As a teenager, your bedroom is an expression of your unique style. It’s a space that’s yours and yours alone and as such, you want it to represent your personality and interests.
As Erik Gottesman’s daughter entered her teen years, he knew it was time to update her bedroom and wanted something that could accommodate her ever growing collection of books and art supplies. When he discovered Modern Shelving, he knew it would be the perfect fit for his daughter, both in terms of looks and function. Read on to learn about Gottesman’s experience with Modern Shelving and why the whole family are big fans of his daughter’s new shelves.
What drew you to Modern Shelving?
We had explored a number of options, including built-ins, and some readymade shelving units, but nothing really fit the bill both functionally and aesthetically. Modern Shelving offered a range of attractive options that we felt could easily adapt to changing needs.
Did you order custom or stock shelves?
We started with a stock shelving concept in mind but switched to the custom path in order maximize the total usable shelf space given the eccentricities of the room, such as its ceiling angles and window location. As we got deeper into the design process, we discovered we had a much wider range of options at our disposal.
What started as simple shelves evolved into a more sophisticated combination of shelves, cabinets, drawers, and desktop space that we felt would better serve our needs into the future. The design process was simple and easy with the aid of Modern Shelving’s online tools and the team was great to work with — flexible, responsive, and professional.
Did you do the installation yourself?
I did the installation myself over a couple of afternoons starting with the smaller desk-and-shelf unit and then tackling the larger shelving unit. After I got the uprights installed and positioned the first couple of shelves, I pretty quickly got into a rhythm and the rest of the install went very quickly and smoothly.
One of your units was damaged upon arrival. Was customer service helpful in getting that sorted out?
One corner of the top panel of the desk got crushed in shipping. I knew I couldn’t cover up the damage and given that it was a work surface, I had a feeling that it would only get worse over time, so I reached out to Modern Shelving’s customer service team and requested a replacement. They were able to quickly identify the specific panel and shipped me a replacement at no additional cost.
Where in your home are your shelves and what do you use them for?
We purchased these shelves for our teenage daughter’s room, which had become increasingly cluttered. We also recognized that she was growing out of her children’s bedroom set aesthetic and wanted something a bit more grown up.
The new shelves provide a perfect combination of storage space, a desk where she can do her schoolwork, and flexible space for things like her sewing machine, craft supplies, turntable, and growing collection of vinyl records.
Are you happy with your shelves?
We are more than satisfied with our shelves — functionally and aesthetically. We’ve shared a few pictures with friends and grandparents, all of whom have commented positively.
To create a room that can evolve with her interests, Erik’s family chose a Modern Shelving® setup that blends storage, workspace, and display into one cohesive design. The result is a more functional, organized space that feels elevated—and built to grow right alongside her. Whether you’re updating a bedroom, home office, or creative corner, our team can help you design a solution that fits your space perfectly. Ready to get started? Book a call with Allana.
