Bookshelves and ladder shelves

A wall is the last free surface in a room that already has a sofa, a desk, and a dog bed. Our shelves and ladder shelves turn that vertical space into open storage you can see and reach without opening a door. The lineup runs from 13 to 84 inches tall, so you pick the height your wall can take, then the finish that matches the room, then what you plan to put on it.

We keep the design quiet because the things you place there do the talking. A row of paperbacks, a trailing plant, a basket of mail you meant to sort last Tuesday. With 34 pieces in the range, the choice comes down to three practical questions.

• Measure your wall height first, then pick a shelf that fits.
• Choose a finish that already lives in your room.
• Decide what goes on it: books, baskets, or both.