Clever Open Shelving Ideas to Divide and Conquer Your Space

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• Clever Open Shelving Ideas to Divide and Conquer Your Space
• Cramped ’60s House Transforms Into Open Modern Residence
• Salvaged Wood Finds New Life in Live/Work Row House

Clever Open Shelving Ideas to Divide and Conquer Your Space Posted: 23 Nov 2015 06:00 AM PST Once thought of as an organizational necessity hidden behind closed doors, shelves have come out of the closet and made a grand entry into the design world. Open shelving is not only an efficient and typically inexpensive way to sort, display and store your sundries, but can also make a space feel lighter, bigger and more … well, open. Here are some clever open shelving ideas for incorporating them into your home for practical and creative living. Room Divider If you're looking to carve out a separate space but don't want to commit to building a wall, installing an open-shelf bookcase can effortlessly divide a room. This is seen in many loft-like rooms or studio apartments. The use of divider shelves is practical and seamless. It lets light flow from one part of the room to another, yet it allows a distinct function in each space. Open shelving room dividers can be tall (almost to the ceiling) or low (creating a mid-wall separation). In either case, curate them with items that suit both spaces by coordinating the color and type of objects on each shelf.   Home Office Challenged by a lack of space to work from home? Creating a streamlined home office is easier than you think — and one of the most clever and practical uses of open shelving.   Whether it's in your living room, bedroom or kitchen, find a wall or nook that has enough space horizontally for a desk (30 inches wide, minimum) and at least a 42-inch depth clearance for seating. Install your desk shelf at seat height, and add storage shelves above that. Desk shelves can be supported by open bookcases or filing cabinets underneath, or placed as a floating surface with the right hardware and wall brackets. Super-easy to DIY and a huge space saver, your new workspace can become even more stylish by adding wallpaper or a contrasting paint color on the wall behind it. Gallery Wall Displaying your favorite photos or framed artwork doesn't have to be limited to one or two. With the use of shelves, you can create a gallery wall and display multiple pieces of art or photos. Open shelving for artwork can range from narrow ledge-type shelves to deeper bookcase shelving. Shelf finishes can be textured, such as reclaimed wood or metallic. You can space several of the same-size shelves evenly apart, or artfully create a random pattern. When curating your gallery wall, try to create a visual story. For example, select all vintage-style photos or use all white frames with white matting. Whether it's showing off family photos or your kids' artwork, your goal is to design a wall that is eye-catching but not so dissonant that it seems cluttered. Media Wall Turn a boring TV wall into a stylish multi-functional feature with the use of selective shelving. Media consoles and hutches tend to feel heavy and often limit the use of the remaining wall space. By placing shelves around your flat-screen TV, you have the ability to store small media gadgets or display stylish objects to balance out the technical aspect of the wall. Shelf objects should be carefully selected and streamlined so as not to compete with the main feature of the wall — the TV. Curated Collection The most obvious and popular use of shelving is for displaying well-loved collections. From Grandma's teacups to vintage cameras, open shelving is the perfect spot to show off what you love to collect while creating a standout design feature. When curating your visible collection, remember that less is more. Don't cram all of your treasures onto one shelf; space your items. If you need to cluster a few, then allow a reasonable amount of space between the next group on the same shelf. Individual cubes are perfect for spacing parts of a collection. Also think about coordinating color and shape, even when it comes to books; some people color-coordinate their book spines (a controversial act in the book world). Or alternate between vertical and horizontal stacking. Finally, painting a shelved wall or adding undermounted or other lighting beautifully showcases your curated collection for all to admire. What are your favorite open shelving ideas? Do you have any others that you'd like to share? Add them in the comments below! The post Clever Open Shelving Ideas to Divide and Conquer Your Space appeared first on Freshome.com.

Cramped ’60s House Transforms Into Open Modern Residence Posted: 23 Nov 2015 12:00 AM PST Woonhuis M, an open modern residence in North Brabant, the Netherlands, was envisioned by the creative team at WillemsenU Architecten. Exhibiting a bold character, the project is the result of an extensive transformation. ”The layout of the old house from the 1960s, situated on the outskirts of a village in the south of the Netherlands, no longer met the needs of the family's changing lifestyle,”the architects say. “The clients wanted more space for their two growing children and for working at home.” Maximizing living space while opening up the residence to the outdoors was one of the main requirements. “The existing layout, characterized by somewhat cramped rooms, was transformed into a logical, spacious plan,” the architects say. “The living room was relocated from the front of the house to the rear, where large windows on two sides of the living space offer views of the surrounding landscape.” All interiors are minimalist, with functionality playing a key part in the design scheme. In the social area, a long kitchen island/dining table divides the room into multiple functional zones, each with its own atmosphere. “The interior, the facades and the surroundings constitute a single comprehensive design,” the architects say. “All the parts are brought together to form a completely new, modernized and sustainable home with a different orientation and extra space.” [Photos by Hugo de Heij & Culimaat] The post Cramped ’60s House Transforms Into Open Modern Residence appeared first on Freshome.com.

Salvaged Wood Finds New Life in Live/Work Row House Posted: 22 Nov 2015 04:00 PM PST The Grand Trunk in Montreal, Canada, is MARK + VIVI‘s latest project. Located in the transitioning neighborhood of Pointe-Saint-Charles, the newly renovated 1,100-square-foot house serves as both residence and work studio for designers Mark Fekete and Viviana de Loera. The exposed structure of the building, built in 1880, supports a whimsical integration of traditional industrial materials and clever, efficient design. Instead of being shipped to the landfill, the salvaged wood from the demolition — including the old framing and floorboards — found new life as rugged yet tasteful furniture, cabinets and countertops. Steel columns and beams were added to support the existing timber-frame structure. Left exposed and painted white, the new “bones” not only lift but gracefully complement the old. Pleasantly unexpected antique finds during demolition helped influence the design process of various spaces throughout. Uncovered were old toys, antique tools and vintage enamel signs that now play an integral part in the home’s decor. “We wanted to create a home that captured the essence and character of a classical 19th century Canadian row house infused with contemporary touches of playfulness and style,” the designers say. What do you think of the outcome? [Photos and information provided by MARK + VIVI Studio] The post Salvaged Wood Finds New Life in Live/Work Row House appeared first on Freshome.com.

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