Whether you want to decorate or organize, handsome wall shelves made with sturdy wood can be a great tool. Wooden wall shelving comes in a variety of styles, sizes and shapes to fit any need or style of home. Use them right, and they can be both attractive and durable!
Types of Wooden Wall Shelves
Here are a few of the most common types of wooden wall shelves you can find. Most of these are available in different finishes, for instance a white shelf for a clean look or a wooden finish to match to your existing furniture.
- Basic Wall Shelf – A basic wooden wall shelf can be one of two things, a decorative shelf with visible perpendicular supports below the shelf, or a wooden closet shelf also with some sort of support below.
- Floating Wall Shelf – Wooden floating shelves are different from traditional versions because there is no visible support. They are anchored into the wall and appear to be floating. These are a great option if you are looking for modern wall shelves.
- Storage Shelf – Storage shelves, or wall shelving systems, are typically comprised of multiple shelves and boxes to provide the most functionality for storing things.
- Cube Shelf – Cube wall shelves also known as shadow boxes. These are small square boxes that are typically used most for accent items or pictures.
- Corner Wall Shelf – Corner wall shelves are typically small and made specifically to be installed in corners. They provide another way to help decorate or place smaller items.
- Leaning or Ladder Shelf – Leaning ladder shelves, as the name implies, are a ladder-style shelving unit that leans against the wall. These wooden shelving units have multiple layers of shelves that start with a larger base and get increasingly smaller as they go up to create a sloped design.
Creative Ways To Use Wooden Wall Shelves
With a little thought and ingenuity you can find a lot of creative and functional ways to use wood wall shelves to organize your home but here are a few wall shelving ideas to get you started.
In The Bathroom
Good use of bathroom wall shelves can increase the functionality of your bathroom while also improving the look of it. For a clean look use white wall shelves if they match your other bathroom décor.
Finding small bathroom shelving ideas can be especially important if you have a small bathroom. Using an enclosed unit with doors above the toilet creates additional storage space while hiding the mess. Stacking 3 or 4 corner shelves in an available corner or staggering or aligning 3 or more floating shelves on a wall can provide additional storage and an interesting design feature.
If you have the space consider installing a square or rectangular unit that has both shelves and boxes. Do it yourself or hire a handyman so you can customize it for your needs. You can store towels and more attractive items on the shelves then use matching storage baskets in the cube shelves for smaller items and to create a clean look.
In The Bedroom
The most important shelving in the bedroom is closet shelving. Having the right size, shape and placement of closet shelves can make a huge difference. If you can’t afford a closet shelving makeover simply adding a couple of wooden wall shelves in the right place can still make a significant difference. Breaking up the available space into cubes or layered shelves can help you utilize this space better.
Bedroom wall shelves can be used for either storage or decorative accents. Built-in wall shelves can be very useful here, but keep in mind too many or not maintaining them can provide a cluttered look. Ladder-style, cube or floating shelves work well in the bedroom for both storage and decoration.
In The Kitchen
The main storage area in the kitchen, besides the cabinets, is the pantry. Good use of pantry shelves will give you the most use out of this space.
Because you may be storing everything from canned food to small appliances in this space it can help to have varying space between the wood wall shelves. When it comes to pantry wall shelves wood is a good choice because it is durable, but it is also important to make sure they are installed properly because they may be supporting a lot of weight. For deep pantries consider adding sliding shelves for easier use.
Kitchen wall shelves can be great for storing decorative dishes, spices or canisters of flour and sugar. Basic or decorative shelves are good for a country or traditional style home; choose versions with hooks to hang cups or other items. Floating wall shelves are better for a contemporary look. Cube wall shelves can also work well in the kitchen for smaller items. Once again make sure they are installed properly (in a wall stud) if they will be supporting a lot of weight or breakable items.
In The Living Room
If you have a lot of items to display built-in wall shelves can work well in the living room, but once again they can look cluttered if not well maintained.
Traditional or floating wall shelves work well here. This is another good area to layer or stagger them for a distinct look. A corner shelf can be a great place to keep things out of reach of pets or kids, like a vase of fresh flowers. Cube shelves are great for pictures or decorative items.
In some homes with high or vaulted ceilings it can work to add a shelf along the whole wall where the ceiling would be. This can be a good place to store books or decorative items, or even decorative storage containers for added storage space.
Things To Consider
When adding wooden wall shelves to your home make sure they match the look and style of your home. For a contemporary décor with white baseboards and trim consider using a white floating shelf. For a traditional décor with dark wood furniture consider using a matching dark wood wall shelf.
Ensuring your wooden wall shelves blend with the color and style of your home is important for an attractive and cohesive look.