16 Straightforward DIY Shelf Concepts

Through the years, we’ve added tons of cabinets to our houses – from floating cabinets and built-in bookcases to ornamental show cabinets and heavy-duty storage cabinets. So on this submit, we’re rounding up a few of our favourite DIY shelving initiatives for anybody wanting so as to add sensible vertical storage to their house. We’re going to cowl:

• Floating Cabinets
• Storage Cabinets
• Ornamental Cabinets
• Tips on how to Fashion Your Cabinets

1. Skinny Floating Cabinets For Our Bonus Room

The angled area of interest on this bonus room required some custom-sized cabinets, so we constructed our personal floating cabinets to the precise specs we would have liked. Many floating DIY cabinets might be chunky and thick, however we wished one thing that wasn’t too visually demanding. The thin variations had been an amazing various and actually let the objects on the cabinets be the point of interest. Learn the tutorial for constructing DIY skinny floating cabinets.

However cabinets aren’t only for books and toys, which brings us to…

2. DIY Wooden Floating Cabinets On A Tile Backsplash

Utilizing an analogous method to the cabinets above, we constructed and hung floating wooden cabinets on the tiled backsplashes in our duplex rental property. By tweaking the thin shelf tutorial, we not solely created heavier-duty cabinets that might maintain the load of plates, mugs, and different dishware – we additionally left the wooden look, reasonably than portray them white.

This challenge did contain drilling into tile, which generally is a little nerve-wracking. Fortunately this submit covers all the set up course of for you.

You too can see how we selected completely different wooden finishes for every of the 2 duplex kitchens.

3. Reasonably priced IKEA Floating Cabinets

Not each floating shelf needs to be selfmade! There are many nice store-bought choices, together with the IKEA Lack cabinets that we’ve used a number of occasions – together with in our first house’s eating room (beneath left) and our earlier house’s kitchen (beneath proper). They’re inexpensive, simple to hold, and maintain loads of weight (hey, plates!). Plus, they’ve that traditional, clear, and fashionable look – and are available a number of sizes and finishes.

The picture (above left) is our first house’s eating room and was taken 15 years in the past. We hung the identical Lack floating cabinets in our present house’s bed room. So now we’ve had them in 3 of the 4 houses we’ve lived in!

4. Rustic Pottery Barn Floating Cabinets

Earlier than we renovated our present kitchen, we additionally used some substantial wooden floating cabinets from Pottery Barn to present us additional storage and show house. We began off with only one set, and later upgraded to 2 as a result of we favored them a lot. Though they had been costlier than the IKEA cabinets, they had been an ideal match for the house and the precise model that we wished for this small house (typically the precise wooden tone is difficult to search out). They had been tremendous simple to hold too!

These cabinets had been additionally an amazing improve from the non permanent floating cabinets we constructed shortly and cheaply proper after we moved in. They seemed like they had been floating, however they really weren’t!

5. Fake Floating Cabinets With Metallic Brackets

One other means we like to get the look of floating cabinets with the durability of historically supported cabinets is to disguise the brackets. That’s what we did with these simple cabinets in our seashore home’s workplace. By selecting brackets like these iron ones that cradle the shelf, we might use the objects on the shelf to principally conceal the portion that’s hooked up to the wall in order that they don’t dominate that again wall and steal any consideration. It allowed us to create a floating-ish look with these DIY cabinets whereas introducing a cool mixture of supplies with the wooden + iron mixture. Learn how we made these cabinets.

You too can see how we used the identical methodology in that house’s laundry room.

Our Favourite Storage Shelf Tasks

As a lot as we love floating shelving, typically you additionally want sturdy utilitarian shelving that may stand as much as extra heavy-duty wants. Listed below are a few of our favourite DIY shelf options for when perform is the principle goal (these choices can maintain a lot and nonetheless look good doing it).

6. Making Customized Constructed-In Pantry Cabinets

We majorly upgraded our seashore home’s kitchen storage with built-in DIY pantry shelving across the fridge. They had been simple and cheap to create, plus we bought to completely customise the configuration and coloration. They’re made fully of easy-to-work with MDF plus some 1×2″ pine boards to make the cabinets look chunkier alongside that entrance edge. It’s one in every of our favourite strategies to create built-in cabinets! See how we made this built-in pantry shelving.

Maybe essentially the most sturdy workhorse cabinets you’ll ever want may be in one other space of the home although…

7. Constructing Heavy Responsibility Shed or Storage Cabinets

This storage shelf tutorial is a foolproof strategy to create tremendous sturdy DIY cabinets in a storage, shed, or attic. It makes use of 2×4″s and plywood, plus a fairly cool trick for getting the whole lot sq. and stage. They’re tremendous sturdy and bolstered, making them nice for storage bins, instruments, paint, yard tools, or different weighty objects. We beloved this step-by-step course of a lot we’ve utilized in two completely different sheds!

You too can see how we repeated this course of to make cabinets for our seashore home shed. I’m even gearing as much as do some once more for our present tiny shed! Psst – in the event you didn’t know we had one right here in our smaller house, you’ll be able to see it on this submit!

And as you’ll be able to see, they are often personalized to suit the precise house you’re working with. The one above is even holding heavy packing containers of additional tile too. They’re certainly very heavy-duty!

8. Wall-To-Wall Laundry Room Cabinets

After we wanted a fast strategy to make the most of the room above our washer & dryer, we constructed these easy wooden laundry cabinets. These wall-to-wall DIY cabinets make this closet far more purposeful for us. They’re constituted of fundamental 1×2″ pine boards and plywood, however are nice for holding the whole lot from towels, linens, and even additional vacation decor! We even made an identical countertop over the home equipment that may raise off if wanted.

This method is nice for including cabinets to any closet, like we did in our son’s closet too. We painted them white and used MDF as an alternative of plywood for the model you see beneath (both methodology works). Learn the tutorial for constructing these closet cabinets right here.

However wait, cabinets like this will maintain a lot greater than baskets or garments…

9. Adjustable Toy Closet Cabinets

If you need one thing just like the closet above, however with a bit extra flexibility, this answer we utilized in our former toy closet could do the trick. We used a Rubbermaid closet shelf system that was simple to put in. It simply includes hanging these steel tracks in your again wall. Then you’ll be able to add strong cabinets (not wire!) wherever utilizing these steel brackets. They turned out to be an amazing answer once we transformed a spare coat closet into toy storage for our daughter. Learn how we put in the adjustable closet shelving system

When you’ve got an additional coat closet (or only one you by no means use) it is a nice answer for household board video games, craft storage, and so on.

10. Creating Hybrid Constructed-In Shelving That’s Adjustable

Right here’s a challenge the place we used a mixture of {custom} built-ins and adjustable observe cabinets to create an ideal, however versatile, match for our former laundry room. We had a slim hole subsequent to our stacked washer and dryer, so we used wooden to create storage between the home equipment and the wall. However when it got here to really including the cabinets, we used an adjustable observe system (just like the one above). That means we might pull out the cabinets and entry the vent pipe within the again each time essential. Learn how we constructed these {custom} laundry cabinets.

So yeah, we’ve put in fairly a little bit of shelving. And in the event you suppose we’re carried out with this round-up… what’s that they are saying in all of the infomercials? However wait, there’s extra!

Our Favourite Ornamental Shelf Tasks

As a lot as we love the perform of including vertical storage, typically cabinets are an amazing aesthetic addition to a room. Whether or not you’re speaking about drawing the attention up and including structure to a room, or creating the proper spot to show stuff that you simply love. So listed here are a few of our favourite shelf initiatives that added a ton of favor to our areas.

11. Constructed-In Bookcases Round A Doorway

Utilizing an analogous method to the built-in pantry cabinets, we dressed up our front room with this built-in bookcase that wrapped across the doorway to our kitchen. We used inventory cupboards on the underside to include closed storage. Then we used a mixture of MDF and 1×2″ pine to construct DIY cabinets on high. They added a lot architectural element to the room whereas giving us a lot of house for books an ornamental objects. See how we constructed these conventional bookcases across the doorway.

And issues don’t at all times should be that concerned. This subsequent one was such a simple replace.

12. Reclaimed Wooden Kitchen Cabinets

Within the kitchen pictured above, we wished to decorate up an empty wall by making these ornamental cabinets that had been simply as visually fascinating because the objects on them. So we sourced reclaimed wooden, stained it a classic tone, and paired it with polished nickel brackets that matched the {hardware} in the remainder of the room. These elegant DIY cabinets had been a enjoyable strategy to combine supplies and create a very stunning place to show a few of our prettiest kitchen objects in an in any other case cabinet-filled room. See how we made the reclaimed wooden cabinets.

It’s at all times enjoyable so as to add crops and stacks of books to any cabinets – from the kitchen to the lavatory to an workplace.

13. Assertion Cabinets With Painted Wooden Brackets

In one in every of our prior kitchens, we wished to create assertion show cabinets to pop in opposition to our penny tile backsplash. We used store-bought wooden brackets that we painted a crisp white to make easy DIY shelving. Then we styled them with a mixture of kitchen objects and a few cheerful ornamental objects for a enjoyable colourful look. See how we constructed and put in these wooden kitchen cabinets.

In hindsight, we’d have used fewer brackets on that challenge. Perhaps three on that aspect would have been nice.

14. Easy Butcher Block Show Shelf

We dressed up our cramped utility closet with a easy DIY shelf constituted of some store-bought steel brackets (spray-painted brass) and a leftover piece of the identical butcher block we used for the countertop beneath. It earned us a slim shelf that has grow to be very purposeful for storing additional objects, whereas additionally making this utility closet quite a bit higher to have a look at. You possibly can see the complete utility closet makeover.

By no means underestimate the ability of even one small, well-placed shelf.

15. Constructed-in Child’s Bed room Bookshelf

Our son’s room is small, so we wished to squeeze each inch of perform that we might out of that house, whereas nonetheless making it look good and alluring. Enter a built-in bookshelf on the foot of the mattress, stage proper.

It makes such good use of a previously ineffective sliver of ground house, and built-in cabinetry at all times feels so personalized. This bookshelf will get tons of use and might be seen from the hallway. So we love that it’s each purposeful and handsome. Learn extra about how we constructed it right here.

We even snuck a hidden storage nook into the bottom of it. That rectangle of wooden on the underside that you simply see within the picture above pops out.

16. Multipurpose Metallic Shelving Models

Final however not least, we’ve to shout out one in every of our favourite store-bought bookshelves. We’ve owned these two Fjalkinge steel shelving items from IKEA for nearly a decade! They first appeared in our final home’s house workplace. We beloved that we might customise the combo of open cabinets and closed drawer storage. The drawers can home numerous workplace provides and paperwork. And the cabinets might be extra ornamental – which is how we used them again in Richmond.

After we moved to this home, we first used them in our kitchen to retailer meals and dishes. The cabinets seemed fairly with stacks of plates/cups and the drawers had been nice as a bit of pantry. These infants are versatile! We later moved them as much as our household room (seen beneath) and the underside drawers conceal instruments and workplace paperwork. In the meantime the tops stay largely ornamental, with books, crops, frames, and so on.

These shelving items have labored so effectively for us over a few years and rooms. In order that they felt like a good way to finish this submit. Plus, they embody our favourite mixture of purposeful and ornamental. Hardworking, however nonetheless simple on the eyes.

How To Fashion Your Cabinets

Let me finish this by assuring you that there’s no proper or unsuitable strategy to replenish your cabinets. Some households want or need cabinets to be purely purposeful and hardworking. And others simply wish to show issues that they love . Our favorites are sometimes someplace in between. And in the event you’re struggling for the right combination of things to place in your cabinets – books? artwork? knick-knacks?!? – we’ve a timelapse video to assist in giving you recommendations on how we model our cabinets:

Word: You too can watch this video on YouTube.