Some of your heels are works of art, so why not display them as such? Line the walls of a walk-in closet or a dressing area with picture-rail molding to make a tidy yet visually arresting display. Buy preprimed pieces, and have them cut to length at the store. Paint before installing, either the color of the wall or a bold accent shade. Space the rails a foot apart, and attach them to the wall with construction adhesive. Hammer finishing nails every 18 inches (you don't have to hit studs), countersink nails, spackle, and touch up with paint.

A shelf can be elevated from simply a place to hold books or bowls. These projects show that it can be a dramatic focal point in a room.

Here's an easy way to conjure the stylish illusion of a space-saving suspended shelf with showstopping appeal.

Suspend small shelves from ribbon for a pretty display.

Add a splash of personality to a lackluster work space by covering plain floating bookshelves with wallpaper.

Next time you're staring at the wall, wondering how best to organize your things, avert your gaze 45 degrees and take a look in the corner. A single shelf or several that fit into the corner of a room can open up a world of possibilities. You might show off a collection in an unexpected way, create an office space out of a cranny, or install compact furnishings in a cramped room.

Instead of spending the winter gazing through glass panes at frozen flower beds, transform a window into a mini-greenhouse where herbs, houseplants, and even little pots of grass will thrive. For best results, choose a large inset window that receives lots of light.

Don't have the space that a walk-in closet demands? Try building a walk-by. An old ladder bridges the gap between two basic shelving units and creates a homey space to hang clothes -- a far cry from the typical sterile, stainless steel rod.

Keep bathroom necessities neat and accessible with cubbyhole shelves for large items and surgical jars for small toiletries and accessories.

Give a cabinet or shelves a sense of surprise by lining them with old documents, illustrations, sheet music, or postcards, photocopied to size.

Give bookshelves a playful trim with the addition of paper doilies.