Emilie and Jeff Goldblum's Mid-Century Vertical Storage is a Masterclass in Lived-in Creativity
A wooden shelving unit makes the couple's home office into a personal museum – it's curated, but not fussy
The perfect display shelf is difficult to achieve; you want it to look curated, but too curated, casual, but not too casual, and above all, stylish but not too stylized. Luckily, Emilie and Jeff Goldblum's home office provides a masterclass.
The shelf styling in their Los Angeles guesthouse is alive with speakers, books, vases, and statues. While the items are carefully chosen and beautiful, there's also an element of effortless in how they are thrown together. It transforms the room from a simple home office into a personal museum.
With architecture by Barbara Bestor and design by the firm Zeb and Crunk, the space is absolutely gorgeous.
To unpack the lessons embedded in their decorative home office storage, Homes & Gardens curated an edit to help you get the Goldblum look. We also spoke with shelving expert, Bo Hellberg, about the benefits of shelving in a home office, and how anyone can access them.
Recreate Jeff's Look at Home
Beautiful open shelves are a must-have in an office, and this rustic wood one is the perfect pick for really bringing the look to life. Layer it with books, speakers, and sculptures for a Jeff-worthy look.
Jeff accents his space with a mid-century desk, and you can get the look with a true vintage piece. This gorgeous mid-century desk is ideal for elevating your office while keeping it subtle.
Jeff adds interest to his shelves with statement speakers, and a colorful bookshelf speaker is ideal for getting the look. The yellow color is completely eye-catching.
A green rug is the perfect complement to wood in Jeff Goldblum's office. The floral leafy pattern feels like a celebration of the natural world.
If you want to bring a history-filled feel to your bookshelves, this lot of 19th-century hardbound books is a great choice. They can be layered with more modern books for a transitional look.
Just like the turquoise vase on Jeff's shelves, the Beatrix Vase is the perfect complement to wooden bookshelves. The round shape would be perfectly paired with straight lines.
Beyond pure aesthetic value, the Goldblum's vertical shelves are an excellent method for maximizing storage space while organizing a home office. Bo Hellberg, CMO at Scandinavian shelving brand String Furniture, explains: 'Modular, open shelving provides a great way to fit storage into small workspaces. The best thing about modular furniture is that it really can be installed anywhere.'
'Luckily, the method is as simple as Emilie and Jeff make it look. Bo advises: 'There are only two things you need to consider. The first is making sure your shelving is deep and tall enough to store your belongings but narrow enough that it doesn't compromise your precious square footage.'
'He continues: 'The second is making sure you use a mix of open shelving and cabinet styles to create a display unit that is flexible enough to hide the things you don't want on show.'
The playful storage behind the couple's home office desk has the added benefit of being easy to reconfigure. This versatility is aligned with current interior design trends.
'Flexible home workspaces continue to gain traction, with more people working from home,' explains Bo. 'This shift is driving demand for elegant, multifunctional furniture like foldable work desks.'
As the speakers and books on Jeff and Emilie's shelves demonstrate, the important thing about tapping into this look is designing for practicality as well as style.
Bo tells Homes & Gardens: 'When designing a home office, a functional space is key. A poorly planned layout disrupts the flow of a space. A well-designed room should feel cohesive and easy to navigate, with each area serving a clear purpose.'
He continues: 'Floor-to-ceiling shelving systems offer an elegant solution to this common issue. Open, floor-to-ceiling shelving can create distinct zones within a room, acting as a stylish room divider that provides added storage and delineates space while still allowing light to pass freely through the room.'
If you are hoping to add character, warmth and storage to your home office, the Goldblum's vertical shelves might be just the thing.
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