15 Floating Shelf Ideas You Can Easily Re-create Yourself

Looking to add character to your new build or embrace your old home's original era? Opt for reclaimed or antique wood floating shelves. The unique knots and grains make each board unique.

Floating shelves are a great addition to pretty much any room in the house, but they seem to be a particular favorite in the kitchen. They make it easier to grab items while you cook and clean than enclosed cabinets do, plus they give you an extra perch to display decor. In Justina Blakeney's kitchen, earthy reclaimed wood floating shelves are enhanced by the glossy green tile backsplash.

Create a cozy corner reading nook in your bedroom with a dark paint color, plush fabrics, emotive artwork, and of course, easy-to-reach books. In this bedroom designed by Arent & Pyke, the rows of floating shelves provide a home for the occupant's collection.

Whether your space has a customized niche or you want to reimagine an existing quirk, consider floating shelves your solution. They'll allow you to get some practical use out of an otherwise wasted divot. Here, Emil Dervish accents this space by giving the floating shelves a bright orange-red backdrop.

Remember to play with profile types the same way you experiment with various color, composition, and material options for your floating shelves. For example, a thicker shelf will look more assertive on the wall, while thin floating shelves like these will be sleeker and allow your decorative items to take center stage.

Equal parts preppy and bohemian, contemporary and timeless, this kitchen by Anna Spiro Design is an eclectic dream. A lone floating shelf in line with the bottom of the range hood is visually arresting and streamlined.

In a small powder room, a floating shelf will be a life-saver for essentials like washcloths, hand soap, candles, and tissues. Interior designer Gail Davis installed a simple glass shelf right under the mirror for a symmetrical display.

In smaller spaces where a tulip table is all you can squeeze in, choose fun accent chairs and consider a built-in bench. A casual gallery wall or statement-making floating shelves displaying decor will spice things up without taking up any precious square footage. This breakfast nook designed by Arent & Pyke proves it.

Create a gallery wall with more depth by laying out a pattern with floating shelves instead of hanging framed artwork. In this living room designed by Alberto Villalobos, the offset composition and metallic material is enough of a statement, but you could also fill yours with decor and books to fill the negative space.

Floating shelves can be bold and over-the-top when decorated a certain way, but the emphasis on material and shape also makes them also a minimalists dream. In this space designed by Shapeless Studio, the wall-to-wall floating shelves for make for a neutral, linear, and clean display—almost gallery-esque, yet still approachable and grounded.

Two floating cubic shelves function as pedestals to prop up vases in this colorful dining room designed by Corey Damen Jenkins. This trick is perfect for a narrow wall in a dining room, hallway, or entry.

The floating shelves in this neutral-toned Scandinavian studio apartment blend in seamlessly with the white walls. Take inspiration from this space if you're working within a smaller scale space and want your floating shelves to disappear instead of distract.

Why settle for floating shelves when you can secure a floating cubby to the wall? In this living room, it strikes the balance between bohemian and polished.