Shelf Styles: Your Guide to the Different Types of Wall Shelves
Discover which wall shelf will suit your needs.
Shelves are household essentials with a two-fold purpose – to store and typically display items. Whether you are showing off your favorite trinket collection, setting out kitchen ingredients and spices, stacking beloved books, or even using storage baskets to keep your space looking neat and tidy – shelves are at the center of it all. That being said, there are a broad range of shelf styles available for you to choose from. While they may overlap in some design aspects, each of these types of shelves still features unique elements to set them apart from one another. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of wall shelves and discover which will work best in your home.
1. Floating Shelves
Floating shelves offer a modern addition to any home thanks to their contemporary design. All the installation hardware is hidden behind the shelves themselves, creating a "floating" effect that also provides a decorative touch to any space. Since this style of open shelving leaves is free from any visible mounting brackets or hardware, the shelves themselves don't take up much wall space, allowing you to easily display your preferred decorative pieces.
The great thing about floating shelves is that they can be used in any room in the house, whether that be in the kitchen for displaying beautiful china or cookware, in the bathroom above a vanity or sink, or in the living room or office for decor and personal effects. They are typically made from real or engineered wood in order to create a classy aesthetic.
Bracket shelves are one of the most common shelf styles. They comprise an open shelf that is fixed to the wall using individual L-shaped brackets on either side. These visible brackets come in various styles from plain hardware to more ornate and decorative pieces for a more elegant appeal – creating a dramatic focal point. These types of shelves are usually more sturdy thanks to the extra support provided by the brackets, allowing you to store heavier items like books, cooking pots, or plants upon them.
Tip!
Considering creating a plant shelf? Read our guide 15 Plant Shelf Ideas for Green Indoor Styling to learn more.
3. Accent Shelves
Accent shelves are the most versatile of all types of wall shelves since they are typically designed to specifically add both style and storage. They come in the broadest range of designs, materials, and colors. You can take your pick from gold metal-framed geometric shelves to mid-century modern wood options, and you can even find novelty plastic models in unique and quirky shapes.
Accent shelves add a touch of fun to your home and are popular in places like the office, living room, or bedroom, where they can easily be viewed and appreciated. Since there are so many different options to choose from, you can easily pick an eye-catching silhouette to match or stand out against your current home decor.
Tip!
For a little inspo for styling your shelves, read Must-See Wall Shelf Ideas to Transform Your Space.
4. Picture Ledge Shelves
When it comes to storage solutions, picture ledge shelves are designed for a specific function. While they may have the appearance of a bracket or floating shelf, the primary difference is these shelves are manufactured with a lip or ridge at the front edge. This design allows you to display items that cannot stand by themselves such as; pictures, artwork, and records, while the ledge prevents them from sliding down and falling off.
Not only do these shelving units allow you to show off your artwork, but they also save your walls. Since you won't be mounting any of the frames, but merely placing them on the shelf, you will have the opportunity to swap pictures in and out you please without ever having to hammer anything in. Your walls will be free from nails and you can create different aesthetics as you vary the picture themes, color palettes, and heights whenever you feel like it.
Tiered shelves are typically closest to the bracket style and are best used for keeping a collection of items together. As the name suggests, these shelves will feature at least two or more open rows organized in a row (one below the other). These are usually held together with stylized metal brackets, creating an elongated display that will help keep the rest of your walls clutter-free. These shelf styles are fantastic when mounted in bathrooms above vanities (particularly those with limited space) allowing you to place all your toiletries and bath essentials together. You can even use a tiered shelf to replace your spice rack in the kitchen, or in a craft room to store your jars of tools and materials upon.
Cubby shelves are much like regular cubbies, in that they are formed by a collection of boxes/cubbies that are ideal for storage and display. These types of shelves are usually square or rectangular in shape, with the same depth all the way around (similar to a shadowbox). It is possible to find these cubbies as individual shelves, or more commonly, as an assemblage of shelves connected together. Sometimes they feature more asymmetrical designs with open spaces and unfinished boxes, while others are simply formed from cubbies stacked upon one another. Either way, these shelf types are great for collectors who want to show off their sets, as small bookcases, or for anyone who wants to keep their decision making to a minimum and display a range of items at one time.
Corner shelves are designed with a 90 degree angle that will fit into the recess where two walls or sides meet. They then extend outward with an edge that is often in the form of a semicircle, giving you a flat surface to palace your items on. Corner shelves are often used in tight spaces like the shower or bathroom (where they are commonly made from glass or metal), or in smaller rooms that can benefit from utilizing what would otherwise be empty space. It is possible to find regular single corner shelves, or some in more complex designs that extend up and down like a tiered shelf, usually in a staggered formation for an interesting look.
With so many shelf styles to choose from, you are spoiled for choice. Hopefully this informative guide has helped you get a better idea of what will be more functional and attractive in your home.
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