Shelves That Don't Suck: My Love Letter to HORNE's Collection

OK so I'm weirdly obsessed with shelving. My partner makes fun of me for it, but whatever - when you live in a 900 sq ft apartment like we do, good storage becomes your religion.

I stumbled across HORNE's shelving stuff last year when I was doom-scrolling design sites at 2am (insomnia, ugh). Their collection absolutely crushed what I'd been seeing at West Elm and CB2. Not cheap, mind you - I literally ate ramen for two weeks to justify buying their Ferm Living shelf for my entryway. Worth it though!

The Not-Boring Brands

So HORNE carries these four main brands that each have their own vibe:

Ferm Living is Scandinavian but not in that annoying "everything must be white and birch" way. I got their Punctual shelf system in dark blue last spring, and my mom immediately tried to "borrow" it when she visited. Nice try, Mom.

Audo Copenhagen (they changed their name from Menu which still confuses me every damn time) makes these super clean lined pieces that somehow don't feel sterile? My friend Jess has their wall system in her dining room and it makes her random pottery collection look museum-worthy.

Then there's Gubi and Artless for when you want shelves that make people go "whoa, where'd you get THAT?" My budget doesn't stretch that far yet, but a girl can dream.

Real Talk About Finding the Right Shelves

Listen, I learned this the hard way - measure your freakin' space BEFORE falling in love with shelving. My first "adult" apartment had these weird 9-foot ceilings but the most awkward wall dimensions. I bought this gorgeous bookcase that ended up making the room feel like a cramped library.

What's cool about the HORNE stuff is how many of their pieces are modular. Like, you can start with one section when you're broke and add on when you get that raise you've been waiting for (still waiting on mine, btw). Plus they work for everything - I've got friends using the same pieces as an office cabinet for their WFH setup and others using them in bedrooms. Versatile as hell.

The People Who Design This Stuff

I went through this phase where I got really into learning about furniture designers - probably because I couldn't afford therapy during the pandemic, lol. Anyway, the designers behind these shelving brands are fascinating. Some of them started as architects, others as sculptors.

There's this one guy (blanking on his name right now) who designs for Gubi who talks about how he sketches his ideas while riding the train. I love that kind of random detail.

Not Destined for the Landfill

Can we talk about how much furniture ends up in landfills? My last roommate left behind this particle board bookcase that literally fell apart when we tried to move it. Such a waste.

The HORNE brands use actual solid materials. My Audo Copenhagen shelf survived a move across three states in the back of my brother's pickup (though I nearly had a heart attack watching it bounce around on the highway).

The guy who helped me at their customer service mentioned that they have customers who've had their pieces for 15+ years. In 2023, that's basically furniture immortality.

Where You'll Actually See These Shelves

So these aren't just fantasy pieces that only exist in Architectural Digest. My dentist (who has surprisingly good taste) has Gubi shelving in her waiting room. My cousin installed Ferm Living shelves in her baby's nursery (brave woman).

I've seen knockoffs of these designs everywhere, which is annoying but also kind of validates that they've hit on something good.

What cracks me up is seeing how differently people style the exact same shelf. My version of the Punctual system has a chaotic mix of paperbacks, plants that refuse to die (miracle!), and this weird ceramic cat I found at a thrift store. My neighbor has the same shelf looking all minimal with like five objects total. Both work!

The Ones Worth Saving Up For

If you can only splurge on one piece, here's my totally biased opinion:

• Ferm Living's Parade Shelf is perfect if you need something that doesn't take up much space but still makes a statement. Mine holds way more weight than it looks like it should.
• Audo Copenhagen's Epoch Shelf is what I'm saving up for next. My friend has one and it's the perfect WFH backdrop for Zoom calls - way better than the random office storage mess she had behind her before.
• The Gubi System is absolute design porn and costs accordingly. Maybe after I finally finish my novel or win the lottery.

Why I Ended Up Spending Real Money on Shelves

So here's the truth - I used to be a "just get something from IKEA" person. And look, I still have a Billy bookcase in my guest room, no shame.

But after buying and trashing three cheap shelving units in five years, I did the math. The good stuff actually works out cheaper long-term, especially since these pieces can adapt when you move. Plus, they don't look like every other apartment in my building, which is nice.

I sold my IKEA stuff on Facebook Marketplace and put that money toward my first HORNE piece. Baby steps toward adulting, right?

How I Style My Shelves (When I Actually Clean)

I'm not gonna pretend my shelves always look Instagram-ready. Right now there's a stack of mail and a half-empty coffee mug on my entryway shelf that's been there for...a while.

But when I'm trying to impress someone coming over, I do this thing where I arrange books by color (yes, I'm that person) and mix in weird personal stuff like the rock collection from my hiking trips and these ceramic pieces my niece made me.

My hot tip? Plants. Even fake ones if you're a plant killer like me. They add life to any shelf arrangement and hide the clutter behind them. Strategic!

Metal vs. Wood: My Ongoing Crisis

Every time I need new shelving, I have this internal debate about materials. My first "real" shelves were this raw steel and reclaimed wood situation that looked cool but gave me splinters.

These days I'm into powder-coated metal frames with either wood or colored metal shelves. I learned the hard way that solid wood shelves, while gorgeous, can warp if you live somewhere humid like I did in North Carolina.

In my current place, I've got a mix going - some black metal, some walnut, some painted pieces. It shouldn't work but somehow does? Or at least that's what I tell myself.

Storage Trends I'm Watching (Yes, I'm That Nerdy)

I follow way too many organization accounts on Instagram, and here's what's trending:

That minimalist thing is still happening, but now it's less about owning nothing and more about having beautiful storage for the stuff you do have.

Everyone's into furniture that does double-duty now. My coffee table opens up for storage, and honestly, it's where I shove everything when someone drops by unexpectedly. Same thing's happening with office storage - people want pieces that look good enough for their living room but can handle work stuff when needed.

I'm noticing more "curated chaos" too - like, deliberately mismatched shelf styling instead of perfect symmetry. Thank god, because symmetry is beyond my abilities after a glass of wine.

The smart home storage stuff is cool but pricey. My friend got these shelves with built-in wireless charging and lights, and while I'm jealous, I also don't have $2K for shelves right now.

Anyway, check out HORNE if you're in the market. Their other stuff is great too - I have one of their throw blankets that my cat has claimed as his own personal throne.