You probably haven’t thought much about your doorway walls, but they’re often wasted space you can totally use. Instead of letting that vertical area sit empty, you can add storage for your books, display items, and daily necessities.
This collection of 30 ideas will help you clear clutter and make the most of every corner, especially in a compact home.
Narrow Doorway Bookshelf Adds Hidden Reading Nook
Next to a bedroom entrance, a tall, slim bookshelf is built into the side of a doorway frame. This narrow unit is filled with books.
Integrate Display into Room Dividers with Floating White Cubbies
Incorporate open-fronted white cubbies into your vertical room dividers. These rectangular shelves, mounted between dark wood pillars, display photos and small decor.
Frame a Doorway with Wall-to-Wall Shelving
A floor-to-ceiling white shelving unit can surround an entryway or doorway. It works best when you want to frame the opening to an adjacent room.
The numerous cubbies hold books, decor, and other items.
Conceal Kitchen Essentials Behind Door Panels with a Pull-Out Cabinet
In an unused doorway, a slim, pull-out cabinet slides on metal tracks. Its pantry items, from oils to small appliances, are concealed behind matching door panels.
Showcase Decor in Built-In Niches
Open-fronted white cubbies built into your wall can hold decorative items like striking blue coral pieces, textured natural spheres, and metallic vases for an entryway.
Built-In Niches Add Bright Yellow Accents to Shelving
Incorporate bright yellow niches into built-in shelving. These recessed sections provide a backdrop for books, photos, and decorative objects.
Frame a Bedroom Nook with Built-In Shelving and Recessed Lighting
If you’re defining a compact sleeping area, frame it with floor-to-ceiling shelving units on either side. Install recessed lighting directly above the bed.
Integrate a Doorway with a White Built-In Display Shelving Unit
White floor-to-ceiling shelving frames an entryway opening. Its open-fronted cubbies display books, framed photos, and decorative objects.
Frame a Bathroom Entry with Wood and Teal Cabinets
Incorporate a contrast of natural wood and deep teal into your cabinetry design for a bold entryway. Warm wood tones define open shelving above the doorway and the bathroom vanity.
Built-in White Bookcases Frame a Doorway to a Bedroom
Floor-to-ceiling white bookcases built on either side of a doorway create extensive shelving for books and decorative items, seamlessly framing the entrance to another room.
Built-In Shelving with Wood Trim Frames a Compact Bathroom Entry
If you need more storage next to a doorway, integrate a narrow shelving unit with a warm wood frame. It includes both open shelves for books and decor, and lower cabinets for concealed items.
Narrow Shelving Unit Frames Doorway With Books
Next to the door frame, a slim shelving unit is built into the wall. This tall, narrow bookcase holds your reading material.
Frame a Kitchen Entrance with Bookcases and a Ladder
Extensive white shelving units reaching the ceiling can frame a doorway, incorporating a rolling ladder to access higher books while framing a view into your kitchen or dining area.
Doorway Shelf for Displaying Your Small Potted Plants
Install a narrow white shelf above a doorway. Supported by light wood brackets, it holds a collection of succulents and cacti in metallic and terracotta planters.
Deep Niches With Floating Wood Shelves Display Decor
You can install deep, recessed wall niches with floating wood shelves if you need a natural spot for decor. They’re good for showing a mix of dark ceramic vases, amber glass bottles, and even a small potted snake plant.
Keep Books Organized Above a Door with a White Shelf
A simple white shelf above a doorway keeps books organized. This long, narrow shelf with white brackets holds a varied collection of colorful paperbacks and hardcovers.
Shelf Above Door Holds a Full Book Collection
Install a simple, deep shelf above a doorway. On it, a full book collection displays its colorful spines.
Frame a Kitchen Entrance with Built-In Bookcases
If you want to create a natural transition between rooms, integrate floor-to-ceiling bookcases on either side of a doorway. White shelving units filled with books frame an opening that leads into a bright kitchen area.
White Built-In Cabinetry Holds Books and Decor
Floor-to-ceiling white built-in cabinetry frames a doorway, featuring closed storage in its lower section for less-used items and open shelving on top for books and decorative objects.
Gray Built-In Shelving Frames Doorway With Varied Decor
On either side of a doorway, floor-to-ceiling gray shelving units stand. These shelves hold a mix of glass bottles, sculptures, and plants.
Keep Plates Visible and Accessible with Tall Plate Rack Shelves
Build a narrow, floor-to-ceiling shelving unit into a wall to display your decorative plates. This tall unit features horizontal rails on each shelf to hold them upright.
Modular Cubbies Create a Staircase Effect for Storage
Modular white cubes step up and down along a wall, mimicking a staircase. Alternating wood-fronted boxes are incorporated, along with varied depths and heights for books and decor.
Maximize Wall Storage with Built-In Bookcases Flanking a Doorway
Integrate floor-to-ceiling bookcases on either side of a doorway. White cabinetry with multiple shelves and drawers creates a storage solution.
Green Ceramic Vases Create A Unified Collection
If you have a high shelf above a doorway, try grouping an assortment of green ceramic vases. Varying their shapes and sizes keeps the display interesting.
Corner Shelves Holding Varied Sculptural Decor
Staggered, light wood shelves in a corner hold a collection of sculptural objects and vases.
Built-in White Shelving Creates a Room Divider
White floor-to-ceiling shelving units stand ready to divide an open-plan living space. Their open design allows light to pass through, and they hold books and decor.
Frame a Doorway with Warm Wood Shelving for Varied Decor
Warm wood shelving, built as floor-to-ceiling bookcases, frames a doorway on either side. These units display a mix of books and decorative objects.
Maximize Book Storage in Attic Slopes with Custom Shelving
Dark wood shelving follows the unique angles of an attic room’s roofline. It’s custom-built to fit the sloped walls in a dramatic, stepped configuration.
Wood Drawer Unit for Stacking Plates and Bowls
A tall, narrow wooden drawer unit stores dinnerware, with multiple shallow drawers perfectly sized for neatly stacking plates and bowls, keeping them protected.
Narrow Shelf Above Doorway for Books
Install a slim shelf directly above a doorway for an unexpected storage spot. This white shelf, positioned just below the ceiling trim, works best for smaller books or decorative items.
It doesn’t consume any floor space.
