The best designer shelves and shelving units
Display books, plants and treasured objects in style with these essential furniture finds for organised souls
Perusing a person’s bookshelves can tell you an awful lot about them, so it’s important that you are comfortable with what yours say about you. That means curation – selecting the books, artworks and objets you love the most, and displaying them in a way that’s considered but full of character. A well-designed bookcase can encourage this approach – these are our top picks…
‘Rebus’, bookcase Desalto
Designer Francesco Rota looked to the iconic video game ‘Tetris’ to create a series of freestanding modules that can be combined in an infinite number of configurations. Approx £5,340, desalto.it
‘Zoe’ bookcase, Minotti
Hannes Peer’s shelving system combines two pillars of 1970s design: groove and shine. For extra points, fill with statement reads, place it in the middle of a room and double it up as a divider. £22,315, minotti.com
‘Montana Free 220000’, Montana
For simple, unfussy display storage, you can always rely on this Danish brand. The latest in its line-up of functional modules is the work of Jakob Wagner, and is typified by its light and clean frame. Approx £770, montanafurniture.com
‘Storage One (Lo)’ shelving, Joy Objects
The brainchild of Swedish designer Fredrik Paulsen, Joy Objects has made a name for itself with boundary-pushing pieces. The brand’s new design, with its zingy chartreuse shelves, is an excellent introduction to its quirky world. Approx £630, joyobjects.com
‘Slot’ bookcase, Case Furniture
So popular is Terence Woodgate’s cobalt ‘Slot’ system that Case Furniture has updated it with an improved slotting mechanism, so it can be easily reconfigured. From £655, casefurniture.com
‘Liquid Rack’ shelving, Furn Object
Ripples seem to float on the surface of this steel unit by designers Sergii and Anna Baierzdorf. The secret to its fluid appearance is a metalwork technique used by local artisans in Ukraine. Approx £6,670, victoriayakusha.com
‘Shelving M24’, USM Haller
There’s a reason why these Swiss-made modular storage units have remained so popular: modernist tubes, 15 colour options and durable materials. £1,857, uk.usm.com
‘Limited-edition 1949-2024’ shelf, String
The String shelving unit is a truly enduring icon, beloved by minimalist organised types since it was first designed by Swedish architect Nisse Strinning and his wife Kajsa Strinning back in 1949. This new version celebrates a long legacy. From £220, stringfurniture.com
‘Antibes’ bookcase, Boffi
This modular system by Piero Lissoni is a stylishly customisable way to create large or even floor-to-ceiling shelving. The simple design comes in many lacquered finishes as well as several timber options, and although the depth of the shelves cannot be adjusted, the width and height of each one is fully at your discretion. Price on application, boffi.com
‘Magazine Shelf MS.115.2’, Moebe
These slimline shelves are ideal not just for displaying magazines (we suggest a back catalogue of ELLE Decoration), but also artwork, which looks stylish propped within its framework. The elastic band that is placed around the unit’s vertical rods ensures nothing slips off of your display. £597, twentytwentyone.com
‘Alba’ bookcase, Arflex
Bernhardt & Vella designed this delicate storage system that’s perfect for displaying objet d’art. It’s is intended to be attached to the floor and ceiling, lending a stability to its glass shelves, which come in three colours – green, bronzed or smokey. £9,390, monologuelondon.com
‘Brera 23’ bookcase, Gallotti & Radice
Sometimes, it’s as much about what you hide as what you display. That was the thinking of designer Massimo Castagna when placing sections of storage behind doors in either decorated glass, metal-lacquered glass or a Craquelé finish. These closed off treasure chests are joined by wide shelves in either stained ash or walnut. From £3,000, gallottiradice.it
‘Corniches’ shelves, Vitra
Don’t have much wall space, but still want to make an impact? Consider this chunky design by Rowan and Erwan Bouroullec, which has all manner of uses: as a key shelf by the front door, a soap dish in the bathroom or just to display your most prized objects. From £55, conranshop.co.uk
‘Dedal’ shelves, Gubi
Made using Mathieu Matégot’s innovative ‘Rigitulle’ technique, the ‘Dédal’ pairs metal tubing with sheet metal that has been perforated, bent and folded into a characterful, geometric shape. Available in a kaleidoscope of colours, it’s particularly effective in multiples. Approx £370, gubi.com
‘Bond Color’ shelving system, Fogia
Classic, endlessly flexible and designed to shape-shift depending on your space and needs, the ‘Bond’ system is do-it-all shelving at its best. Now, the design comes in a new range of punchy, primary colours, which act as the perfect counterpart to its minimalist structure. From £639, fogia.com
‘Ren’ bookcase, Poltrona Frau
Sometimes, simplicity rules. That’s certainly true in the case of the ‘Ren’ bookcase by Neri & Hu, which features two lateral uprights, slightly inclined, which support birch plywood shelves upholstered in finest leather. From £5,172, poltronafrau.com
‘Chimney’ shelves, Vipp
Named after the Chimney House (one of Vipp’s five hotels, for which they were created) these oak-veneer shelves are mounted on narrow, vertical panels. Available in two sizes, they’ll suit any pared-back interior. From £295, vipp.com
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