Welcome back to Make It Nice, Defector’s best interior design advice column. Today we have fancy track shelving, a moody bedroom makeover, and, my favorite, does a non-ugly dog crate exist?

Our first “question” comes from recent conversations I had with a few friends who had been admiring photos of Vitsoe “606” shelves online. Both of them were ready to give up their Big Shelf dreams because the Vitsoe would cost them thousands of dollars—one friend was obsessing over a setup that would cost $10,000 minimum. Vitsoe has been making the 606 Shelving System for over 60 years and has captured the hearts of design freaks everywhere. The shelves are iconic, modular, and very, very expensive. 

I’m maybe going to upset architects and creative directors everywhere, but Vitsoe is just really nice track shelving, and you can get track shelving anywhere. Vitsoe shelves look so good mostly because of how they’re styled. And that’s something you can learn.

For the shelf “bones,” take inspiration from this person on Reddit who mixed two IKEA lines together to create a Vitsoe-looking system. Like the Vitsoe, the shelves and cabinets are minimal and white. Notice how the shelves are offset to accommodate tall art and plants. These little details take a bit more planning, but they’re what make the whole thing feel more elevated and custom.

When styling, resist the urge to line up books and records spine-out. Break up some of the bulk by turning a few favorites to face forward. I like to leave room for ceramics, figurines, and other tchotchkes that give the whole thing some personality. A small lamp helps too, especially if your shelves are extra tall and/or wide. Just put it on a smart bulb or switch so you’re not reaching behind a stack of books every night.

And listen, if you’re a design freak with a Vitsoe budget, go for it! I would if I could!

Emily asks:

My dog loves her crate but I hate looking at it! I don’t think I can bring myself to spend $1300 on the Fable crate, though I like the way it looks. Have you seen anything better?

God, this is my white whale. I’ve Googled variations of “cute dog crate” for years and there are just not a lot of attractive alternatives out there. Much like you, I could not justify the Fable crate price tag, and I also kind of hate how round it is.

From my research, Etsy seems to have the largest offering of non-standard dog crates. This one is my favorite—it’s boxier than the Fable and has a bit more ventilation. There are a lot in this weird category that look even more like a jail cell than a regular crate. I’m not an expert in this, but these alternative crates don’t seem to be the best option if your dog really needs to be contained. They’re better, I think, for dogs who just like a cozy hiding spot. If your pup is a chewer, for instance, I feel like they could chew their way out of a wood crate. But I’ll let the dog experts sound off in the comments.

Chewy has a few standard wire crates in different colors (blue and green) that may blend into your space a bit better than a black one. There’s also the option of a fabric crate cover, but I think these look kind of weird.

My dog Archie used a crate for years until recently, when I instead put beds in tight cozy areas so he could still “put himself away” without being inside a giant cage we didn’t have space for. Before this, my crate disguise solution was a DIY version of this crate topper. Putting a top on it made it into a usable surface for me or, as you can see below, a window seat for Archie.

S.C. asks:

My friend moved across the country and gave me this basically new upholstered headboard. I have a maple platform bed frame and two nightstands in a similar dark wood. I really want to make my bedroom feel dark, moody and feminine but not frilly if that makes sense? I don’t want to paint but am open to everything else.

What a generous friend! I love an extra-wide headboard like this, it makes the bed feel so cozy and enveloping. I pulled together a few things below that I think check all your boxes. Dark, moody, and feminine immediately make me think of burgundies, dusty pinks, and rich browns.

I chose bedding that would contrast nicely with your new headboard and mixed shades for the sheets to add depth to the bed.

The throw pillow might cross the line into too cutesy, but I just think it's fun. For the curtains, I went with something dark but still sheer. I’m not personally a blackout curtains person, but if you need complete darkness to sleep, you could easily just swap those in. I also added some cool metal curtain hooks for a little extra detail.

The lamp and rug are my two favorite things in this collage. No matter which lamp you end up choosing, put a Philips Hue bulb in it so you can dial in the brightness and color temperature perfectly. The warm orange glow you see in the photo is exactly what I’d aim for. The rug is very small, but its the perfect size for a little landing spot beside the bed.