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When decorating your home, it's not always possible to invest in every little detail with a quick purchase. That's where DIY projects come in. One category even beginners can easily tackle? Shelving. If you're in need of some tutorials and inspiration for DIY shelving, we have you covered. From classic floating shelves and pegboard displays to DIY built-in bookcases and hanging shelves, all of these ideas are sure to offer you extra storage and decor space.
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1
Pegboard Shelves
Chantell & Brett Quernemoen
If individual shelves feel too messy and cluttered for your walls, DIY pegboards. You'll gain additional space for vases, plants, mirrors, and frames while warming up the space with a wood accent. Just take it from this pegboard display in Food Network star Molly Yeh's kitchen, which she used to show off decorative items and mugs. (Plus, if you get bored of one look, you can easily rearrange the shelves!)
Tap into your knotting skills by fashioning a macramé hanging shelf. Use the bohemian-style accent to show off tiny plants, candles, jewelry, and other trinkets.
Forgo a china cabinet in favor of A-frame shelving. It'll make it easier to put your entire collection of tableware on display—just make sure it's sturdy before you place anything on it!
Creating your own built-in bookcase can be as simple as connecting a few IKEA Billy bookcases. Make it more of a challenge by adding baseboards, trim, and paint.
Get a tutorial that includes adding decorative arches here.
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5
Hexagon Shelves
Courtesy of eHow
If you're a big fan of popsicles or are simply looking for an inexpensive material to work with, consider making hexagon-shaped shelves out of popsicle sticks. Upcycle ones you've eaten, or buy a pack of them for a quick supply.
Repurposed pallet shelves are a great way to display plants or thin objects like books, magazines, and family photos—just make sure to fully clean their insides first!
Give your walls a more organic, bohemian look with wooden shelves hung using rope. All you need is wood, rope, a drill, and two large hook screws to make one.
This circle shelf is the perfect place to display your favorite tiny objects. It looks store-bought, but it's actually made out of three quilting hoops.
If your style leans industrial or rustic, these DIY floating shelves are a must. You can even tailor the wood stain and spray-painted black pipes to your color preferences to perfectly match the rest of your space.
Sure, you can't put anything on top of this shelf, but it's still so pretty. Mason jars are attached to the bottom of the board, with a small hole drilled through to slip your favorite bloom.
Put leftover copper pipe to good use with these super-simple shelves. For this project, you only need basic construction skills and a long, flat surface to place on top of the pipes.
Squeeze these whitewashed floating shelves into an unused corner and load them up with succulents. They're an easy way to bring greenery into an empty space.
Make old crates useful by hanging them on the wall, like this clever two-tone shelving. Here, they're used to store makeup and nail polish—but you could also stock them with spices or knickknacks.
Sienna is a Deputy Editor at Hearst, where she oversees the commerce team's coverage of wellness, home, tech, fashion, parenting, and more. She lives in California with her husband and two littles.
Kelly Allen is the Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she creates design, culture, and travel content online and in the magazine. She’s been on the team since 2019, writing features on dreamy TV sets and moviefilming locations, in-depth city guides, and inspiring home tours. From researching ethereal estates to discovering can’t-miss set decoration details onscreen, she’s always eager to answer burning pop culture questions through a design lens. In her five-year career, she’s built a strong network of designers across disciplines to tap for their invaluable expertise. Her background includes honing reporting skills while tackling viral news for Delish and contributing to Cosmopolitan’s entertainment coverage. When she’s not watching every new film and TV show, she’s browsing vintage home stores, attending industry events, and wandering around New York City—highlighting it all on Instagram.