Shelf esteem is the new it trend all about the shelf itself

This month, John Lewis released its How We Shop, Live and Look report for 2025. Based on the behaviours and tendencies of its customers, the retailer identified some of the biggest trends of the past year, most of which are predicted to continue going strong into the New Year. And that includes the new ‘shelf esteem’ trend – a term John Lewis coined and that’s all about showcasing the shelf itself, as much as what’s on it.

The humble shelves have been the focus of several home decor trends over the last few years – do you remember shelfies? Shelf scaping? And bookshelf wealth? But according to the John Lewis 2025 report, which also predicted that ice cream makers will overtake air fryers in popularity in 2026, it’s all about shelf esteem now.

‘We’re seeing a clear shift towards what we’ve coined ‘shelf esteem’ in our How We Shop, Live and Look report – a growing desire to give everyday objects pride of place, rather than hiding them away,’ explains Jason Wilary-Attew, director of home at John Lewis. ‘On johnlewis.com, searches for metal shelving units have surged seven-fold this year compared with 2024, while searches for wide shelving units are up four-fold, signalling a move towards shelving that’s designed to be seen as much as it is used.’

So say goodbye to intentionally invisible and seamless floating shelves as both wall shelving and standalone bookshelves are getting a statement makeover – anything from bold colours and standout materials like dark woods and metals to intriguing shapes goes.