Let's Explore the Behind the Sofa Shelf
There's no elegant name for these shelves, no clever term we can use. Instead, they are simply "the behind the sofa shelf". It doesn't quite roll off the tongue, but we cannot deny how useful and, dare we say, fun, the behind the sofa shelf is. We know this piece isn’t an automatic part of your living room design, but we also know it has many uses within the space that you won’t want to miss or pass up. If you’re designing a modern living space, trying to make the most of a small living room, or just want to maximize every inch of the room, then a shelf behind the sofa is essential to your layout.
Let’s Explore the Behind the Sofa Shelf
As design enthusiasts, we want to explore the shelf behind the sofa concept a little more. Essentially, these pieces can be incredibly simple; literally just a single shelf. Or the shelf can be more complicated and serve a larger role within the room. Consider cubby shelves, a bench, credenza with cabinet space, or low bookshelves. Another great option would be a series of individual tables that can be separated and moved around the room as multi-functional pieces. The options are not quite endless, but they are varied enough to suit any living room need, style preference, and room shape and flow.
How to Style the Shelf Behind the Sofa
This shelf is all about accommodating your daily routine and living room needs. But there are a few general tips for styling this shelf.
- Table Light. First and foremost, the behind the sofa shelf is a perfect place for a table light. This light not only creates ambiance and is a great light to keep on when you’re out of the house, but it is also the ideal position for a task light. When you sit on the sofa to read, craft, or just have a cozy conversation, this table light will be there for you. No need to clear floor space or use those big overhead lights, just place a table light on the shelf behind the sofa.
- Coasters. The primary use for this shelf will, most likely, be a surface for your drinks. That means you need some beautiful coasters to protect the tabletop and show guests that it’s a great place for them to set their drinks down. We love the Purist Circle Coaster from Tina Frey and the Shard Coasters from Ferm Living.
- Other Décor. Besides those essentials, we highly recommend finding a sculptural art piece for your shelf, as well as a vase for flowers or seasonal greens, some books to add height, and a dish for keys and décor, and a candle to add a sensory element. Finally, if you have multiple shelves to work with, consider adding some storage baskets or boxes to organize blankets, toys, electronics, and more.
Our final bit of advice for styling the shelf behind the sofa is to consider sofa position. The shelf behind the sofa is best utilized when the sofa is pulled away from the wall and positioned in a more central place. If there is space to move behind the sofa, this is a great time to incorporate a shelf.
Remember to maintain enough space for walkways (about 36 inches between the shelf and other elements), and choose a shelf crafted from materials that complement the sofa.
The Best Shelves to Place Behind the Sofa
We’ve finally come to the best part: our recommendations. These pieces complete the look in any living room, but in behind your sofa, these benches and shelves meet the moment and become an essential to your daily routine.
Kona Bench
The Kona Bench is slightly lower than the average behind the sofa table, which makes it perfect for a more decorative use. Style vases, sculptures, and books on the Kona Bench’s tabletop and lower shelf, and use a taller table light to maintain that utility.
Offset Bench
This bold piece from Resident offers sculptural dynamics and is the perfect piece for more modern living rooms. The single tabletop means the Offset Bench is the perfect option for more minimalist displays, so style a light, some books, and make sure you have coasters.
Leaf Shelf 2x2
If you’re shooting for Scandinavian influences, the Leaf Shelf is the perfect option for your sofa shelf. Smooth, rounded lines, two shelves with plenty of open space, and gorgeous European oak wood come together to make the Leaf Shelf versatile and incredibly useful.
Elevate Shelving System – 1
As part of a modular shelving series, the Elevate Shelving System is one of our favorite options for living room storage. Designed to be assembled without tools, the Elevate joinery stands out as particularly authentic and a little bit rustic. This particular lower shelf option works so well behind the sofa, offers two shelves, and an architectural composition that wows the moment you see it.
KILT Open Cabinet 180
The KILT Open Cabinet is a playful and unique take on the traditional credenza. Beautifully utilitarian and refreshingly simple, KILT offers a series of cubbies in different sizes and arranged to create an architecturally inspired presence. Style each cubby individually and put them to good use for everyday essentials, fun décor, and more.
The Scaffold Sofa
We cannot talk about the shelf behind the sofa without mentioning the Scaffold Sofa. It gets its own place of honor in this article because it is the ultimate culmination of comfortable modern seating and the convenience of the behind the sofa shelf. WeWOOD combined the two with masterful artistry and inspired woodworking that redefine the entire concept.
The Scaffold Sofa not only provides a shelf, but even more storage space that spans the length and height of the sofa, wrapping around it and creating a two-in-one piece perfect for smaller living spaces. We also love to see this sofa in more minimalist living rooms. Because the fantastic part of combining the shelf and sofa is that you automatically eliminate a piece of furniture, cutting down on the clutter, and offering built-in shelving that is easy to style and inspires a less-is-more mindset.
The Best of Modern Living Room Furniture
At the end of the day, we strive to give you the best of modern living room furniture. Your living room is a space for relaxation and gathering which means each piece needs to serve your routine. The behind the sofa shelf accomplishes this with the added value of being a unique element in the room. Adopt a behind the sofa shelf to create impact in the space and build extra storage into unused areas. Shop our best modern credenzas and shelving to find exactly what you’re looking.
Explore related collections, including Sofas + Couches + Loveseats, Lounge Chairs, and Coffee Tables, and visit our design guides for a broader point of view.
