25 Home Office Shelving Ideas for an Efficient, Organized Workspace

The idea of a dedicated home office has changed from being a unique and ‘additional’ space to something that is mandatory of sorts in the last few years. Changing lifestyles, technology that enables us to increasingly work from home and smart management of resources has seen the home office become significant part of new residences across the globe. Of course, for many of us who do not have one already or live in an apartment that demands space-savvy design, finding room for one is a challenge. Dashing, organized open shelves make the job a whole lot easier!

Farmhouse-home-office-with-ceiling-wooden-beams-and-spacious-shelving — Farmhouse home office with ceiling wooden beams and spacious shelving [From: Anna Wilson Interiors]

Smart shelving in the modern home office is an absolute must, irrespective of its size and the task that it is used for. Open, extensive shelves give the home office an organized, elegant and even sophisticated vibe without sacrificing on ‘visual space’. They also double as lovely displays when you do not really need to stack up tons of books, files or other accessories. Multi-tasking and space-saving, this is a look at the best home office shelving ideas that improve your work productivity.

Wall of Shelves for the Home Office

The easiest and undoubtedly most impressive way to add storage and display space to your home office is with a wall of smart shelves. No, we are not talking about just using a few modular open shelves in the home office. Instead, convert an entire wall in the room into a series of shelves. If your home office has a double-height ceiling, even better! Now you can use a ladder to access the shelves at the top and this idea is absolutely ideal for homeowners who are also booklovers! This wall filled with shelves can be your accent wall and its varying contents will paint a dramatic picture over the years.

Double-height-industrial-home-office-with-brick-wall — Double height industrial home office with brick wall[From: Unique Homes Iowa]

Scandinavian-style-home-office-with-large-open-wooden-bookshelf — Scandinavian style home office with large, open wooden bookshelf [From: Emil Eve Architects]

Shelves-with-ladder-allow-you-to-make-the-most-of-the-vertical-space-in-the-home-office — Shelves with ladder allow you to make the most of the vertical space in the home office [From: Design № Five]

Use-shelving-as-a-room-divider-in-the-modern-home-with-open-plan-living — Use shelving as a room divider in the modern home with open plan living

A wall of shelves for the booklover inside the polished contemporary home office [From: Roselind Wilson Design]

Bookshelf-for-the-home-office-under-the-mezzanine-level — Bookshelf for the home office under the mezzanine level

Brick-wall-in-the-backdrop-adds-beauty-to-the-open-shelves-in-wood-inside-the-home-office — Brick wall in the backdrop adds beauty to the open shelves in wood inside the home office [From: Duet Design Group]

Freestanding Shelving Units

Already have a home office and feel that the ‘wall of shelves’ idea is simply too much of renovating work? Not to fret, as we have the perfect alternative – a freestanding shelf unit that adds color, contrast or pizzazz to the home office! This one is all too easy to implement and it is only the color scheme, style and the overall dimensions of the room that determine your choice here. Shelves in metal and wood are currently a hot trend and they add both rustic and industrial overtones to the home office with ease. Even if you have a room that is distinctly contemporary, try one of these out and you will not be disappointed!

Gorgeous-freestanding-shelf-steals-the-show-in-this-spacious-modern-home-office-with-a-dashing-rug — Gorgeous freestanding shelf steals the show in this spacious modern home office with a dashing rug [From: mr alex TATE]

Lower-level-contemporary-home-office-with-spiral-staircase-and-wooden-open-shelves — Lower level contemporary home office with spiral staircase and wooden open shelves

Shelving-brings-a-touch-of-industrial-charm-to-the-modern-home-office — Shelving brings a touch of industrial charm to the modern home office [From: Steven Dailey Construction]

Slim-metallic-shelves-bring-golden-glint-to-the-home-office — Slim metallic shelves bring golden glint to the home office

Wood-and-metal-shelf-on-wheels-for-the-gorgeous-home-office — Wood and metal shelf on wheels for the gorgeous home office [From: RENOSY]

Cube-style-open-shelves-in-metal-and-glass-for-the-spacious-home-office — Cube style open shelves in metal and glass for the spacious home office [From: Wilson Lighting]

Multiple Options Woven Together

If there is one complaint that we have with open shelves, it is that they demand a certain sense of organizing discipline and a clutter-free design philosophy. In case you feel that this is simply not possible in your home office, couple the open shelves in the upper half of the room with cabinets at a lower level. Again, this is not a revolutionary idea, but the classics are a classic for good reason!

Gorgeous-use-of-blue-inside-the-charming-modern-office — Gorgeous use of blue inside the charming modern office [From: Kay Green Design]

Series-of-bluish-gray-shelves-and-cabinets-create-ample-storage-space-inside-this-dashing-home-office — Series of bluish-gray shelves and cabinets create ample storage space inside this dashing home office

Striking-open-shelves-for-the-light-filled-home-office — Striking open shelves for the light-filled home office

Transitional-home-office-with-wooden-cabinets-that-feature-glass-doors — Transitional home office with wooden cabinets that feature glass doors [From: Laura of Pembroke]

Dedicated-wall-for-storage-and-shelving-makes-the-home-office-a-lot-more-organized — Dedicated wall for storage and shelving makes the home office a lot more organized

Formal-home-office-with-bookshelves-stacked-all-the-way-up-to-the-roof — Formal home office with bookshelves stacked all the way up to the roof

Discover Space for Shelving

The hard part about adding shelves to the home office is undoubtedly finding space for them. If you have a office that sits in an open plan living, then a smart divider that doubles as shelving can serve multiple purposes without wasting square footage. Slim glass shelves with strip LED lighting are more of an aesthetic choice than heavy-duty workers and are great for those who do not need too much shelf space. From space beneath the stairway to the wall above the desk, it all depends on your own home office and its unique floor plan.