13 Pretty Yet Hardworking Home Office Shelving Ideas

Kennith Bogan

An organized yet aesthetically pleasing home office is key for productivity, and storage shelves are an easy way to keep everything within reach without cluttering your workspace. Creating a good shelving system will not only provide valuable storage and keep the space clutter-free, but it’s also a great way to add a decorative element. Adding small accessories will make your desk feel more personal and create a comfortable environment to work in.

Style office shelves with desk supplies, layered artwork, textured baskets, and books for visual interest and a personal touch. Whether you have enough room for floor-to-ceiling shelves or want to install custom built-ins, this collection of office shelving ideas offers inspiration to make your space both functional and beautiful.

Werner Straube

1. Built-In Attic Shelves

An attic home office doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice shelf space. Here, built-in shelves provide both open and closed storage and hold baskets of office supplies as well as decorative items. The warm white color used on the walls and upholstered furniture keeps the room bright and open for an inviting feel. The wood desk brings in a natural element that ties in with the floors. Its position provides seating from both sides to maximize space.

Kimberly Gavin

2. Ladder Office Shelves

Wall-mounted ladder shelves offer plenty of floor-to-ceiling storage and help draw the eye up. If you’re working with small square footage, take advantage of vertical space and install low-profile shelving. To give shelves a uniform look, use a limited color palette, such as the white bins, boxes, and magazine holders on these office shelves.

Brian McWeeney

3. Built-In Office Nook

Utilize an empty nook in a hallway or next to a fireplace to create a cozy built-in workspace. Install simple floating shelves to provide storage and a work surface, and add a cute chair for a pop of color and a comfy spot to sit while catching up on emails. Install a recessed light above the workstation or use a small desk lamp to keep the area well-lit.

Brian McWeeney

4. Cube Office Shelves

Office shelving isn’t just for storage. It’s also an invitation to get creative. The cube bookcases in this home office are filled with items that incorporate various colors, shapes, and textures, creating a lived-in feel. Use stacks of books, textured baskets, and pottery collections to give your shelves interest. For extra dimension, layer framed photos, drawings, and other artwork on top of shelves instead of hanging them on walls.

Related: 18 Effortless Ways to Style Bookshelf Decor

John Merkl

5. Rustic Floating Wood Shelves

Multiple varieties of wood give this office a cozy, rustic vibe. Mounting chunky barnwood shelves onto a wood-plank wall creates the appearance of built-ins and gives the space charm and character. This office is also an example of what you can do when there’s no space for bookshelves or cabinets—use the vertical space above your desk instead! If you live in the city but would rather work from a cabin in the mountains, this setup will instantly transport you.

Kritsada Panichgul

6. Closet Office

Utilize a spare closet to form a “cloffice.” To hide office supplies, install a sliding barn door so you can easily close the door when the work day is over. Paint the desk, floating shelves, and trim the same color for continuity. The blue paint color used on this closet office contrasts the warmth of a rattan chair, woven baskets, and wood door. Thoughtful details such as leather drawer pulls and a brass sconce elevate this little nook.

Michael Partenio

7. Kitchen Workstation

This kitchen workstation takes advantage of vertical space while providing a writing surface, storage shelves, and a spot to display a family calendar and corkboard. Get creative when designing a kitchen built-in by incorporating shelves for books and magazines, small drawers for office supplies, and a work surface large enough for a laptop. Don’t forget to add multiple outlets so there’s a spot to plug in your laptop. To prevent a kitchen office from feeling cluttered, use a small bench that can tuck under the desk and upholster it with a fun fabric.

Annie Schlechter

8. Two-Tone Home Office

Bold paint in a two-tone wall treatment makes a striking statement in this neutral home office. The steel gray on the bottom half grounds the desk while the bright white visually lightens the upper shelves. Wood floors and chairs warm the cool color palette.

Heather Anne Thomas

9. DIY Office Bookcase Makeover

Sometimes, more is more. If you’re looking for a home office DIY project to give a basic bookcase a more custom look, take inspiration from this bright and colorful room. Cut an arch shape out of thin plywood, paint it the same color as the shelf, and attach it to the top of an inexpensive bookshelf. Paint the back of the bookshelf a contrasting color for depth and attach a sconce at the top for a total transformation.

Ryann Ford

10. Elegant Built-In Shelves with Picture Lights

Clean lines and sleek picture lights give these built-in shelves a timeless elegance that sets the tone for the whole room. Rustic wood beams and a chunky wood table juxtapose the shelves yet keep with the classic yet modern feel of the space. To keep open shelves from looking too cluttered, stick to just a few types of items—such as the horizontal and vertical stacks of books and simple accessories seen here—and a limited color palette.

Kritsada Panichgul

11. Industrial-Style Floating Shelves

Bright colors, fun wallpaper, and cool industrial-style floating shelves turn this former closet into a playful workspace. A simple shelf forms a desk and a green metal chair adds a whimsical pop of color. It conveniently slides under the desk when it’s time to shut the blue barn doors. The floating shelves provide just enough space for colorful storage boxes and are flanked by vintage-style sconces for another decorative accent.

Jay Wilde

12. Office Storage Cubes

Office shelving doesn’t necessarily need to come in the form of a bookcase or cabinet. Get creative and use wall-mounted storage cubes to instantly transform any empty nook or wall into a home office. Use different sizes of cubes to form a unique pattern and give the space more interest. A sleek floating desk sits below the shelving for a cohesive look.

Adam Albright

13. Floating Office Shelves

If you have a small desktop, install floating shelves above it to store items that might otherwise clutter your desk. This small but mighty corner proves even a tiny space can stand in as an office. The leather baskets provide concealed storage and the shelves double as a place to display artwork. Below, a blank wall showcases an inspiration board.

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