Finished Wood Shelving as Furniture

Interior design. These two words seem frightening to a lot of people, mainly because modern media has given us the impression that designing is an unattainable art form available only to a chosen few. That's not true. Most of us will never be professional interior designers, but if we learn the basic concepts we can make our homes look beautiful and inviting. One of the first concepts is to think outside the box. We'll use the example of looking at finished wood shelving as furniture.

When we design a new look for a conservatory, for instance, we most likely will not be spending the money on new furniture every time we want to change things up. That means we must make the furniture work within our new design. Better yet, we work our new design plans around the furniture we have. That includes wood shelving.

Wood shelving is thought of by most people as strictly utilitarian. But shelving units that are finished in a nice, subtle colour can really make the difference in the final look you achieve. If you have wooden shelving that is unfinished, or just looks like its seen better days, you might want to stain and seal it to enhance your design scheme. Finished shelving that is already in good shape is a bonus that's ready to work with.

Use your shelves to fill blank spots along walls; especially where doors or walkways prohibit the space from being used for sofas and chairs. Empty corners also make a good place for them. Just remember, lighting is key when shelving is part of your design element. Glare from windows, or a corner that's too dark, can turn your shelving units into unattractive monstrosities. Lighting around shelves needs to be even and consistent.