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Including a six-step guide on how to put one up.
If there’s one thing we love more than a shelf, it's one that floats. Sleek, minimal and able to house a multitude of objects, floating shelves do it all.
'Open shelving opens up a whole range of possibilities for a design scheme so you can make as big a statement as you would like and even create a work of art out of your shelves,' says Peter Erlandsson, co-owner of String Furniture.
They're also a great decorative feature if you need to fill bland walls. If, for example, your sofa is surrounded by a vast expanse of nothingness, 'consider adding a floating shelf above it, adorned with personal trinkets, photos, and hanging plants', suggests Sam Greig, head of design at Swoon.
Floating wall shelves are brilliant for those short on floor space too. 'When space is premium, you need to make use of everything you have available to you,' says Kelly Collins, interior designer and head of creative at Swyft Home. 'Under the stairs, random indents in the wall, strange corners in the kitchen walls, etc. Add floating shelves to these areas to make the space functional and practical. Since you weren’t using the space for anything already, it makes sense to dedicate the area to more storage.'
A DIY floating shelf is an ideal weekend project and there are some fabulous designs on the high street that combine style and functionality. Here are some of our favourites...
For more shelving ideas, be sure to take a look at our guide on kitchen shelves and clever bathroom shelf ideas.
With a two-tier design, this wooden floating shelf will elevate a bland wall. Style with your favourite accessories – bud vases, trinkets and ornaments – to create a striking focal point.
Keep it simple with a black floating shelf, ideal for your living room or home office. Starting from £10, there are three available lengths: 60cm, 80cm, 120cm.
For something a little different, opt for floating cubes. You can arrange this set of three as you wish, either grouping together or positioned individually. It's perfect for photo frames and trailing houseplants.
A corner shelf is a great option to maximise every inch of space, and one with a floating effect will avoid a cluttered look. This simple and clean design is made from FSC certified wood.
For a simple, fuss-free white floating shelf with a lovely high-gloss finish, head to Habitat. House your books, vases, collectables or a lovely trailing plant on here. Browse more floating shelves in the Jak collection here.
Oh-so-fancy, give your walls some luxe appeal with these brass floating shelves. Minimal and refined, these three wall shelves can be hung and arranged however you like.
Perfect for children's bedrooms, this floating wall shelf in lacquered MDF is a versatile design that can be hung in different ways. As pictured in an upright position, you could place books inside, or turn it upside down and place some art or toys on top, while hanging items from the rail.
An ideal choice for a bathroom (especially if you're running out of cabinet space) is this minimalist floating shelf made from tempered glass. It'll look seamless on your bathroom wall, thanks to stainless steel brackets and concealed fixings.
Made from solid wood, these floating shelves are designed in a semi-elliptical shape, creating a clean, sleek aesthetic. They're sold individually but we'd be tempted to get all three to mirror this fabulous wall display.
A floating shelf with storage? Yes, please! This is an ideal storage solution if you really are tight on space and it looks great with a simple, clean design.
One of the most popular floating shelves out there, Ikea's Lack range offers concealed mounting in a variety of sizes (lengths and thicknesses) and colours. We love this small rectangular shape, which works as a handy bedside table. A white shelf against a pure white wall looks seamless. It's also available in an oak effect or black-brown. It's the cheapest one on our list at only £5. Explore the range here.
Browse B&Q's GoodHome range for rectangular floating shelves. The walnut-effect finish is a versatile option and the thick shelf design is ideal if you want to create a bolder look. The shelves have pre-drilled holes and they come with invisible brackets.
String's Museum Shelf is all about functionality in the home. It was originally designed for Nationalmuseum, Sweden's museum of art and design in Stockholm, where it holds works of art in the museum's café and restaurant for visitors to view. Its sleek design makes it utterly versatile and suitable for any room of the house, working as a bedside table or an extra shelf in the hallway. Pictured here in white, other colours include dark brown, beige, orange and aluminium.
While a white shelf against a white wall will create an invisible look, you can make a statement with a hit of colour. This dusky pink floating shelf will create a fresh, colourful and contemporary look.
Who said floating shelves look boring? We love the rattan effect panels on this decorative wall shelf. It also has a lovely stained wood finish.
For all their benefits, there's one downside to floating shelves: the hidden internal bracket means they’re slightly harder to put up – but it's not impossible. Here, Nicole Cyrus, an experienced handywoman on TaskHer, explains how...
1. WIRE CHECK
Find out if there are any wires or light fittings behind your wall. You can use an electronic cable detector, but as a rule of thumb, avoid anywhere directly above or below plug sockets and light fittings.
2. FIND YOUR STUDS
Using a stud finder, pencil and spirit level, mark where the studs are on your wall.
3. PLACE YOUR BRACKETS
Position your bracket on the stud-marked spot and now mark your screw holes along the wall stud that runs vertically. Use a spirit level to make sure they’re all level. Place the centre of your plate on the stud and mark the additional holes around it.
4. DRILL YOUR HOLES
Work along the marked spots checking your drill bit correlates to the size of your screws. For single-plate brackets, make sure the holes for the drywall are slightly bigger as you will need wall plugs to hold the screws in place.
5. SCREW IN THE BRACKETS
If attaching to the drywall, add the wall plugs in first.
6. MAKE YOUR SHELF
Now all you need to do is slot your shelf onto the arms of the brackets and marvel at your handiwork.
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