We first spotted these shelves in Amy's Rogers Park condo and liked their versatility and horizontal layout. A little research led us to Jesper, a Denmark-based company that specializes in creating modular furnishings for offices. Their Expando and Zen series transcends the office environment and works well in homes, where the L-shaped and subdivided shelves fit together into room dividers, corner shelves, bookcases, or media centers...

Constructed from chipboard, they have a 2-millimeter solid wood veneer finish available in maple, cherry, espresso, and teak. Prices are affordable, around $300 to $400. Retailers in Illinois include Dania Furniture and International Furniture Gallery. For more information, visit Jesper Office.