Types of Shelving Units to Go For: Standalone Vs Fitted Shelving

Shelves are always a great addition to one's home. They provide an opportunity to better utilize space and also add to the aesthetic value of the place. However, choosing the perfect shelving unit is far from simple. There are certain considerations to be made and various types of shelves to choose from.

 Ultimately, it would boil down to the type of space one has and whether the homeowners prioritize space over flexibility. Either way, they need to conclude whether to settle for adjustable standalone shelves or invest in fitted shelving units in London. This blog highlights the types of options one can consider when choosing shelving units, along with questions to help you understand whether to opt for adjustable shelves or fitted shelves.

 

Let's dive in!

 

Types of Shelving Units in the Market

Shelving units come in various shapes, sizes and functionalities so that homeowners and even business owners can choose the one that's most relevant and convenient for their space.

 

Here are some of the most common types of shelving units for residential and commercial spaces:

 

➥ Fixed-Bracket

This type of shelving system is primarily comprised of brackets. These can be constructed either as standalone shelves or in a combination of additional adjustable brackets that form a multi-unit shelving system.

 

Bracket shelves are usually fixed. Their structure is primarily comprised of wood and metal, and are hinged to the wall using metal or plastic pins that vary in size and thickness.

 

They come available in a diverse range of styles and can make interiors look quite appealing. Bracket shelves can also be set up as suspension shelving units. This makes it possible to remove or add shelves as and when required. Additional shelves can be purchased from the market.   

 

➥ Built-In or Fitted

This is perhaps the simplest shelving concept that's popular today! Fitted shelving units include alcoves, nooks and several other styles. Such shelves can be built into any location or area within the home that has a suitable indent.

 

This makes it ideal for homes low on available space to carry out other types of activities. Built-in shelves usually involve fixing single wooden planks horizontally into the opening of the wall cavity. Its simple installation approach makes it an ideal decor for any part of the home.

 

Wooden planks of fitted shelves can be constructed on-site or off-site. Built-in shelving units are a fantastic choice for maximizing space within a home or office's interiors.   

 

➥ Floating

Floating shelves are surely the most minimal and aesthetically pleasing home decoration and storage solution. They are more flexible than fixed bracket shelving and are visibly screwed and hinged on the walls. Floating shelves are fantastic for displaying art pieces and home decor.

 

These are often referred to as torsion box shelves and are usually constructed from engineered wood and have internal bracket supports installed. This makes for a sturdy closed box which helps establish the ideal load length. Floating brackets come in a plethora of colours, sizes and designs, thus making it an exceptional choice for decorating the house.

 

➥ Corner

Corner shelves are not restricted to just the corners! This is a simple way of saying that corner shelves are specifically designed to fit into a limited space and tighter location. These are often customized into open or sliding units, in either floor-based or wall-hung format.

 

This type of shelving presents a smart way to maximize space without using up too much space. Corner shelves are designed to make the best of inaccessible corners in a range of different styles. They come in wood, plastic and engineered wood options that can be adjusted to fit into any location.  

 

➥ Hung

Hung shelves are most commonly seen in classrooms and storerooms, often used to fashionably display items like books, magazines, art pieces and other things. These involve mounting metal frames onto the ceiling and then fixing the shelves onto the frame. These are not at all ideal for spaces with false or lightweight ceilings.

 

➥ Standalone 

Lastly, the most mass-produced shelving solutions are standalone shelves. These are portable and are easily shifted from one location to the next. They come in a plethora of materials, sizes, colors and designs, and are great as a storage piece or a room display unit. They enable homeowners to make up for that extra bit of storage space they need for their home while not compromising on its aesthetics.

 

Things to Consider When Looking for Shelving Units

When in a dilemma about which type of shelving unit should one invest in, refer to the questions mentioned below:

 

[1] Do you own a home or live on rent?

Homeowners are typically in the practice of making modifications to their home which adds to its value through appreciation. In the case of a rented space, it is probably best to invest in furniture and shelving units that can transported somewhere else in case the tenant decides to shift. Besides, in the case of rented homes, it is likely to be the landlord's policy not to make any permanent modifications to their property.

 

[2] Will children be living in the house?

Safety is the primary concern in a home where children reside. It doesn't take much for their playful activities to go out of hand and topple over items with a higher centre of gravity, for example, standalone cabinets or shelves. Better to invest in more reliable storage facilities like fitted shelves and cabinets.

 

[3] Do you wish to maximize your home's storage potential?

The primary advantage of built-in storage systems is that they help maximize space in every possible way. All minor nooks and crannies are filled in, utilizing every bit of space as efficiently as possible. Whereas standalone cabinets leave out residual space on either side and are limited in space. Fitted solutions are naturally more spacious for it is their frame that takes up the extra space that could have been utilized otherwise.  

 

[4] Do you live in an open-floor layout?

Since free-standing shelves do not need to be fit against the wall or built into any cavity, they can be used to create pseudo walls in an open floor space. They can be used to aesthetically allocate different spaces, dividing them into a living room, work room or living space.

 

[5] Do you prefer more flexibility?

The reason why people don't always feel confident in investing in fitted furniture solutions is due to uncertainty about future events. Families are not always sure how their household would change in time. They may need to convert one of their rooms into a nursery if they have a new baby on the way. In such cases, opting for standalone shelves is the ideal solution for they can be moved around as and when required.

 

Conclusion

Choosing the right shelving unit is all about what works best in the end. The vast variety of shelving systems offers a diverse range of options to explore. Homeowners can even go for hybrid layouts where they install a combination of standalone and fitted furniture in London. This is ultimately the best way to make the best of both approaches.