Thursday, August 13, 2009

Bookcases: Friend or Foe?



























































Over the past few months, I have become keenly aware of the trouble that built-ins, armoires and other shelving units can cause a client. It's great to have these pieces for storage and display reasons, but the problem comes when trying to balance those two purposes. When we cram all of our books, papers and trophies onto the shelves for storage, it becomes distracting and unsettling to the eye. So then we try to "show-off" some accessories and cool knick-knacks, but if we display too many things, our space starts to look like Cracker Barrel with items covering every square inch. On the flipside, if we leave too few items on the shelf, our space looks unfinished.

So, we need to find that perfect balance of function and beauty. Don't think it's possible? There is life between show-house and mad-house! Take a look at these "before" and "after" pictures. (Before pictures are found on the left and the top respectively)

Neither picture is an example of the extreme cases I have written about today, but they do exemplify how to functionally accessorize a space that real people live in. With a little rearranging and clustering you can have a shelving unit you are no longer embarrassed for your friends to see. Better yet, you can have it at an affordable price!!

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