These smart, simple and clever bedroom shelving ideas will add style, substance and somewhere to display and store your stuff
(Image credit: String Furniture)
Introducing chic bedroom shelving ideas can bring elegance and verve as well as functionality to a sleeping space. It doesn’t matter if you have a small bedroom that needs smart storage solutions or a generous space that needs a touch of style, shelves can make a big contribution to a bedroom.
Make shelves very much a part of your bedroom design. Choose a colour that you love, make a statement with subtle floating shelves, bring baskets into the equation, introduce unique free standing design solutions. Here we bring you 12 ideas that you can unleash to help make your bedroom the room of your dreams.
1. Get creative with colour and shades
Choosing a lighter tone of the same shade used for the rest of the room works particularly well for floating shelves (Image credit: Circu)
“Whether your bedroom shelves are freestanding or built-in, getting creative with colour can help transform this practical storage space into a design feature,” reveals Amy Holton, Head of Creative at Henderson Design Group (which includes ilovewallpaper.com).
“To create a modern, high-contrast finish that adds visual interest to your bedroom shelves, paint them a darker shade that contrasts with the rest of the room.” Why? “This helps draw the eye,” continues Holton, “Making the room and the shelving area appear larger, especially if the shelves are recessed.”
If you want something a little more subtle, Amy recommends that you, “Opt for a lighter tone of the same shade used for the rest of the room. This works particularly well for floating shelves or rooms lacking symmetry, helping create a cohesive look that balances out the space.”
Amy Holton
A colour and design expert with a background in Fine Art and Graphic Design, Holton joined Lust Home in the summer of 2020. Tasked with crafting the brands’ visual identity, Holton played a leading role in designing many of its bestselling and iconic prints.
After the success of Lust Home’s launch, Holton was promoted to take over the creative team for the Henderson Design Group. In this role, she now oversees the creative direction for the three distinct brands, including Lust Home, I Love Wallpaper and Lucie Annabel.
2. Work wonders with patterned wallpaper
Introducing a patterned wallpaper behind shelves will make a statement and add personality (Image credit: Getty Images)
“To add personality to your bedroom shelving, introduce a patterned wallpaper,“ suggests Amy Holton. “Whether subtle or statement, opt for a wallpaper design that complements the rest of the room and use this to line behind the shelves, whether it be a freestanding shelving unit or a built-in shelving alcove.”
But how can you make that happen? “If possible, remove all the shelves before you measure for your wallpaper,” continues Amy. “And opt for a paste that guarantees easy installation.”
3. Style up a bedroom dressing area with shelves
Open shelves can store neatly folded towels or decorative items to make a space feel more personalised (Image credit: Jonathan Gooch)
“In a bedroom dressing area, shelving can serve multiple purposes that enhance both organisation and style,“ shares Claire Garner, director at Claire Garner Interiors. “Open shelves can be used to store neatly folded towels or decorative items, making the space feel more personalised. Adding natural elements such as wooden trims can further elevate the design, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that combines functionality with sophistication.”
Claire Garner
Claire Garner is an expert in crafting timeless interiors that radiate elegance and sophistication. With a keen eye for design, she excels in layering muted colours, patterns, and textures to build design schemes with depth and personality.
4. Maximise your space with a modular shelf system
Modular shelving units are the ideal solution for any size space (Image credit: String Furniture)
“Modular, open shelving provides a great way to fit storage into small spaces. You can design a string shelving system to suit any space, and it really can be installed anywhere” shares Bo Hellberg, CMO at String Furniture.
But there are a couple of things that you need to consider to make sure that you get the best from modular shelving. “Make sure your shelving is deep and tall enough to store your belongings, but narrow enough that it doesn’t compromise your precious square-footage,” continues Bo.
“And make sure you use a mix of open shelving and cabinet styles to create a display unit that is flexible enough to hide the things you don’t want on show.”
Bo Hellberg
Bo Hellberg is the CMO at String Furniture – the storage powerhouse hailing from Stockholm, Sweden. In 2020, String Furniture was awarded Furniture Supplier of the Year, but the basis of String's designs has shaped storage habits since 1949. In 1952, String shelves (now String Furniture) were ordered to decorate the newly built UN headquarters in New York City.
5. Stay neat and organised with beautiful baskets
A colourful basket adds style and is perfect for storing bits and bobs (Image credit: Mustard Made)
"If you’re looking for ways to keep your bedroom shelves neat and organised, opt for a set of baskets.” recommends Becca Stern, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Mustard Made. “They are perfect for storing all of your little bits and bobs, by opting for a colourful basket you can add a splash of vibrant colour whilst keeping your shelving clutter-free.”
But it's not just storage and style that baskets offer; they are versatile and lightweight and ready to be used elsewhere. “If you decide to switch up your shelving, the baskets can be easily repositioned and placed inside a wardrobe, under the bed or tucked away inside your bedside locker."
Becca Stern
Becca Stern is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Mustard Made, a cult homewares brand known for its colourful range of vintage inspired metal lockers. Becca launched Mustard in collaboration with her sister, Jess, in 2018 and has since grown the brand into a thriving, global start-up spanning three continents and with a team of 30 and growing.
6. Create seamless shelving with same shade colours
Introduce same colour shelves to create a seamless look across a whole room (Image credit: Mylands)
If you’ve got plywood wooden shelves that don’t match the rest of your bedroom decor, or you want to hide, what do you do? “Painting plywood shelving the same colour as your bedroom wall can create a seamless and cohesive look in your space.” suggests Dominic Myland, CEO of Mylands. “Use a warm and muted yet bold enough colour to make a statement, like our Beehive Place No.104.”
Dominic Myland
Dominic Myland, CEO, is the fifth generation of the family to have run the London-based paint and wood polishes manufacturer, located in Lambeth. Working across all areas of the company from the factory to the boardroom, Dominic took over the company from his father in 1998 and continues the family tradition of perfection in paint.
7. Make the most of awkward shaped spaces
Paint awkward space shelves with two colours to define the space more clearly (Image credit: Mylands)
Don’t ignore that awkward space in your loft room or bedroom. You can still make the most of them with some smart thinking and bespoke shelving shapes. But how can you make them blend in?
“Painting an awkward-shaped space can be effectively managed by using two colours to split the room horizontally such as in this angular bedroom (see pic)," shares Myland. “Using two colours not only adds visual interest but also helps to define the space more clearly.”
8. Add charm and elegance with decorative edging and elements
Introduce decorative elements to edges and behind shelves to create a timeless look (Image credit: Mylands)
If your free-standing shelves lack personality, character and charm, introduce some simple, but smart decorative elements to give a unique and distinctive look. Mylands suggests using its, “Lavender Garden No.30. It adds a charming touch to decorative scalloped-edged shelving. The soft, pastel hue enhances intricate details, creating an elegant and timeless look.”
9. Light up bedroom shelving with an integrated lamp
Double up on the functionality of shelves with an integrated lamp (Image credit: Value Lights)
Want to make your bedroom shelving work that little bit harder and smarter for your master bedroom ideas? Want to double up on its functionality? Then Marlena Kaminska, designer at ValueLights, suggests you try the following, “ “If you’re struggling to fit shelving into your bedroom, why not opt for a floor lamp with built-in shelves?
Marlena continues, “Multi-purpose furniture is a lifesaver when it comes to furnishing a small space allowing you to get several functions out of one item and freeing up this space for other pieces. With trendy open storage, these are the perfect solution for a modern bedroom.”
Marlena Kaminska
Marlena is a dynamic digital designer with a background in interior design. Taking a lead design role at home lighting brand ValueLights, Marlena merges her interior design expertise with her digital design prowess to bring innovation and style to the world of lighting.
10. Illuminate your shelving with subtle strip lighting
Subtle strip lighting on shelves adds ambience to a room (Image credit: Getty Images)
“Using lighting to highlight your shelving is a great way to add an element of depth to your bedroom,” points out Kaminska. But you need to make sure that you choose well. “Using LED strips in a warm white colour, and concealing them so just the glow is visible can instantly make a space look and feel expensive despite being a very affordable upgrade to implement. This attention to detail adds a sense of sophistication and elegance to the space which elevates the overall aesthetic of your bedroom.”
11. Hide away your clutter behind closed shelves
Hidden away shelves are the perfect way to quickly declutter a bedroom (Image credit: Black By Design)
Open shelves means that you can still see your stuff, however well organised it is. But, if you're one of those people who doesn't have the time to prettify your shelves, or simply want to lie back and relax then a closed shelf is the ideal answer. "The bedroom is a space where you should be able to unwind completely, and if you're surrounded by clutter that just isn't going to happen,” shares Lynette Pym, founder of homeware brand Black By Design.
“A beautiful bedside unit allows homeowners to shut the door on clutter. Plus, a fluted finish is perfectly on trend."
12. Add a boho vibe with natural materials and textures
Earthen, organic shelves bring visual appeal and a laid back feel to a bedroom (Image credit: Where Saints Go)
Fancy some shelving that offers a more earthen, organic appeal and will work well with the natural pastel colours currently on your walls? Then Faye Leeming, Design Coordinator at eclectic interior brand Where Saints Go has the answer.
“The natural warmth of rattan and pine bedside shelves will weave a boho vibe in the bedroom.” She continues, “To cement the laid back feel, layer with textures and woven baskets to stow your bedroom essentials for a relaxed, stylish feel.”
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Steve Jenkins is a freelance content creator with over two decades of experience working in digital and print and was previously the DIY content editor for Homebuilding & Renovating.
He is a keen DIYer with over 20 years of experience in transforming and renovating the many homes he has lived in. He specialises in painting and decorating, but has a wide range of skills gleaned from working in the building trade for around 10 years and spending time at night school learning how to plaster and plumb.
He has fitted kitchens, tiled bathrooms and kitchens, laid many floors, built partition walls, plastered walls, plumbed in bathrooms, worked on loft conversions and much more. And when he's not sure how to tackle a DIY project he has a wide network of friends – including plumbers, gas engineers, tilers, carpenters, painters and decorators, electricians and builders – in the trade to call upon.
