Any home office is going to need some storage space, and that’s where shelving comes into play. Shelves are incredibly useful for housing papers, books, and fun trinkets around the desk. There are so many different approaches to take when it comes to shelving for the office—below, you’ll find 30 inspiring office shelving setups that you can replicate in your own home.
DIY a Two-Person Setup
If you have strong DIY skills, consider crafting a built-in setup like this one. It allows two people to work side by side while each having ample storage space. Consider painting your built-ins or the shelf backs in a fun paint color, if you wish.
Mount a Cabinet Above the Desk
Mounting a cabinet on the wall is a creative way to add more storage to your office space. These cubbies are the perfect size for file folders and books.
Layer Wall Mounted Shelves
Simple wall-mounted shelves are a no-fail option. Stack as many as you need on the wall above your desk, and decorate them as you wish. Here, the top shelf doubles as a spot for book storage.
Fake a Built-In Look
Fake a built-in look by hanging up a shelf that spans the entire length of your wall. If you’re not sure what to display in the cubbies, note that you could also place baskets there and fill them with extra office supplies, electronics, and the like.
Support Your Desired Aesthetic
Pick shelves that will enhance the aesthetic you’re trying to convey. Here, wooden shelves complement a simple wooden desk perfectly. Hanging plants add instant life and color to this workspace.
Try Shelves Behind the Desk
If you like your desk to face toward the door rather than away from it, consider placing wall shelves behind where you sit. Best of all, you have an instant background for video calls!
Go for the Gold With a Glam Bookcase
Don’t underestimate the power of a beautiful bookshelf in the home office. This gold piece provides plenty of storage space for trinkets and essentials alike and really pops against the deep blue wall paint.
Mix and Match Shelf Types
Don’t be afraid to mix and match shelf types in your office area. Here, corner shelves and simple floating shelves work in tandem to provide space for all kinds of small objects.
Experiment With Bold Paint
These blue built-ins are certainly showstopping. If you’re going to spend eight hours a day sitting in your home office, you might as well design it so that it reflects your preferences—there isn’t any bland cubicle furniture here.
Turn a Closet Into an Office
Turning a closet into an office is a great way to carve out a little work-from-home spot for yourself without taking over an entire room. Make use of the top shelf of the closet for storage, and then squeeze a desk inside. You can even add additional floating shelves above it if you like.
Think Tall and Narrow
Tall, narrow bookcases are great for small spaces. Choose one that can house a mixture of pretty items like plants, figurines, and vases, and practical ones such as a printer and a box for extra paper, as seen here.
Try a Simple Approach
Keep it simple. Those with a more minimalist aesthetic will gravitate toward a home office like this one. Simple white shelves make for the perfect spot to lean a few pieces of framed art.
Have Fun With Patterned Wallpaper
Wallpaper the backs of your shelves to spice them up a bit. This project is especially easy to take on if you already have some spare wallpaper left over from another room.
Carve Out a Nook
This nook is proof that even small apartments sometimes have space for closet offices. Given that this closet has a window, it’s a perfectly cozy little spot to work while gazing outside at the city streets.
Stack Shelves to the Ceiling
The more shelves, the merrier. This built-in system reaches high to the ceiling, demonstrating the importance of making the most of vertical storage space.
Position a Standard Bookcase at an Angle
If you’re renting or just don’t want to take on a major DIY project, note that a basic bookshelf can still shine in an office. Place it in a corner at an angle, as seen here, to add a bit of extra flair to your workspace.
Leave Wooden Shelves Unfinished
If you’re drawn to a natural look, leave your wooden shelves unfinished. Filling them up with plants will make you feel like you’re typing away in a greenhouse, too.
Wrap Shelves Around Your Space
In this workspace for two, wooden shelves wrap around in an L-shape and give each person space to store their stuff.
Hang a Small Metal Shelf
Shelves don’t have to be gigantic to be impactful. This small metal shelf fills an empty corner space perfectly.
Repurpose Extra Wood
If you’re making your own small, wooden shelves, consider using extra material to make a riser for your computer monitor, as shown here. It will help tie the look together wonderfully.
Turn a Bookshelf to the Side
In a tiny home office? Turn a bookshelf to its side and place it next to your desk for some extra surface space.
Hang Shelves and a Pegboard
Try a mix of shelves and pegboards in the office. Here, mini ledges are great for housing succulents, an extra keyboard, and other little items.
Make a Shelf Into a Desk
Maybe your desk itself is made from a shelf! DIY your own tabletop in an indented nook like this one—just be sure there are outlets nearby for lamps and laptop chargers.
Don’t Forget About a Room Divider
Use a room divider to section off your office from your living space and to house all kinds of things you’ll need during the work day. Multiple-purpose pieces like these are always winners.
Camouflage Your Shelves
Paint your shelves the same color as your walls so that they blend in completely. If you’re designing your own shelves, be thoughtful about how you’ll use them—if you plan to fill them with tall books, keep height top of mind, for example.
Make it MCM
These mid-century modern style shelves are right at home in this NYC bedroom workspace. Again, baskets come in handy for corralling smaller office items that aren’t quite as exciting to keep on display.
Go Scandi
You can’t go wrong with a Billy bookcase! A simple white shelving unit majorly complements this home’s simple style.
Center Shelves Perfectly
Hang your shelves so that they complement the architectural features in your apartment. Here, for example, floating shelves sit perfectly in the middle of the wall molding present.
Use a Bookshelf as a Barrier
Use a bookshelf to separate two different desk spaces. Even if you’re sharing a home office with a roommate or partner, you likely don’t want to sit right up against each other, and this solution allows for some necessary breathing room.
Try Shelves and Cabinetry
Go green! How cheerful is this wall-sized home office? The mix of shelves and closed cabinetry look seamless in the space and make it easier to just display fun accessories.