shelves into ultra-creative configurations.

Photo Credit: Yellow Pelow

Hanging bookshelves in particular are a hot item, where shelves can double as both the supports and the bookends. This lighted version is great to illuminate a reading nook.

Photo Credit: Gear Culture

Industrial fittings are used in this one to give it even more character.

Pipe Shelves Scaled
If you love the pipe shelf look but need more than just a foot or so of shelf space provided by the hanging shelves, there are some great examples of floor shelves constructed of pipe. The key qualities translate over: a very artistic and modern industrial look with a highly configurable potential design.

Pipe and wood combine to a really unusual shape in this one – this would be a great idea for working with specific display needs or around an oddly shaped wall feature.

The pipes on this corner shelving unit help anchor the whole thing, while allowing it to fit into a tight space between window and door. Look at all the room you get for books, knickknacks and more.

Photo Credit: Modern Meals for Two

Funky Furniture
There’s also some really fun pipe and hose furniture. This vintage wheel cart combines pipes and antique box wood.

This pipe and wood wine rack is absolutely to die for.

Photo Credit: Manhattan Cleanline

It also makes a sturdy, minimalist bedframe.

Photo Credit: Design Fabulous

A lot of these items are commercially available, but they are all very doable as custom commissions or DIY projects. I think it’s time to sign my husband up for a welding class!

Written By Liz Alton