Glass shelves on the wall can be attached to almost any room in an apartment or house. They would also be appropriate in the kitchen to arrange spices or put on the TV.
They will come in handy in the bathroom - you need somewhere to place cosmetics and washing supplies. You can put gloves and hats on them in the hallway, and books in the living room or bedroom.
The main difficulty is to make glass shelves on the wall in the interior look good and not ruin the overall decoration.
Advantages of glass shelves
Glass shelves have a number of advantages over others:
- Beauty. Glass is perhaps one of the most unusual and interesting interior materials in general. It looks simply chic and never goes out of style.
- Relevance. Glass fits perfectly into both modern and classic styles - the only question is what materials to combine it with.
- Reliability. If you don't hit the glass with a hammer, it will hang on the wall for many years.
- Easy to clean. The glass can simply be wiped with a dry cloth from time to time.
You should not buy fragile sheet glass - it will quickly become unusable and can also break into many sharp fragments. It would be much smarter to make a shelf from plexiglass, tempered glass or, if the budget does not allow, from acrylic.
It is also worth remembering that in those rare cases when general cleaning is required, you need to use special products to clean the shelves that do not leave streaks.
For those who love everything differently from everyone else
There are people for whom functionality and unusual design are on the same level. Especially for them, we selected several items that really have a non-standard appearance.
When designing the shelving, the designers drew inspiration from nature itself. The frame has additional crossbars that intersect each other in pairs, forming something similar to tree branches. The frame is designed and assembled by hand by the experienced hands of a craftsman, who also coated it with a powder composition that protects the product from mechanical damage. The shelves of the rack are made of solid oak - noble wood with a unique pattern and texture.
Milestones change, new fashions appear, but some things remain unchanged. Classics will never lose their relevance. Restraint and severity are the main ingredients in a recipe that even time will not spoil. A chest of drawers is a sophisticated and elegant piece of furniture that is ideal for a living room or bedroom. The model is made of durable American walnut wood. It has a beautiful texture and pattern that gives a special charm and sophistication to the product. The chest of drawers is equipped with seven drawers, which are great for storing personal items or papers.
The wardrobe is a beautiful design solution to a pressing issue. It will fit everything! The Hat Cabinet is spacious and has special compartments for all types of clothes. This model is the choice of those who prefer authentic, stable design solutions for decorating their interior.
In the photo: book holder.
Varieties and main characteristics
There are different options for shelves - first of all, they come in different thicknesses:
- thin, up to five millimeters, suitable exclusively for light souvenirs;
- medium, up to a centimeter, suitable for dishes and things of medium weight;
- thick, more than a centimeter, suitable for large bulky objects such as a TV or stereo system.
There are also different types of fastening:
- hanging ones are attached to the wall with chains or cables, which looks good in classic interiors, but is reliable only for thin shelves;
- fixed ones are mounted on brackets, the design of which can be quite fancy and perfectly complement the rest of the interior.
The holders can be forged or made of wood, with carvings or intricate curls, they can depict something or be a simple triangular shape.
The shelves themselves can also be of different shapes.
What is
A showcase cabinet is a fully or partially glazed structure that is used for open storage of dishes and other decorative elements. They are very similar to display cases in stores, but the difference between store designs is that they are used to openly display goods to the buyer. But in the living room this furniture is installed in order to show relatives and friends beautiful and entertaining things.
Important features of the display cabinet:
- designs of this type usually have transparent doors, behind which you can clearly see various beautiful things, dishes, and decorative elements;
- Inside the cabinet there are glass or mirror shelves that are designed to accommodate small items. For this reason, there is no need to overload them with massive things, books;
- inside the back wall usually has a mirror surface, which makes the cabinet wide and voluminous;
- internal glass can have various patterns, carved designs that will add sophistication to the furniture;
- external glass doors always protect dishes, figurines, sets from dust and dirt. All items that will be stored in this design will always look bright and beautiful.
It is quite rare to find a display cabinet on sale, but despite this, this furniture continues to be in demand. And this is not in vain, because how beautiful it is when the living room has a bright corner in which you can put any objects, figurines, beautiful tableware or expensive crystal wine glasses.
Rectangular glass shelves
Simplicity of shape, sharp or slightly rounded corners - rectangular shelves can be considered classic. They have no specific advantages other than this aesthetic nobility, but they do have a unique disadvantage - you can stumble into a sharp corner and get seriously injured.
If you have a child or animals in your home, take this into account in your design decisions and choose rounded corners. They will not spoil the overall appearance.
Corner designs
In small rooms, corner shelves will look much better. They are built into the corner, completely occupying it, and as a result seem light, almost weightless.
They take up almost no space, but they provide no less space than rectangular ones.
They are usually installed in bathrooms and tiny kitchenettes typical of Khrushchev-era buildings.
Custom shaped glass shelves
Since glass is usually cast, there is a huge scope for non-standard shapes - you just need to make the appropriate design for casting.
It could be waves, a shell, a flower, a triangle, a cone, a blurry blot with curved outlines, a heart - in fact, anything.
The big minus is the price. The more original the shelf, the more expensive its production will be.
But, if your budget allows, you can order a shelf to your taste, according to your sketch. And get a real work of art that would look good at an exhibition.
Drawing
A shelf with a pattern - if you add lighting, it looks even more impressive
You can apply a drawing to a shelf in different ways:
- Stained glass. Perhaps the most obvious idea. Stained glass is made simply - pieces of colored glass are inserted into the frame and folded into a pattern. But pieces can fall out, and this is a big minus.
- Fusion This method is devoid of such fragility - the pieces of glass are not inserted into the frame, but are placed on a large piece of glass and baked in an oven. As a result, the color will remain bright, and the glass itself will become even stronger than before.
- Paints. Drawing with paints is also a pretty obvious idea. You can even decorate a shelf in this way with your own hands, if you are not afraid to use a brush and ruin the craft.
- Photo printing. If stained glass seems fragile to you, you don’t like fusion aesthetically, and you don’t know how to draw, you can simply print a photo you like on the shelf. The result will look great and cost very little.
- Engraving. If the drawing looked very stylish, you can engrave it on glass - it will have a beautiful shade, it will look original. The only negative is that the glass will become more fragile. The drawing itself can be made in any way. Flowers, patterns, waves, birds, butterflies, plant motifs, favorite characters for a children's room - everything that comes to mind.
The main thing is that shelves with a pattern are not suitable for bulky items. They cannot act as shelves for crystal or TV. You need to put something light on them, otherwise no pattern will be visible.
Shelving series
Kallax
One of the series of shelving units from Ikea is Kallax. This series is a set of sections of different heights and widths with the same size of cells and various inserts: baskets, drawers, cabinets with doors, boxes. There are Kallax racks with already selected inserts. And if desired, Ikea offers to purchase several sections of a suitable size and the required number of boxes or drawers for them. Any element of the Kallax series from Ikea can be made in the following colors: white, glossy white, yellow, green, black-brown and bleached oak. The main parts of the structure are made of chipboard and fiberboard. To make and cover doors, Ikea uses chipboard, film, acrylic paint with embossing and printing, and ABS plastic. Doors can also be light green, turquoise or pink.
The Kallax series has a standard external cell size of 42x42 cm. There are single sections on sale, as well as composite designs: 2x2 cells, 4x1, 4x2, 4x4, 5x5. Moreover, each structure can be installed not only in a vertical, but also in a horizontal position. There are several options in which the Kallax shelving unit is combined with a side table. Similar models can be used to zone a room. At the buyer's request, it is possible to equip the cabinet with wheels or lighting. Kallax shelving is suitable for the interior of a living room, study, library, office and children's room, decorated in modern, minimalist and hi-tech styles.
Billy
Billy shelving from Ikea is made of chipboard and fiberboard coated with birch, oak, ash veneer or painted with white or black-brown acrylic paint. If the Kallax series consists only of open cells, sometimes closed by a door, then the Billy series includes doors for individual cells or for the entire height of the structure.
Related article: Optimal colors of suspended ceilings for interiors
Doors can be:
- framed glass;
- glass without frame;
- combination of glass and fiberboard insert;
- frame with fiberboard insert.
Due to the high doors, elements of the Billy series can look not like a shelving unit, but like a full-fledged closet. Another feature of the series is the ability to adjust the height and width of the shelves at will within the dimensions of standard cells. For this purpose, Ikea offers customers additional shelves. From sections of the Billy series you can create any desired structure, including corner ones. Furniture from Ikea Billy series is appropriate in the interior of a living room, office or home library in a classic style. Also, the Billy series is suitable for zoning a room.
Albert
For fans of natural wood and country style, Ikea offers the Albert shelving unit, made of untreated solid pine and spruce. You can use it to complement the interior of a living room or kitchen made of wood, painting it with varnish of a suitable shade. The Albert rack can be used as a separate piece of furniture. To give completeness, its surface must be covered with oil, wax, varnish or stain.
Matting
Colored matte shelves - you can choose the color to suit your taste
A glass shelf does not have to be transparent at all - it can also be matte. Most often this effect is achieved using sandblasting. A jet of sand is passed over the glass under pressure, and it becomes dull and dark.
You can also use etching - instead of sand, acid, the effect is similar, only there are bright streaks along the surface, reminiscent of lightning.
Frosted glass can be colored in different ways and be:
- colorless - this type is not very interesting, but it fits in everywhere;
- colored - and then the color can be anything, from white to black.
The main thing to remember is that no matter how high-quality the glass is, frosting will in any case make it more fragile.
Requirements for warehouse racks
When purchasing racks, you need to pay great attention to the quality of the equipment. Regardless of the type of structure, the following criteria must be monitored:
absence of defects on the products - the strength of the material is not only a guarantee of a long service life during storage of the goods, but also allows you to maintain the safety of employees; curvature of supports - in order to properly fix the equipment, it is necessary to monitor the level of curvature of the supports, the permissible value is no more than 0.1%; integrity of the seams - regardless of whether you are purchasing new equipment or something that has already been in use, it is important to carefully inspect the seams; damaged welds indicate a poor-quality design; the presence of a protective layer on the structure, a special layer protects the metal from corrosion. This criterion will allow the structure to be used for a long time without reducing the load capacity. It is also necessary to ensure that the equipment purchased for the warehouse has all the necessary documents
With their help, the owner will be able to determine the load capacity and comply with operating rules
It is also necessary to ensure that the equipment purchased for the warehouse has all the necessary documents. With their help, the owner will be able to determine the load capacity and follow the operating rules.
Toning
Tinting that perfectly matches the souvenirs on the shelf
If you want the shelves in your room to be dark, but not frosted, you can use tinted glass. It is stronger than other varieties, and looks no worse.
Glass shelves with wood
Wood is a frequent companion of glass. We can say that this is a classic. Glass shelves in a wooden bookcase, next to a wooden door, on a wooden shelf, on wooden brackets, in a wooden niche, on a wooden shelf - all this looks familiar and good.
Fits well into classic interiors. Serves for many years. Rarely breaks.
The main thing is to ensure that the wood matches the glass in shade if you decide to make it different from the standard transparent option. And do not use chipboard - it breaks down too quickly.
Materials
Shelving, like any other furniture, is made from different materials. Raw materials can be of different weights and qualities, depending on their future use. There are three main materials for making bookcases: wood, metal and plastic.
Tree
Natural wood is a very refined and beautiful material that will add warmth and comfort to your home interior. A wooden rack will fit perfectly into any design and, if used correctly, will last a long time. The most important advantage of wood is its environmental friendliness; it is absolutely safe during operation, and after the end of its service life, the material does not pose a threat to the environment.
The disadvantage of products made from natural material is their large mass and bulkiness. If you choose this material, be prepared for transportation difficulties. In addition, wood can easily ignite, so you should not place shelves made from this raw material near the use of a fire or heater.
Metal
Such material can be either heavy or lightweight - it depends on the expected load on the shelves. The metal rack is highly durable and has a fairly long service life. Iron shelves are great for storing books, tools or other household items. The metal can be different, for example, if the bookcase is made of steel, it will be strong, reliable and can withstand any load.
If you choose a design made of steel supports and glass shelves, the rack will become an elegant and sophisticated piece of furniture. This shelf is used exclusively for decorative light objects; fragile shelves cannot be loaded with heavy objects. Another important advantage of iron products is their fire safety, because metal cannot ignite at all.
With all the advantages, metal also has some negative features. The color palette does not differ in a variety of shades, and the shape of the product is greatly limited by the properties of the material. Also, if exposed to moisture, iron may begin to rust - inexpensive metal products may not have anti-corrosion treatment. But even if the product is expensive, with increased humidity levels the metal can still begin to deteriorate.
Plastic
This material is the most versatile in color selection, and also has sufficient strength and aesthetics. Unlike metal, plastic is moisture-resistant and does not require any special features for storage and operation. The plastic rack can be supplemented with new sections at any time using special hooks and clips. Polymer structures can withstand heavy loads, so they are used for storing things both in living rooms and in warehouses and garages.
Illuminated structures
Every designer will agree that the right lighting is the best complement to any glass decorative element. Light makes glass sparkle and turns it into a real jewel. And most importantly, you don’t need any complicated equipment. Simply run the LED strip along the edge of the shelf.
It can be white, green, blue - in fact, any color. If this color matches the interior, the result will be beautiful in any case.
Glass shelves with mirror
The mirror combines with glass shelves no worse than the lighting. It is usually wall-mounted, hung directly above the shelf, and the design, although not original, does have a touch of traditional chic.
On the shelf under the mirror you can place cosmetics, washing supplies, and a comb. You can look in the mirror.
The best solution for the entire structure is to place it somewhere in the bathroom or hallway so that you can clean yourself up in the morning.
It is interesting, by the way, that the glass shelves themselves can be mirrored.
Rooms where glass shelves are appropriate
The final touch is placement. Whatever shelf you end up with - wood or metal, patterned or matte, colored or transparent, thin or thick - it needs to find a place.
Modern modular wall, what are its features?
Unlike the walls of the past: massive, stationary, modular furniture has its own characteristics, it:
- Convenient.
- Roomy.
- Modern.
- Corresponds to fashion trends.
- Gives you the opportunity to install elements to your liking.
Rational placement of shelves allows you to properly use the living room area. This is a versatile and functional option for small spaces.
What are the innovative approaches to its production? As stated above, these are not the bulky cabinets of yesteryear, but interchangeable cabinets. The kits can be supplemented and installed according to your wishes and needs.
Another difference. It’s easy to choose the number and size of sections yourself. What does it mean? Cabinets, cabinets, shelves can be of different sizes, required depth and capacity, have different textures and facade materials, which adds interesting variety.
Watch the video:
Bathroom
The very first and most obvious thought is the bathroom. Any residential building requires that residents get up and wash in the morning, come home from work and wash their hands, and take a shower in the evening. And for this to become possible, there must be a space where you can put a glass of toothbrushes, soap and shampoos.
Shelves in the bathroom are usually either:
- corner, on a special plastic pipe so as not to take up much space - often this is the corner where the bathtub is installed;
- narrow rectangular, held on mounts under the mirror.
And if space allows, then you can hang shelves here and there.
Why do you need shelving in your home?
Depending on the location of the rack, a wide variety of items can be stored on it. Shelves are most often used for books; they can be placed in almost any room.
Modern bookshelves have an advantage over other cabinet furniture, as they allow rational use of room space, have an attractive appearance and are inexpensive. They are also very roomy, taking up very little space, so the interior is not overloaded.
Shelving in the hallway
A small flat rack is suitable for the hallway, which will take up little space but will accommodate all the necessary things: umbrellas, hats, bags, scarves and shoes.
Shelving in the kitchen
In the kitchen, the rack can serve as traditional shelves and wall cabinets. By adapting a shallow, large rack for kitchen utensils, you will simultaneously solve the problem of placing items and make the kitchen modern and fashionable.
Shelf in the living room
In the living room, a shelving unit can be an alternative to the traditional “wall”. It can accommodate books, souvenirs, a stereo system, and a TV with DVD player. Its spaciousness and lightness will allow you not to clutter up the living room space with bulky cabinets and chests of drawers.
The rack can be independent, represent part of a storage system, or the system itself can consist of several racks. You can assemble such a “furniture constructor” in any furniture store, focusing on your taste.
Shelf in the nursery
You can’t do without shelving in a children’s room. Since open storage systems allow the child to easily find and get the things he needs. He will be happy to arrange toys on shelves and play on them, and, as he grows up, he will put his textbooks on the shelves.
Shelving next to the workplace
It is also very convenient to place a small shelving unit next to your home computer. It can easily accommodate CDs, printer paper, reference books, books, magazines and other accessories that will always be available.
Kitchen
In a small kitchen, glass shelves create a feeling of spaciousness, especially if the walls are painted a light color.
Kitchen glass shelves usually:
- support the TV - such a shelf in the corner, above the level of the furniture;
- support all kinds of tools and ingredients - and then serve as a replacement for wall cabinets.
It is important to remember that open shelves should not be hung right up to the ceiling, and it is also better to keep them away from the work area. Otherwise, your regular routine will include constantly cleaning them from grease and stains.
Living room
Glass shelves in the living room are a great place to display souvenirs.
In the hall, hanging glass shelves are needed not so much for practical purposes, but to complement the interior and show that the owners have taste.
You can put decorative plates, photographs, souvenirs, icons, books or even a TV on them - as long as they generally look good.
Tips for choosing
When choosing any piece of furniture, you should rely on the purpose for which it is brought into the interior. Using a shelving unit, for example, you can make a bright accent or you can organically fit it into the style of the room. Depending on the purpose for which the rack is purchased, you can choose its shape, size and appearance. If the buyer’s special preferences do not allow choosing a suitable option in the furniture catalog, you can always make a custom-made shelving unit.
Mainly when choosing this piece of furniture, you should consider the following nuances.
The weight of books or items that are planned to be stored on the shelves. On average, one shelf of a rack can support a weight of 5 to 20 kg. To avoid deformation of the shelves, you need to choose a strong structure. If the choice fell on an elegant rack, then it is recommended not to overload it. To prevent the shelves from sagging, you should stop at a length of no more than 60 cm and think about a back wall that could lighten the load.
You need to consider the size of the items that will be on the shelves. Their width and distance between them depend on this.
If children or a pet live in the house, you should think about their safety. Shelves must be secure and able to support excess weight in case someone hangs or climbs on them. To ensure that racks are safe for others, manufacturers often equip them with fasteners. Even if the rack is on the floor, it still needs to be strengthened.
The practicality of the rack plays a big role. Doors, for example, will provide reliable protection from dust. But open shelves will require frequent cleaning.
The aesthetics of the corner shelving also plays an important role. It should be harmoniously combined with other interior items
Shelves are usually located in study/work rooms or in the living room, less often in the bedroom.
You should take into account the parameters of this piece of furniture. If its height is more than 100 cm, then this is most likely a floor option
To install such a rack, you need to remove the baseboard. Otherwise, you can make the structure hinged. Shelves that are too high and too low are inconvenient to use, as it is difficult to access the upper and lower shelves.
And the most important recommendation for choosing a corner bookcase is to pay attention to durable models made from such an environmentally friendly and durable material as wood. It can be solid birch, ash, oak, pine, chipboard in veneer or painted moisture-resistant plywood. It is worth paying attention to the presence of a durable paint coating.
