Best Shelving Ideas: Finding the Perfect Shelving Ideas for You
Everyone has items that need to be stored or displayed. And, while a standard shelf may be able to get the job done, sometimes a more custom piece is the best route. Also, you may not have room for traditional shelving and may have to get creative. Either way, this list of the best shelving ideas will have you covered.
This list of the best shelving ideas will feature twenty different shelving ideas that might work for your home. Whether you are looking for something creative, basic, unique, etc., these top shelving ideas will have something for you.
Some of these shelving ideas are simple revamps of existing shelving, while others are true DIY projects. So regardless of your furniture-building skills, you will have a couple of options to choose from. Thankfully though, all of these shelving projects come with detailed instructions.
So whether you are looking for a large shelving unit for your living room or a small shelf for your bathroom, this list has you covered.
For more DIY, check out our list of the best IKEA hacks and best decorating tips. With just a few of these projects, your home will be a stylish and practical space that you will enjoy coming home to. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
Top 20 Shelving Ideas:
1. Mounted Shelving Unit
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Very Customizable, Provides a Lot of Shelf Space
About Shelving Idea: This custom-mounted shelving unit is perfect for a living room. Easily customizable, these instructions allow for different lengths of shelving in different arrangements. Have the wood cut to size at your local supply store, and then stain the pieces in the stain of your choosing. With a little effort, you will have a large, functional, and stylish shelving unit.
2. Leather Straps Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Unique and Stylish, Excellent for Narrow Spaces
About Shelving Idea: Unique and fun, this leather straps shelving is perfect for narrow spaces. The process of making these shelves is going to be relatively easy as well. Start by cutting the shelves to the right length, hang them with L brackets, and then use leather straps to add an element of style. The straps are reasonably priced and can be found at most craft stores.
3. Pipe Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Sturdy, Classic Industrial Look
About Shelving Idea: Industrial shelving has become very popular in recent years, making it pretty pricey when bought in stores. However, these DIY instructions show you how to build your own industrial pipe shelving for a fraction of the cost of premade models. And thankfully, just a quick trip to the hardware store and some simple assembly are all you need to do for this project.
4. Honeycomb Shelving
DIY Skills: Expert
Shelving Highlights: Unique and Functional Storage, Statement Piece
About Shelving Idea: While this honeycomb shelving idea is for experienced DIYers, it is a true statement piece and one of the best shelving ideas. And while these instructions include plans for a three-comb shelf, you can easily add more if you would like to as well. So for a functional conversation piece, this is a shelving idea that you should definitely check out.
5. Gold and Marble Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Elegant and Stylish Storage
About Shelving Idea: A quick revamp of store-bought shelving produces these stylish gold and marble shelves. Gold spray paint instantly glams up the shelves, while natural marble contact paper provides an elegant-looking top. Inexpensive and easy, this shelving idea is perfect for first-time DIYers.
6. Rustic Hanging Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Fun and Unique, Rustic Shelving
About Shelving Idea: Perfect for rentals or other places where you can’t install permanent shelving, this rustic hanging shelving is fun and unique. The manila rope that is used is inexpensive and can be bought at most home improvement or craft stores. With the ability to vary the lengths of the boards and the rope, this is a genuinely custom shelving project.
7. Dresser Drawer Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Unique Piece, Excellent Shelving for a Child’s Bedroom or Play Room
About Shelving Idea: Have an old dresser that you don’t use anymore? Why not turn the dresser drawers into a fun, new dresser drawer shelving installation? Cleats and drywall anchors keep the shelves secure to the wall, while fun paint and accessories make the shelves a statement piece.
8. Apple Crate Display Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Portable and You can Scale Up or Down the Number of Shelves Easily
About Shelving Idea: This large-scale apple crate display shelving is a fun way to display a number of different items. Once made, this shelving display is also easy to put up and take down as well. So if you are looking for portable shelving, this type of shelving would be a great option. Plus, depending on your needs, you can scale up or scale down the number of shelves.
9. Floating Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Great for Limited Spaces, Unique Look
About Shelving Idea: If you have limited space or are looking for a unique shelving design, floating shelves may be perfect for you. And, while not very wide, you are still able to place some more substantial items on the shelving. Because, even though they have no visible supports, they are still strong. For an even more unique touch, try using reclaimed wood or floating your shelving in the corner.
10. Wine Box Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: As Much Storage as You Need, Easy to Move if Needed
About Shelving Idea: Do you enjoy wine? Whether you do or don’t, wine boxes can be turned into some excellent shelving. You will be able to use this shelving for actual storage or decorative items. Also, with the ability to make a grid of as many wine box shelves as you want, you will be able to have all the storage you can handle. With the ability to stain and paint the boxes as well, you will really be able to customize this shelving.
11. Pegboard Wall Organizer Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Unique Piece, Perfect for Displaying Small Nick Nacks
About Shelving Idea: While not for larger items, pegboard shelving is unique and perfect for smaller storage and decorative pieces. This type of shelving is ideal for an entryway and storing keys, hats, etc., or a bedroom where you can store and display different nick-nacks. Regardless of where you place it in your house, though, Pegboard makes an excellent shelving option. And, with not very much DIY going into it, this is a project that even beginners can take on.
12. Leaning Ladder Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Perfect for Bathrooms With Limited Storage, Unique Piece
About Shelving Idea: This leaning ladder shelving is going to be the perfect decorative shelving option. You will be able to store books, candles, collectibles, and more, all on unique ladder shelving. The open shelves will allow you to display different items in community living spaces or bedrooms proudly.
This ladder shelving is also an excellent option for bathrooms. On the ladder, you will be able to provide guests with all the necessities like towels and a scented candle, as well as decorative pieces.
13. ‘Home’ Letter Shelving
Shelving Highlights: Statement Piece, Shows Your Love for Home
About Shelving Idea: A house is more than just a structure; it is a home. This DIY shelving option is going to allow you to showcase your love for your home by making shelving that spell out the word “HOME.” And, while this project is a little bit more work than some, it is very cost-friendly.
If you have a couple of old pallets laying around, you have the majority of what you need. With the ability to stain and paint the shelving as well, you will be able to customize it to fit your home design.
14. Corbel Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Provides an Added Detail to a Living Space
About Shelving Idea: Corbels are an excellent way to add some character and detail to your home. And, while you could do them in every corner of your house, this can get expensive quickly. Using them with shelving is the perfect compromise.
Don’t worry either; this DIY is going to call for you to purchase your corbels and then put everything together, so you won’t have to make them yourself. So if you are looking to introduce some more detail into a living space, this may be one of the best shelving ideas for you.
15. Floating Window Shelving
DIY Skills: Beginner
Shelving Highlights: Great for Small Plants
About Shelving Idea: Do you love house plants and greenery? If so, this floating window shelving is for you. And, while they are excellent for small plants like succulents, cactuses, etc. they are also perfect for displaying other smaller items as well. With just a little bit of DIY know-how, you can turn a dull window into a unique conversation-starting piece.
16. Storage Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Functional Storage and a Unique Piece
About Shelving Idea: If you seem never to have enough room for storage, this shelving option is going to be an excellent option for you. This shelving is equal parts storage and decorative display. You will be able to use the compartments to store books, boxes, etc., or different decorative items that you may have. Also, with the ability to create several of these storage shelves, you can create as much shelving as you need.
17. A-Frame Ladder Shelving
DIY Skills: Expert
Shelving Highlights: A Large Amount of Storage, Statement Piece
About Shelving Idea: If you are looking for a statement piece, look no further than this A-frame ladder shelving. With as much storage as it offers, it will be like having a portable built-in. And while this is more for expert DIYers, if you do take on this project, it will be well worth it in the end. Just make sure that you have enough items to fill up all the awesome shelving you are about to create!
18. Pallet Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Rustic Look, Several Different Options of Shelving
About Shelving Idea: Pallet shelving is excellent for a few different reasons. The two most significant reasons are its uniqueness and the money saved. Pallet shelving can be used in a variety of different ways to create unique shelving. Whether it is put up as a whole piece or cut into pieces and mounted on brackets, there are plenty of options to choose from.
When it comes to cost, if you know where to look, you can usually find all of the free pallets that you can handle. Hard to beat free when it comes to cost. So if you are looking for one of the best shelving ideas on a budget, this is it.
19. Frame Shelving
DIY Skills: Intermediate
Shelving Highlights: Excellent Decorative Pieces and Functional Storage
About Shelving Idea: If you have some scrap wood for small picture boxes and some old frames, you are well on your way to completing these fun frame shelves. This shelving idea adds a beautiful decorative element to any room and depending on the depth of your boxes; they can also be quite functional.
20. Zigzag Shelving
DIY Skills: Expert
Shelving Highlights: Works Well in Small Spaces, Statement Piece, and Perfect for Displaying Small Collectables
About Shelving Idea: Great for small spaces, this zigzag shelving is probably best done by someone with some carpentry skills. If you do have the DIY ability, though, these shelves are excellent pieces. Also, the instructions call for a 45-degree angle cleat system, so no drill holes are visible on the shelves. So for a unique shelving idea, this is a great option.
Best Shelving Ideas Conclusion