25+ Best DIY Floating Shelf Ideas and Designs

Last Updated on November 1, 2021 by Kimberly Crawford

Your home needs repeated makeovers for it to look fresh. With the run-of-the-mill interior design ideas, every home looks identical.

How then are you going to differentiate yourself from the rest? We have a few suggestions that could make a difference. Floating shelves are a beautiful way of improvising your home.

How deep should floating shelves be?

Depending on what you are looking to float on the shelf, the depth varies. For a standard bookshelf that you look to float, the depth could be 10”. A kitchen shelf can be 12” deep. Also note, the deeper the shelf, the weaker it is.

How much weight can a floating shelf hold?

As we discussed, the deeper the shelf the weaker it is. Therefore, for the shelf to be sturdy and hold more weight, you need to make sure of more rods that go in its support.

Try three rods to hold a shelf of 36” in length and four rods for shelves that are tending towards 45”-50” to be able to withstand the weight of the substance. A typical 3-rod floating shelf of 36” length can hold around 125-135 lbs and so-on.

Are floating shelves strong?

The strength of floating shelves again depends on the length and the number of rods used to hold it together. Ideally, a 3-rod floating shelf is sturdy enough, but depending on what you are trying to float, the strength varies.

How do you mount floating shelves without drilling?

There are various methods you can use to do this. The most popular being that of adhesive tapes exclusive for floating shelves. There are many variants available depending on the weight of what you try to float.

How do you secure a floating shelf?

There are multiple ways of doing this. You could either drill the floating shelf directly to the wall, use a bracket to place the shelf upon or use rods to hold the shelf together.

How do you fix floating shelves?

The most popular way of fixing a floating shelf is by drilling it directly into the wall. The other methods are, using adhesive strips or placing the floating shelves on brackets drilled into the walls.

20 best DIY floating shelf ideas:

1). The obliques

Best suited for designer libraries or your home study.

Source

2). The hexagons

Utility and elegance rolled into one, this hexagonal floating shelf is drool-worthy.

Source

3). The designer

An ideal floating shelf for your dining to leave your guests jaw-dropping.

4). The pyramids

These are aesthetically splendid and are sure going to have heads turn.

5). The ‘L’ shaped

Perfect for compact homes that need extra storage space.

6). The drawer shelf

This floating shelf personifies space optimisation. Apart from its inherent utility, it adds value by providing drawers for additional storage.

Source

7). The sin wave

Perfect for the geek!

8). The lavish floating shelf

This one is royal and gives your drawing room scintillating look.

Source

9). Stairs on the wall

This is so creative and unique, one will fall in love with it at first sight.

10). The spiral

The perfect floating shelf for your room little library at home. Minimalistic design to maximise space and elegance.

11). The corner one

Yet another floating wall that can optimally utilise space and enhance the look of your home.

12). Triangles

This floating wall fits in cosy in a corner and just about accommodates what is required, not compromising on the look of your home.

Source

13). The TV Unit

This is as unique as it could get. This gives you creative liberty as well.

14). Box-wall

This floating shelf design is a must-have in every home. It saves space and makes your home look splendid.

15). The loud wall

This floating shelf is so loud, it can shatter glasses. In all its splendour, it is a treat to the sore eye.

16). The floating tree

This tree-shaped floating shelf can ‘grow’ on you!

Tutorial

17). The protruding globe

Yet another creative design for a floating shelf, this looks so real, you could almost see its axis.

18). Hanging gardens

If you like to experiment with ‘Floating’ shelves, this is it!

Source

19). The suspended shelf

This floating wall is on another level in creative thinking when it comes to interiors. You can’t ignore this one for your next home interior design.

20). Linked shelf

This is a tried and tested design that has always maintained its charm. The inter-linked squares that form this floating shelf have a story to tell.

21). Corner shelf

Source

22). Floating shelf tutorial

Source

23). DIY floating shelf with plans

Source

24). DIY Box Storage

Source

Conclusion

Floating shelves are so beautiful you could do a thesis on them. It is a science in itself. Planning a home is the most beautiful thing and doing up the interiors is blissful. Floating shelves allow your creative juices overflow and makes this experience sublime.