What kind of shelves can you make with your own hands? Shelf on the wall - fashionable options for making ordinary shelves and whatnots with your own hands (85 photos). Fastening glass shelves

Photo: upon request from Yandex and Google

Many people call wall shelves their favorite decorative element in an apartment or house. And for good reason: books with beautiful covers, original shapes, elegant dishes, trinkets and souvenirs from travel... All this instantly transforms the room. You can, of course, look into any furniture store and choose the option you like, or you can put a little human warmth and imagination into this thing: we suggest making a shelf with your own hands!

Unusual bookshelves: in the shape of a circle

The round shape is not just stylish. A round bookshelf will allow you to significantly save space by accommodating a lot of small items. It’s really easy to do it by hand: follow our photo instructions.

What material should I use? We recommend using fiberboard sheet. This material is inexpensive and quite durable. In addition, it bends perfectly. You will also need a board (its role is the central shelf in our circle shelf). You choose the length yourself depending on the size of the book shelf you need.

Let's get started: The success of the work lies in precise calculation. For convenience, we suggest you use the formula. d is the diameter of our circle, on which the size of the board in the center depends. Formula - l=3.14 x d/2.

Calculation example: if the board measures 150 by 700 mm, then the length of the semicircle will be 1100 millimeters (3.14x700/2).

Now we take a sheet of fiberboard and mark it (you can use a marker). Carefully form a circle. The edges of the strips need to be fixed: you can use high-quality glue in a gun. Bend the strips very carefully, as they may crack, despite the fact that the material is considered relatively durable. Before finally attaching the strips, check how the board shelf is installed in the center. If the calculations were accurate, then there will be no problems with this. The shelf is almost ready! We finish with painting: it can be just varnish, or paint of the color you need. We recommend hanging this unusual circle shelf with screws. The DIY shelf is ready - see photo below.

Wooden bookshelf: use rope rope

Wooden shelves like those in this master class are perfect for interiors in or. And its shape is very universal: suitable for the kitchen, living room, and bathroom.

What material should I use? This shelf should be made of natural wood. We will need two boards (possibly three, depending on how many shelves you need). The boards must be the same size.

Let's get started: On two (three) boards we mark the places where the holes will be. We make holes using a drill (as in the photo below). Keep in mind that the diameter of the drill bit should be slightly larger than the diameter of the ropes that will connect the shelf. It is advisable to paint the boards in any tone to your taste.

Advice! This shelf allows you to show your imagination. You can make it more original if, for example, you paint the boards only at the ends.

Our bookshelf is almost ready: all that remains is to assemble the structure. The rope rope needs to be folded in half, retreated approximately thirty centimeters, and knots should be tied (see photo). The ends are pulled through holes in the boards and secured with knots. Ready! For photos of DIY wall shelves, see the instructions below.

Wall mounted bookshelf with straps

We would call this shelf the simplest in our material. Moreover, the hanging shelf with straps looks quite impressive and fits into almost any interior. All you need is a well-sanded board and two fairly wide belts. If wood doesn’t seem very expressive to you, then feel free to paint the board in any tone. All accessories, including buckles, must be removed from the belts. We make small holes at the ends of the belts, as in the photo below. We fold the straps into a loop, fix them on the wall, thread the board through, and voila - the bookshelf with straps is ready!

Bookshelf with glass

The glass shelf is too neutral to belong to any style. It can be made quickly and easily from materials that a good owner will almost always have:

• hammer;
• two identical rectangular pieces of tempered glass;
• electric drill;
• building level;
• dowels;
• aluminum profile;
• pencil and ruler;
• some duct tape.

Cutting glass is a difficult and far from safe process, so we do not talk about it in detail, but simply suggest that you order this service in special workshops. The edges will be sanded and polished there.

Stage 1: we make markings. On the wall where our shelf will hang, draw a horizontal line with a pencil. In the places where it will be attached, we make holes with a drill.
Stage 2: install a profile or special holders for the shelf. We fasten the brackets with screws.
Stage 3: we attach the shelf. The rear edge of the shelf is covered with adhesive tape. We insert the shelf into the profile and secure it. We hope you are convinced that glass wall shelves are really easy to make!

Step-by-step photo instructions for making a DIY bookshelf

We invite you to familiarize yourself with a variety of ideas on how to make your own shelves from drywall, newspapers, plastic, pipes and other available materials... Get inspired!

Pipe shelf

A shelf made of pipes can simultaneously serve as a sconce. The ideal place is above the bed, sofa or chair: in general, the place where you like to read.

Wooden bathroom shelf

Simple and elegant. To make a wooden bathroom shelf last longer, cover it with a special varnish or film. We also recommend adding hooks to the bathroom shelf, on which it will be convenient to hang hand towels, nail scissors, combs and other small items.

To store household items and place small household appliances, ordering separate furniture for a room is not always advisable. For elaborating the design, choosing materials that suit the interior of the room, and assembling the shelves, you will have to pay money, which is always in short supply. A cheaper way to solve the problem is to come up with an original design and make wall shelves with your own hands. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the options for such products, their drawings and manufacturing technology, described below.

Types of homemade shelves

As you can imagine, there are countless design solutions for the manufacture and decoration of shelves. All structures are divided into 4 groups according to the method of fastening:

1. Classic wall hangings installed on a free section of the wall. Most often they are intended for storing books, so they are made in a rectangular shape. But nothing prevents you from showing your imagination and giving the product an unusual look, making it square, round or consisting of several parts, as shown in the drawing below.
2. Corner shelves designed to effectively use the space where 2 walls form an internal or external corner. They are successfully used not only for arranging literature, but also for arranging flowers, various souvenirs and small household appliances (for example, a small TV or printer).
3. Suspended, attached to a wall or ceiling with flexible braces made of ropes or strings. One of the interesting solutions is a flower shelf suspended on straps.
4. Floor structures. These include open shoe cabinets and racks with a large number of cells for storing a variety of household items or tools.

Note. We say that the designs are divided conditionally, since there are a lot of combined options. For example, wall-mounted bookshelves with a protruding part can rest on the floor or be suspended from the ceiling.

The following materials are used to make shelves yourself:

• wood and its derivatives - chipboard, MDF, plywood, laminate;
• glass;
• metal.

Metal chrome tubes here serve as fasteners

Wood materials are easily accessible and easy to process, so they are used most often. If you show your imagination, you can make a beautiful shelf of any non-standard shape from wood. To make the books inside less dusty, use a simple solution - install sliding glass doors, then you will have a nice closed cabinet.

Simple glass cabinet

Making a shelf entirely out of metal or glass is quite difficult. In the first case, you need to have the necessary tools, including welding, and in the second, you will have to work with tempered glass and special fasteners; idle time may not withstand the load. So it is better to use these materials as decorative or fastening elements, and assemble the main part from wood.

Corner shelf with visible fastenings

Making a simple wooden shelf

The simplest shelves on the wall, designed for books and all sorts of small things, are a rectangular box, assembled with your own hands from boards or laminated chipboard. The latter option is convenient in all respects - the surface does not need to be treated, just adjust the dimensions and cover the ends with veneer to match the color of the laminated layer.

Advice. It is not necessary to buy new chipboards if there are elements of old furniture left at home. To improve them, just fill up unnecessary holes and stick a special film with a wood pattern. For example, make the shelf white, as shown in the photo.

To assemble boards from solid wood, they must be properly prepared - planed, sanded and rounded sharp corners. The procedure for making a wall shelf is as follows:

1. Based on the drawing, mark the material for cutting using a tape measure and a pencil. Cut 4 pieces to size.
2. Treat the surfaces of the sanded boards with varnish, and cover the ends of the chipboard with veneer.
3. Mark the fastening points on the sidewalls and drill holes together with the horizontal panels. Screw them together with furniture screws - confirmats and install decorative plastic plugs.
4. For the back wall, use a white-coated fiberboard sheet, securing it with short self-tapping screws.

Note. To make solid wood parts last longer, they should be treated with an antiseptic compound before applying varnish.

Finally, screw in mounting brackets from the back or prepare holes for flush wall mounting. If you consider it necessary, you can glaze the shelf in front by installing opening or sliding doors. More information about how to make wooden bookshelves for a living room or children's room is described in the video:

How to hang a shelf on the wall

The last stage is installing the bookshelf on the wall in the planned location. There are 2 installation methods:

• on homemade or purchased brackets;
• on secret fastenings.

Regardless of the chosen fastening technology, the procedure remains the same. The first step is to mark the drilling points on the wall, using the mounting brackets as a guide. In this case, it is advisable to align the horizontal line between the points using a building level. The installation algorithm is as follows:

1. Using measurements, determine the position of the points, mark them with a pencil and check the horizontal between them.
2. Drill the holes. Drive plastic plugs under the brackets and tighten the screws so that they protrude by about 5 mm.
3. Hang the shelf on the brackets. If it protrudes forward strongly, then the screws need to be screwed in 1-2 turns.
4. When installing with hidden anchor rods (called titans), insert them into the holes drilled in the wall and tighten with a wrench. At the end of the shelf, make matching holes of the required depth and put it on the titans.

Advice. It happens that the floors and ceilings in the apartment are uneven and a shelf hung according to measurements visually looks crooked. Then only the first point is measured, and the second is determined “by eye” after mounting the product on one bracket.

How a wooden shelf is placed on hidden anchors is shown in the following video:

Corner shelves

It is appropriate to make such stands in places where the walls of the room form an internal corner. Such interior solutions not only look good, but also allow you to effectively use the space of the room. For example, a corner shelf for a printer next to a computer desk will free up space for work and writing instruments. And vice versa, a shelf installed on the outer corner will stick out into the room, so it will have to be made narrow and small in capacity, as shown in the picture.

The technology for making a corner shelf is simple: you need to cut a triangular blank from laminated chipboard, refine it at the ends and put it in place. It is advisable to use hidden anchors if you plan to place one or more of these stands in the hall. Mounting is done like this:

1. It will not work to put a shelf on 2 “titaniums” sticking out of the walls at an angle. Therefore, they need to be placed on one side by drilling holes in the end of the chipboard and the wall.
2. In the second side you will need to cut a longitudinal groove into which the sliding fastener will be inserted.
3. Make a hole in the adjacent wall, hammer in a plastic plug and screw in a steel hook bent at an angle of 90°. Its end should be in a horizontal position.
4. Slide the shelf onto the anchors installed on one side. In this case, the end of the hook will fit into the groove and prevent the tabletop from sagging under the load. The process is described in detail in the following video:

How to make hanging bookshelves

Here we propose to consider a creative bookshelf design made from an ordinary thick board suspended with a rope or twine. The idea is simple: make a beautiful tabletop out of a board using the firing method, and then attach it to two self-tapping screws screwed into the wall. The work is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Cut the board to size using an electric jigsaw or hacksaw. Treat sharp edges.
2. Burn the surfaces with a blowtorch or gas torch until black.
3. Sand the workpiece to remove the top layer of soot and reveal the wood structure clearly.
4. Drill 2 holes on each side for the twine. Apply varnish to the board and let it dry.

The resulting shelf can be easily hung from self-tapping screws or hooks on a rope. Considering that the horizontal position of the board can be adjusted by the length of the suspension on one side or another, there is no need to scrupulously check the level of the hooks.

After firing and stripping, the grain pattern of the wood appears more clearly

Note. If you use 2 belts instead of a rope, then you will not need to drill holes in the shelf, and simply screw the ends of the suspension to the wall, as was done in the photo.

Related posts:

A cozy apartment is not only a good renovation, but also a thoughtful interior. Wall shelves are a convenient place to store books, figurines, dishes and accessories that decorate the room. It’s not difficult to make beautiful and unusual shelves with your own hands; the main thing is to choose the most convenient designs that will fit perfectly into the interior of the room and emphasize its originality.

These shelves are not distinguished by their original design: side panels and vertical shelves. Most often, this furniture is used to store books, figurines, and dishes.

Asymmetrical shapes, design versatility - such shelves are made in the form of hanging racks.

These types of shelves allow you not only to decorate the interior, but also to save space. There are internal shelves - the structures are hung in the corner; there are also external structures: the shelves are placed on the side walls of the outer corner of the room.

This type of shelf requires attachment to the ceiling using cables, ropes or metal posts. It is not recommended to store fragile things on such shelves, but, nevertheless, these designs give the interior an original look.

Open and closed structures

Enclosed structures have doors or panels made of glass, wood or other materials. Open structures are fully visible.

Types of fastening of hanging shelves

Permanent fixation

The structure is secured using anchors or dowels. The fastener is tightly drilled to the wall and is durable and reliable. The shelves can withstand a lot of weight. The only drawback is that when the structure is dismantled, holes from the mounting hardware will remain in the walls, and it will be quite difficult to remove a securely fixed shelf.

Removable structures

The structure is supported by dowels or anchors drilled into the wall. But the shelf is suspended from the mounting hardware using special hooks or brackets. In this case, the structure is simply removed from the wall.

Modular fastener

In this case, not the entire shelf structure is attached to the wall. You can only fix the top or bottom tier. The rest of the shelf is simply attached to a wall-mounted module. A system suspended from the ceiling is distinguished by this method of fastening.

Materials from which hanging shelves are made

Tree

Wooden structures will fit perfectly into any interior. Wood can be processed in any way; it can be covered with various covering materials, giving it the desired color.

MDF

This material is also easy to process and can have any color or thickness. MDF coating can imitate various types of wood, which is especially important if the room has furniture made of natural wood.

Plastic

This material is durable and light weight. The surface of the plastic can be made in the form of an imitation of stone, wood or other natural materials.

Glass

Glass structures are visually light and give the room a more spacious and stylish look. Glass in combination with metal allows you to decorate a room in a high-tech style.

Metal

This material is most often used to make uprights or shelf side panels. You can use noble bronze, which looks great in a classic style. Chrome or aluminum racks are perfect for a modern interior.

It is not uncommon for several materials to be used to make a shelf: glass and metal, wood and metal, glass and MDF.

Wall shelf made of MDF and glass

Making an ordinary hanging shelf with glass doors is not difficult, the main thing is to choose the right material and fasteners to securely fix the structure. The shelf length is 110 cm, height - 30 cm, depth - 27 cm.

Tools for work

1. Drill
2. Screwdriver.
3. Jigsaw for cutting MDF sheets yourself.
4. Iron for fixing edges.
5. Stationery knife,
6. Level.
7. Metal long ruler and pencil.
8. Materials
9. MDF board. It is advisable to purchase material with double-sided lamination, 16 mm thick.
10. Edge for finishing the ends of MDF boards. You can purchase a plastic version that is attached to the ends by tension.
11. Two glass sheets measuring 55 cm by 26.7 cm. The glass on the edges must be treated so that the shelf can be used safely.
12. Plastic tracks for glass along which the panels will move.
13. Sandpaper.
14. Self-tapping screws for mounting the shelf structure.
15. Small nails for attaching glass tracks.
16. Dowels for fixing the shelf to the wall.
17. Hanging brackets.

It is important that the color of the lamination completely matches the color of the edge.

Slab cutting

To ensure that the edges remain intact and without chips, it is advisable to cut them in a workshop on special machines. If such processing is not possible, then a jigsaw is used for cutting.

The MDF board is cut into the following parts:

• lid;
• bottom (110 cm by 27 cm);
• side panels, 2 pieces (26.7 cm by 27 cm);
• back wall (110 cm by 30 cm).

To make the shelf construction lighter, you can use a thinner laminated fiberboard sheet for the back wall. But, as often happens, it is quite difficult to choose a single color for materials. Therefore, it is best to make the back wall from the same materials from which the rest of the structural parts are made.

After the shelf parts are cut, the ends need to be processed. To do this, use an iron to glue an adhesive edge or simply attach plastic analogues tightly.

Assembly of the structure

Side panels are attached to the lid and bottom. If the fasteners are made using self-tapping screws, then there is no need to drill holes in the ends. If parts are assembled using screws, then the diameter of the drill should be less than the diameter of the fastener.

Before driving the screws, you can pour a drop of white glue into the holes. This will improve the strength of the structure. It is advisable to recess the caps of fastening fittings into the material by several mm. This will allow you to hide the holes with special plugs or fill them with putty.

Then the back wall is attached to self-tapping screws or self-tapping screws. Brackets for hanging the shelf are attached to the rear side ends.

The last stage of work is attaching plastic tracks for glass and installing the glass itself. The tracks are nailed to the bottom and lid of the shelf with small nails, step -10 cm. The glass should slide freely along the tracks.

The shelf is hung on dowels, which are pre-drilled into the wall. It is important that the distance between the fasteners on the wall matches the distance between the brackets on the shelf.

A shelf without glass is hung, the panels are inserted into the structure already on the wall. It is also recommended to check the suspended structure for strength and safety: you can forcefully pull the top cover of the shelf towards you or place several heavy objects on it.

A well-fixed and correctly assembled structure should withstand preliminary inspection.

You can make the interior of the room bright and unusual with the help of a hanging structure, in which the shelves are made of natural wood, and the racks are made of thick hemp rope. This shelf will fit perfectly into a room in a country style or decorate a room in a nautical style.

Materials

1. 4 solid wood shelves. Dimensions 60 cm by 30 cm. Wood thickness - 27 mm.
2. Hemp rope, diameter - 25-30 mm. The length depends on the desired size of the structure.
3. Special brackets with hooks.
4. Anchors for attaching brackets to the ceiling.
5. Sandpaper.
6. Tools.
7. Drill.
8. Pencil.
9. Corner.
10. Level.
11. Roulette.
12. Screwdriver.

Manufacturing

First, you should thoroughly clean the surface of the wooden shelves. It is important that the edges of the wood are smooth and free of chips.

Then on all shelves you should mark the position of the through holes through which the rope will be pulled. To do this, you need to step back from one edge by 5 cm and draw a straight line, from the other edge by the same distance and mark it in the same way. Each hole is placed at the intersection of lines. Using a drill and a large drill, at least 15 mm, drill 4 holes on each board.

Then the boards need to be coated with varnish, stain or acrylic paint. The elements are painted in colors that will harmoniously fit into the interior of the room. After the coating has dried, you can begin assembling the structure.

You need to take a rope and cut it into 2 equal parts. The resulting ropes are folded in half. It is important that its segments are equal. Then the first shelf is strung on ropes and secured with knots.

The nodes must be positioned strictly parallel, otherwise the part will warp. Then the second shelf is strung; it can be positioned 40 cm lower. It is also fixed with knots. To prevent the board from dangling, you can tie knots not only under the shelf, but also above the shelf.

The rest of the wooden elements are attached in the same way. It is important to check the location of the shelves during the process of attaching them. They should not be skewed or located at different distances from each other. The lower knots should be strong; the rest of the rope can be divided into strands for beauty.

The resulting shelf can be hung either on the ceiling using brackets with hooks, or on the walls. Despite the fact that the structure is not too heavy, it needs to be secured with anchors.

It will be a wonderful interior decoration. It is not recommended to place fragile, heavy or glass items on the structure, especially if there are small children or pets in the house.

Video - DIY hanging shelf

A shelf is one of the simplest inventions that allows you to compactly arrange things and objects in a certain order. Today it is used in the interior of many rooms, where it acts not only as a functional item, but is often an important decorative element. This article presents photos of shelves in the interior of living rooms and discusses the main examples of their use.

Shelves fit many design trends and are therefore found in most modern living rooms. This is a universal item that complements the decor of the room well, and in some cases, decorates it. For example, in spacious living rooms, small shelves are often used, which become the highlight of the room, connecting various interior elements. Especially if the room has a square or oblong shape.

Bookshelves

The classic version with bookshelves is used in the interior of many modern guest rooms. In most homes, books are stored either in Soviet walls or in ordinary bookcases. However, today designers recommend placing books on hanging shelves, which can be metal or wood. Sometimes combined shelves consisting of both materials are used. To give the interior a zest, designers develop unusual shapes for bookshelves. For example, they can be located at an angle or in the form of several crosses.

The shapes of wall shelves come in different shapes, let’s look at the most common ones:

• with rear or side walls;
• single-tier or consisting of several levels;
• with a vertical or horizontal arrangement;
• open and closed;
• massive or sophisticated;
• with right angles, as well as inclined or rounded.

The appearance of the shelves should be based on the design direction that is used when decorating the room.

Shelves above furniture

When decorating modern living rooms, the main emphasis is on maximum space, but too much free space can be detrimental. The weakest point is the bare wall above the sofa and armchairs, where paintings or family photographs are usually hung. This solution is not always able to effectively solve the problem of empty space, and it is not suitable for some design areas at all. Instead of an art gallery, experts recommend hanging a couple of narrow shelves above the sofa, and putting several family photos on them.

Advice! The interior will turn out to be very original if you arrange the shelves in a checkerboard pattern, and to prevent such a composition from looking massive, you should choose short and narrow shelves, their length should be up to 1 m, and their width should not exceed 15 cm.

For rooms decorated in art deco and pop art, shelves equipped with hanging elements are often used. They are usually placed above sofas, armchairs and other pieces of furniture. A long and massive shelf is hung just under the ceiling, with multi-level shelves extending down from it. To ensure that items do not overload the interior, but rather organically complement it, experts recommend using shelves only in light colors.

Shelves between window slopes

Window shelves are a rather unusual option for decorating a living room. This solution is perfect for those people who like to decorate their room with numerous colors. It is not at all necessary to block the entire opening with window shelves, depriving the room of sunlight. You can use compact options in which the flowers are placed on special shelves that occupy only part of the window opening. Violets, cyclamen and other small flowers will look great on such shelves.

If your living room has wall niches that are difficult to use for any needs, you can build small shelves into them. They will help hide the shortcomings of this architectural element, making it the highlight of the entire room.

The length and width of the shelves should be selected depending on the parameters of the wall niche. The style of the material must be fully consistent with the surrounding interior. Let's consider the basic recommendations of designers for embedding shelves in wall niches:

• you can equip the niche with LED lighting to make it look more colorful;
• if the wall niche is small, it is better to completely equip its space with shelves;
• In addition to shelves, the niche can be decorated with textured trim, and the color scheme should be different from the rest of the living room interior elements.

Many housewives love to grow flowers, and some are truly passionate about the process. As a result, there may not be enough space on the window sills, so it is worth equipping hanging shelves to place flower pots. The advantage of this solution is that the plants will not block the penetration of daylight into the room. If there are any defects on the wall, flower pots will help to carefully hide any defect.

Advice! If you wish and have free time, you can make such shelves yourself.

In addition to living plants, artificial flowers look great on open shelves. Climbing plants decorate the interior well. Their branches can be gracefully spread over the wall or ceiling, decorating a corner of the living room as a kind of small garden. The photo of shelves in the living room interior shows the most striking design options that many designers focus on.

Unusual shelf shapes

Today, interior specialists are developing many extravagant solutions when decorating a living room, including shelves. Designers offer the most unusual shapes.

For example, shelves with a slope of 45 degrees, which are supported on special racks, look very original. Functionally, this slope is useless, but as a decorative element it looks quite creative. There are also entire furniture compositions made from shelves designed in the form of geographical maps or avant-garde figures.

Shelves in interior styles

Designers love to use shelf compositions to divide a room into functional zones. For each style, a specific shelf arrangement system has been developed. Let's look at some basic examples.

• Hi-tech. In such a living room, wooden or metal shelves of a zigzag shape are used. Accessories here should be present in minimal quantities so as not to overload the decor. Such shelves initially look very original, so there is no need to fill the interior with unnecessary decorations. It will be enough to put a home phone, a photo frame or a watch.

• Modern. For this style, shelves may seem like a bulky element, but there are many successful examples of such design. Usually they are hung separately, but in some cases they act as an integral part of a modular wall. Art Nouveau style does not require a large number of accessories, so you can put several books on the shelves and put a vase or figurine.

• Provence. In this direction, open shelves are rare, and functional shelves on which things are stored are not allowed at all. Typically, only decorative shelves made of glass are used here. The material used is durable tempered glass of various colors, which in combination with vases and figurines looks truly elegant. Also, whitewashed shelves decorated with flowers and hearts are well suited to the Provence style.

• Country. In this direction, rustic motifs are used. Rural houses traditionally had a lot of homemade wooden furniture, among which shelves occupied a special place. Modern living rooms use painted wood shelves. In terms of decor, they are quite simple, although forged options with openwork design are allowed.

• Baroque. Such an interior involves a large number of decorative elements, so the shelves must be decorated with elegant patterns, carved details or stucco. It is very important that they contain a touch of luxury and solemnity inherent in this style.

Conclusion

In the interior of most modern living rooms, shelves play one of the main roles. They store objects, use them to divide space and provide a unified style for the room. When designed correctly, they can qualitatively transform the decor of a room. It doesn’t matter at all whether the shelves are part of the furniture or act as a separate composition. They will always shape the appearance of the room along with other objects. That is why designers pay the closest attention to them in their work.

Finding storage space is one of the main problems that people face while thinking through a design, and after that too. Sometimes, even in a large room, another bulky cabinet will look out of place, but what if you need to place a collection of figurines or a dozen books? Salvation in such a situation is wall shelves, which we will talk about today.

Types of shelves

Wall shelves, although they are a variety in themselves, also differ in location. Conventionally, they are divided into the following types:

The lightest and most common option, which is attached to a flat wall. But precisely because of their simplicity, they provide a wide field for the flight of imagination: shelves of different geometric shapes, sizes, arranged in the form of a honeycomb or creating complex compositions.

Such structures can become a single board nailed to a wall, or form the silhouette of a tree, with each “branch” serving as storage. Bookshelves can be inclined or asymmetrical. In the ocean of interesting ideas, there are even round ones, only in the case of unusual figures it is necessary to think through every moment in advance: location, filling, support points.

This place is usually empty due to its impracticality, but corner shelves will not only rehabilitate the space, but will also help transform the interior. Fastening is carried out on two adjacent adjacent walls. In this case, not only the internal, but also the external corner can be used.

The variability in the design of corner wall shelves depends more on the materials and decor, but even this solution itself looks unusual. More often, shelves are used for books or household items in the bathroom, as well as in storage rooms.

As the name implies, these shelves are not attached directly to the wall, but are suspended on ropes from the ceiling or beam. This design is not very stable, so it is used for storing books rather than crystal vases. But it is ideal for creating original accents in a room.

Either one shelf or several can be installed. The first option is often created in the form of a triangle or the shelf is placed in a circle. The main thing is to make sure that the storage is reliable.

Materials for wall shelves

A wooden board nailed to the wall is the simplest shelf option that immediately comes to mind. But for modern design this is not enough. The choice of material, even for such a simple product, is quite wide, as are their capabilities.

Wood and derivatives

Even if this is an obvious basis, it should not be dismissed out of hand. Complex shapes and fastenings will help to diversify a wooden wall shelf. For minimalism or loft, such a solution would be very appropriate. And if you want to fit an element into a classic interior, it is recommended to pre-process the parts, and maybe even decorate them with carvings.

To save on material, you can use MDF, chipboard or plywood - beautiful, simple, practical.

Metal

But metal wall shelves will definitely attract attention and fit harmoniously into the interior, especially if it is high-tech, fusion or, as an option, minimalism. Only their installation will require special skills.

This foundation has high characteristics - durability, reliability, strength. And pre-treatment will save you from corrosion.

Plastic

A cheap, pliable, versatile material that can look simple or luxurious, imitating natural options, but eliminating their disadvantages. Especially if such a shelf on the wall is filled with objects, so that guests will not have the opportunity to take a closer look at its details. For the bathroom - a very good solution!

Glass or mirror

This foundation has a significant drawback - fragility. A sharp push or blow can damage the shelf, but this situation will not arise when storing light items. Is it worth mentioning how elegant glass looks and how glamorous a mirror surface is? This will give the interior a feeling of weightlessness.

What types of fastenings are there?

You will also have to choose how to attach the shelf to the wall yourself - from three options. The reliability and mobility of the design depends on your decision.

Installation is done with dowels or anchors to the wall. This ensures a strong fixation of the entire product, increasing its load-carrying capacity and strength. If the shelves are intended to store heavy items, then this type is perfect. But there is a big disadvantage - it is very difficult to dismantle it without consequences for the wall or structure.

Moderately rigid fastening with brackets and mounting hooks, which is easy to implement at home, unlike the first type. If necessary, they can be dismantled without damaging the shelf, after which a new one can be installed.

Fully in line with modern trends towards functionality and mobility, such wall shelves are installed according to the principle of extension: the lower tiers become a support for the upper ones. Various combinations of shades or shapes that complement each other look appropriate.

Selecting shelves to match your interior style

With high-quality work, shelves turn into full-fledged furniture, which, like any other item, must be harmoniously integrated into the style of the room.

Modern style

Everything here is simple and at the same time varied: both laconic products made from different materials and entire ensembles of various geometric shapes are suitable. Instead of empty decoration - conceptual aesthetics. The priority is modular or mobile types of wall shelves.

It is necessary to focus on the decoration of the walls: in the case of a neutral coating, you can fit in bright designs, and on the side with a bright finish it is better to do without shelves.

Classic style

You won't be able to do much in the classic style. Wooden shelves on a flat wall, or, in extreme cases, corner shelves. Brackets can be brought to the fore if they are used and fit the design.

Provence

Provence also makes similar demands. Only the processing of the base needs to be approached more carefully. First, use wood or its derivatives. Secondly, cover them with white paint and, if possible, create the effect of antique furniture. Some carelessness in installation will add charm to the structure, but we must not forget about its strength.

Minimalism

To begin with, we note that with this style it is unlikely that it will be possible to put a lot of “small things” on the open shelves - that’s why it is minimalism. To accommodate many items, it is recommended to provide shelves with doors, thereby hiding disharmony from view. Glass or wooden surfaces look good - flat, smooth, directed strictly horizontally.

Loft

The freedom-loving loft offers us the greatest variety. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to fanatically polish the boards to perfection - slight negligence goes quite organically with the brick walls characteristic of this style.

An excellent option is shelves suspended on a thick rope or a corner structure based on a pipe brought to the fore. In general, the loft allows you to turn the disadvantages of space into advantages, and technical elements into decorative and aesthetic ones.

Shelf decor

In addition to choosing wall shelves with an interesting design, they can also be further decorated for greater effect. To avoid the effect of clutter, make sure that the practical content of the products does not conflict with the details.

The simplest option that is suitable for standard wooden shelves is surface decoration. Here you can use all available tools: stencils, decoupage, decorative tape, and so on. This solution will look good on neutral walls, for example, painted white.

The Provence style interior is characterized by the use of textile elements, so why not decorate the shelves with them, laying out several beautifully hanging scarves with patterns? Cozy and practical.

Candles placed singly or in groups will give you a romantic mood. However, you can experiment with light sources by incorporating some modern trends. For example, wall shelves with backlights—mounted lamps that softly illuminate the parts located on them—look unusual.

Tubular fasteners on shelves can be used as a kind of “hanger”: for example, for a lamp, towels or garland. With little effort, a simple storage space can be transformed into an elegant interior element.

It would seem such a simple product, but there are so many options! But not all of them are easy to do on your own and, let’s face it, even a simple look requires certain skills. Before you move on to creating a shelf with your own hands, read the basic recommendations that will help beginners in the furniture business or experienced craftsmen.

So, before the main process, you need to think through the design in detail and make a sketch. Determine for yourself the purpose of installing the shelf, the expected things that will be stored on it, location, shape and size.

Having assessed the load, select the material and method of fastening. After this, markings are made on the surface of the base, and the material is cut.

The resulting modules are assembled, repeated measurements are taken, which are compared with the markings for fasteners. Next, the elements are finished, namely, sanding, tightening and painting, if necessary.

Fasteners are installed on the wall surface and on the shelf, after which the parts are secured, as well as level adjustment with final fastening.

In addition to the options listed, we present you with 30 more photos with ideas for wall shelves that will help you decide on an interesting solution. Inspiration and beautiful interiors!