Creative wall shelving ideas

Don’t have a lot of closet space in your home? Wall shelving is a simple and space-efficient solution. Putting in some shelves can help resolve your storage struggles in a stylish way. And shelves aren’t just functional; you can get creative with them, too.

There’s a huge number of shelving styles to suit any home decor. So, where do you even get started? We’ve compiled a list of creative and quirky wall shelving ideas to inspire you.

Mounted wall shelving

If you’re limited on floor space, mountable wall shelving is a great idea. You can get really creative with the design, display and styling. Think ‘open’ spaces and the ‘floating’ look. Mounted wall shelving can have a quirky aesthetic and still be very functional.

Bonus: Getting rid of standalone shelving against walls also means no more marks on floors and carpets and more seating space.

Industrial wall shelving

Using pipes, cast iron, copper, and other metal materials for shelving can help you create that highly desirable industrial chic look. Opt for the edgier and grittier style that industrial design is known for, or take a different angle by using colour, a copper finish, or light to create a unique, fresh style.

Cube shelves

Cube or cuboid shelves are a great way to add a contemporary edge to your home. The infinite range of colours, sizes, and styles will enable you to experiment with different looks. Try positioning cube shelves in a variety of ways before mounting. This is a style of shelving you can get truly creative with.

Design your own wall shelving systems

Push your artistic side to the limit by constructing a DIY wall shelving system. Think steel frames and wooden boards connected with joints in any arrangement you’d like. You can jigsaw puzzle pieces together to create a modern shelving feature unique to your home.

If you have an idea of what you’d like but need some help with construction,  connect with a local professional handyman. 

Wire shelving

Wire shelving doesn’t have to be limited to the kitchen or the shower. Gain additional storage space by mounting wire baskets on walls as book nooks to display plants or to hang prints.

Leaning shelves

Leaning shelves are freestanding and angled against the wall to give a ‘leaning’ or ‘ladder’ appearance. The depth and width of each shelf can be uniform for a patterned effect or varied for a more asymmetrical look. Individual shelves can even serve a specific purpose, such as storing a home computer. If you want to use your shelf as a storage rack for items such as towels, go full ladder style (i.e. use a real ladder) and drape towels over each rung.

Geometric shelving

Take your shelf styling to the next level by decorating your walls with artfully shaped shelves in various sizes. Think triangles, rectangular prisms, circles and hexagons. Stack them against each other, spread them out, or consider random placement.

Using geometric shelving made of natural materials against a white wall will give your home a contemporary and fresh look. Keep this look minimalist by displaying just a few items on these shelves.

Repurposed personal items

If you’ve held on to personal items you can’t bear to part with, consider repurposing these items into something more functional. For instance, could you turn your beloved old acoustic guitar wall into a shelf to represent your love of music?

Browse what’s been lying around your garage or shed for ages, and consider how you could turn it into a creative shelving unit.

Feeling inspired? Find handyman help and furniture assembly services to help you bring your shelving idea to life.