40 Brilliant DIY Shelves That Will Beautify Your Home

Shelving is a must. Really. Whether you need something for storage or you want to add a bit to your décor, shelves are the perfect solution.

We have a great collection of 40 shelves you can easily DIY. They are frugal, easy, and will add beauty to your home. We have a shelf for every room and every budget. Whether you need something in the bathroom to store beauty supplies or in the nursery for baby items, there is a shelf in here that is perfect for you.
Some hang on the walls, and some sit on the floor, but all of them are going to add the perfect touch of décor and function to your home.
Take a few minutes and browse our collection. Then take a couple of hours and build your own shelves. You’ll be proud to display your DIY shelves and you’ll love the extra storage that they give you.

Jump to:

• 1. DIY Floating Shelves
• 2. Rustic Bathroom Shelves
• 3. Branch Shelves
• 4. Reclaimed Wood Shelves
• 5. $10 Hanging Bathroom Shelf
• 6. Nursery Room Bookshelves
• 7. Chalkboard Cubby Shelf
• 8. Stacked End Table Shelf
• 9. Corner Shelving
• 10. Pallet Shelf
• 11. DIY Honeycomb Shelves
• 12. Beautiful Picture Shelves
• 13. Pantry Shelves
• 14. DIY Industrial Shelves
• 15. Corner Shelves
• 16. Rustic Floating Shelf
• 17. Leaning Shelf
• 18. Leather Strapped Shelf
• 19. Stacked Crate Shelves
• 20. Reclaimed Wood Shelves
• 21. Invisible Shelves
• 22. Simple Wood Bathroom Shelf
• 23. $7 DIY Bookshelf
• 24. Easy Floating Shelves
• 25. Repurposed Pallet Shelving
• 26. Crate and Pipe Shelf
• 27. DIY Ladder Shelf
• 28. DIY Modular Shelves
• 29. Crutch Shelf
• 30. Reclaimed Wood Honeycomb Shelves
• 31. Rustic Log Shelves
• 32. Great Painted Shelves
• 33. Rustic Wall Storage Bins
• 34. Repurposed Door Shelf
• 35. Recycled Drawer Shelves
• 36. Easy Kitchen Shelving Cart
• 37. Easy DIY Window Box Shelves
• 38. Pegboard Shelves
• 39. Paint Bucket Shelves
• 40. DIY Wooden Wine Shelf

1. DIY Floating Shelves

These wooden shelves are not only functional, but they’re beautiful as well. The project is so easy and requires very few supplies. These may just be the most frugal shelves ever, and they’re great for any décor. You just need wood, which you can buy or use from leftover projects. The plywood shelves lay on top of pine boards to create a floating look, but they’re very sturdy. Seriously, you can keep books or other heavy items on these with no worries of falling. Just be sure that you find a stud when you install your baseboards for extra security.

2. Rustic Bathroom Shelves

These bathroom shelves are absolutely gorgeous, and they’re really easy to create. If you have an old storage system above the toilet, it may be time for an upgrade, and these little shelves are the perfect décor for any bathroom. They are installed like floating shelves, and they are reinforced for added strength. Plus, they are very country and rustic-looking and give you loads of storage space. They’re absolutely perfect for the bathroom or any little nook that you may have where you need a little storage space. The best thing is that they’re frugal and take very few materials to build.

3. Branch Shelves

We absolutely adore this branch shelf. It’s beautiful, practical, and oh-so-frugal all at the same time. You will need to find branches, of course, that will work to create a shelving unit. Get four of the same size, and make sure to cut them evenly. Add smaller branches to give you more security and to help hold the shelves level. Then just add your shelving, which you can make yourself out of plywood, or you could be creative and use light stones or cut-off pieces of stumps. The possibilities with this one are endless, and there’s no limit to what you can create when you get started.

4. Reclaimed Wood Shelves

The great thing about creating shelving is you don’t have to spend a lot of money. In fact, you may not have to spend any money at all. These floating shelves are made with reclaimed wood, so there’s no cost at all involved in making them if you have the right supplies on hand. The best thing about these? They have drawers! You can store so many office supplies and other items in the drawers that are completely hidden from view. Imagine the storage that three or four of these would give you. They’re really easy to build, too. You can create several in just one day.

5. $10 Hanging Bathroom Shelf

This adorable shelf is perfect for small bathrooms, and you can make it for just $10. Actually, you can make it for even less than that if you have a couple of pine or whitewood boards and some rope. You’ll need a board for the shelves and one to build the frame, both about eight feet long. You also need a saw and a few other tools, some rope, and Gorilla wood glue. It comes together beautifully and is perfect for anywhere you need a little something but don’t want to build an entire shelving unit. And for 10 bucks, you just can’t beat the price.

6. Nursery Room Bookshelves

You could build this great shelving unit in the nursery to hold those wonderful nursery rhymes or just anywhere in the house that you need it. As beautiful and complicated as it looks, it really won’t take you long at all to put it together, and you don’t need as many supplies as you may think. You will need about five 10-foot boards and another five 6-foot boards, or however long you want them, really. This is a gorgeous shelving unit that covers an entire wall, and you can make it as wide or as thin as you want. Imagine having a place to keep all of those books organized!

7. Chalkboard Cubby Shelf

This little shelf is perfect for the kitchen or anywhere where you normally keep notes and lists. It has a chalkboard section so you can keep your schedule, grocery list, or any number of lists organized, and there are wonderful cubbies for holding smaller items. There are even hooks to hang coats, hats, backpacks, or whatever you want. It would be perfect inside the back door to keep backpacks organized during the school year, or you could find loads of other uses for it. We love that you can build it for less than $40 and in less than a day.

8. Stacked End Table Shelf

This is an absolutely brilliant project that’s cheap and easy. You just take an old end table, cut it in half, and then use that to build a shelving unit. Seriously, how much more frugal and DIY-ish can you get? You can find old end tables at yard sales and thrift stores for very little, and you may even find someone giving one away just to get rid of it. Take it and create this adorable and very functional shelving unit. There are loads of spaces for books, knickknacks, or anything else that you need to display, and it secures to the wall perfectly, so it will hold even your most treasured possessions.

9. Corner Shelving

Imagine building a great storage unit for the garage or basement with just one sheet of ⅜th plywood and five 2X4s. You’ll also need some screws to secure it to the wall. It’s modern, functional, and really easy to build. If you need storage in the garage or you have a basement that just doesn’t give you enough shelves, this is the perfect solution. It’s cheap, which is why we love it, and it looks great. You could paint it if you wanted and really make it look great, or just leave it natural. Imagine the look if you built two of them side by side.

10. Pallet Shelf

Ok, have we mentioned that we absolutely adore pallets? We do! One of the reasons that we love them is because they are so versatile. You can build just about anything with an old pallet. And, they’re cheap. In fact, some companies give them away just to be rid of them. With that in mind, you can create a beautiful shelf with an old pallet that’s both frugal and functional. Use your little shelf to hold wine bottles, books, or anything else. The rustic look of a pallet shelf is gorgeous, and you can build more than one with a single pallet, so this may be the most frugal way to add shelving yet.

11. DIY Honeycomb Shelves

Honeycomb shelves are so pretty, and they hold a lot of stuff. You can make your own honeycomb shelving unit and add as many or as few shelves as you need. These are so simple to create and take very little wood for each unit. They are perfect for kids’ rooms for holding small cars, books, or other little toys that they may want to display. They would also be great in the bathroom for holding hair essentials and smaller items. They’re so versatile, too. You can stain or paint them to match any room, and they look great anywhere you may need them.

12. Beautiful Picture Shelves

You can actually create these shelves to hold pictures, plates, or anything that needs a little lip on the shelf to hold it securely in place. They would also be great for keeping books on display in the kids’ rooms. You can make two of these for around $15, and they only take half an hour to finish. Imagine the shelving that you can create for your home on a weekend and at a great price, too! Stain them, paint them, or just leave them natural. It’s all up to you. We love that they’re cheap, beautiful, and take very little time to put together, and you’ll love how the little lip keeps all of your treasures secure.

13. Pantry Shelves

If you have a pantry that just doesn’t have enough shelving to hold everything, this is the perfect weekend project. You can completely organize your pantry with this one shelving unit, and it’s easy to build and really cheap, considering the storage space that you get. You can literally store everything you need on this one unit. Imagine the organization that you can get done! Not to mention how much you can really stock up when you have a unit like this in place. This pantry shelf is a couponer’s dream, and it won’t take you nearly as long to build it as you may think.

14. DIY Industrial Shelves

The wood and metal work so well together on this industrial shelving unit. Honestly, you could put this anywhere in the house, and it would look great. If you have old pipes and elbows lying around that you’re no longer using, this one will be a cinch. Even if you have to buy the supplies, it’s really not expensive and it does look wonderful. Create as many shelves as you need. You could do a large or a small version of this one, and both would look great. It’s sturdy, has loads of room, and is really fun to build, too.

15. Corner Shelves

This corner shelving unit costs around $100 to build if you have to buy everything. If you can find wood on sale or if you happen to have a few boards that you’re not using for another project, you can cut the cost considerably. It looks beautiful once it’s finished, and you can stain or paint it any color that you need to match your existing décor. This would be great over the TV for holding movies and such, or you could use it in the family room to hold games, puzzles, or whatever you need.

16. Rustic Floating Shelf

This beautiful floating shelf is so very easy to make, and you just need an old board, so it may not cost anything. It’s gorgeous with its mantel-like appearance and would be perfect for the living room. Imagine hanging stockings from it during the holidays. It will work perfectly for those who don’t have a traditional fireplace, and it’s so easy to make that you won’t believe it. We love the hinges on the sides, which really give it that rustic look. You could easily build this from repurposed fencing or barn wood and really give it a great old-world feel.

17. Leaning Shelf

This leaning shelf is a great conversation starter, and you can build it in less than a day. It’s also a great project for beginners. You get five shelves that will hold books or whatever else you want to put on them and you can leave it natural or stain it whatever color you need. It’s a bit whimsical in a Leaning Tower of Pisa style, but it’s completely secure, so you won’t have to worry about it falling over or your things falling off. You need four boards, a few screws, and some wood glue, and that’s it. It’s easy and fits nicely within any budget.

18. Leather Strapped Shelf

If you want a shelf that is beautiful and unique, this leather strapped one is perfect. It has an old-world book bag look to it. To make it, you literally just have to attach a leather strap to the wall and use it to hold your board. Actually, you’ll need two leather straps, and they hold the shelf very securely to the wall. This is a great look for dens. You can get leather for pretty cheap, and the board can be a leftover from a previous project. You can do just one shelf or stack a few of them up the length of the wall for more storage and a great look.

19. Stacked Crate Shelves

Wooden crates can be put to great use as a shelving unit. Honestly, this is probably one of the easiest shelves that you can build. You just need a couple (or however many you want) of wooden crates that you paint or stain to match your existing décor. Then just attach those shelves to the wall, stacking them for a great shelving unit that is fully functional and absolutely gorgeous. This is such a neat idea and one that really won’t cost much. You can find wooden crates at most thrift stores or flea markets for just a couple of bucks each, so it’s a cheap shelf that will take you about an hour or so to complete.

20. Reclaimed Wood Shelves

We love reclaimed wood projects, mostly because they’re cheap. These kitchen shelves are made from reclaimed wood, and they have a wonderful farmhouse look to them. They are so easy to make. You just need to measure and cut your boards, which you can reclaim from any number of things like fencing or an old barn – you get the idea. Then just assemble them and screw them to the wall. The look is absolutely stunning. If you are going for a rustic, farmhouse look, these kitchen shelves are an absolute must. If your shelves don’t really have that “old wood” look, you can stain and sand them until they are perfect.

21. Invisible Shelves

These “invisible” shelves are great. Not only are they good conversation starters (people will think that your books are simply floating on air), but they’re also cheap and easy to build. What makes these great is that they can be installed anywhere that you may need them. They take up very little space and will hold loads of books. They’re perfect for dens, kids’ rooms, or your home office. Just stack the books on them, and people will honestly think that your books are attached to the wall. If you are looking for fun shelves that do their job and hold your books securely, these are perfect.

22. Simple Wood Bathroom Shelf

If you have a corner of the bathroom or a wall that’s empty, you can easily create more storage space with this simple wood shelf. You need a piece of plywood and a few smaller boards to create the actual shelves. The great thing about this one (aside from the fact that it’s cheap and easy to build) is you can just stand it up in the corner and move it whenever needed. You can attach it to the wall if you want, but it looks great just standing there, and it will hold loads of bathroom supplies like makeup and jars of things.

23. $7 DIY Bookshelf

We love shelves that cost less than $10 to build. This one in particular will only cost you $7 and it’s very unique. You need a concrete form and some old shutters to build this one. If you have just replaced your shutters, you’re halfway there. If not, you can pick up old shutters at most flea markets or even yard sales. Just paint or stain the shutters the color that you want and then cut the concrete form to fit the width. Create as many shelves as you want with the form, and then just put it all together.

24. Easy Floating Shelves

These floating shelves are really long, so they’ll hold loads of things, and you can build them for less than $20. You don’t see any hardware when they’re up, which is great, and they are really strong even though you can’t see what’s holding them up. You can make them from half a hollow door and a 2X4, so they’re really cheap, and you can finish them in about an hour or so. Use them to hold books, pictures, or even dishes. They will beautifully support anything you want to put on them, and because they “float,” they’re perfect for any room in the house.

25. Repurposed Pallet Shelving

Repurposed pallets may possibly be our favorite form of DIY. These great shelves are made from old pallets, so they’re really inexpensive, and they’re easy to put together. You literally just have to attach an old pallet to the wall. You can sand and stain or paint the pallet beforehand if you want it to look a certain way, but you don’t have to. These are great in the kitchen or pantry for holding all sorts of things, and because the pallet already has a “lip,” you can keep things on there without worries of them falling off. The shelf is literally built for you already. You just have to attach it to the wall.

26. Crate and Pipe Shelf

For less than $100, you can create a beautiful shelving unit from old pipes and wooden crates. You just have to plan out how you want the shelf to look and then assemble your crates, connecting them with plumbing pipes and flanges. You should screw the crates into studs to make them secure, and you can paint them whatever color you want first so that they match the rest of the décor in your room. This is such a great idea and one that looks good in any room. Plus, if you have a few plumbing supplies or wooden crates on hand, you can get away for less than $100 for the entire unit.

27. DIY Ladder Shelf

An old wooden ladder and a few leftover boards from a previous project give you everything you need to create a beautiful shelf for plants, books, or anything else. You will love how easy this one is to make. You literally just have to set up the ladder and add the boards across the rungs to hold things. You can paint or stain everything beforehand if you want or leave them natural for a great rustic look. We suggest that you use a relatively small ladder if you don’t have a lot of room, and you can pick up old ladders at flea markets and yard sales for pretty cheap.

28. DIY Modular Shelves

This beautiful modular shelving unit is made from wine boxes. Now don’t worry, even if you don’t tend to drink enough wine to create a modular unit, you can talk to local wine stores in your area. They may actually give you the wine crates when they’re finished with them. Then, it’s just a matter of staining and stacking to get the look that you want. You can also do this with other types of wooden crates and get the same look. It’s an easy project that shouldn’t take you more than an afternoon to finish. Just choose the design that you want and start stacking those crates. You may also want to screw them into the wall for added security.

29. Crutch Shelf

You may not believe that an old pair of wooden crutches could be used to create a beautiful shelf, but they can. You just have to have a pair of crutches and some boards to create the shelves. If you don’t have the crutches, you can find them at flea markets and such and probably for less than $5 per pair, which makes this a unique and cheap shelving idea. You hinge the crutches together to create a sort of ladder look that is perfect for plants or anything else you want to put on it. This would be great on the porch or deck for holding potted plants.

30. Reclaimed Wood Honeycomb Shelves

So honeycomb shelves are very popular and really easy to build. You can build them from wood reclaimed from other furniture, which also makes them very cheap. You simply have to cut your old boards into the right sizes and use wood glue to hold them together into a great honeycomb shape. The more colorful the wood, the better. We love the different colors on these, and because they’re reclaimed, you can get them for nothing if you have some old furniture that isn’t of any use anymore. You can also make as many units as you need, so if you only have room for one, that’s fine, or you can add enough to cover an entire wall.

31. Rustic Log Shelves

If you have the tools to do it, you can use an old log to create several shelves, and these are absolutely gorgeous. You just cut the log lengthwise at whatever thickness you think you need. You can get at least two and possibly three to four different shelving pieces from each log, depending on how thick it is. Once you’re done with the cutting, just add a quick coat of something to make it shiny, and you’re all set. Just attach your new shelves to the wall with brackets, and you will have a great rustic place for storing things and adding décor.

32. Great Painted Shelves

So once you’ve decided to put up shelves, you need to think about design. These painted shelves are great for adding to your décor, and they’re really easy to build. You just mark off where you want to paint with masking tape or Duct tape and then paint away. You can add stripes or whatever design you want to help make your new shelves really stand out. If you already have shelves but want to change up the design just a bit, you can do this for just a few dollars and have it finished in about an hour or so.

33. Rustic Wall Storage Bins

So these are really shelves in the traditional sense of the word, but they do give you great storage. These rustic bins are perfect for keeping just inside the mud room or back door and holding shoes and other things that you don’t want to be thrown around the house. They’re also really easy to build, and you can make them from recycled wood if you have it. Plus, you can complete the entire project in about half a day, so it’s a quick and easy storage solution that is also a great décor addition to any home. If you have the wood on hand, it’s also a really cheap shelving option.

34. Repurposed Door Shelf

If you have an old door, you can use it to create a great shelf that will be perfect for living rooms, dining rooms, or anywhere else you want to put it. Aside from the door, which you’ll want to cut in half-long ways, you will also need boards to create the shelves and the hardware to hold them all together. The door acts as the base for the shelf, and you can place boards wherever you want the individual shelves to go. Paint or stain it whatever color you want and then display it proudly. This is a really cheap and really easy shelving unit that is perfect for cookbooks or knickknacks.

35. Recycled Drawer Shelves

An old dresser is the perfect starting point for a new shelving unit. Actually, you only need the drawers from the old dresser. You can use the base for another project. Just paint or stain those old drawers, and you can attach them directly to the wall to hold any number of things. There are a few ways that you can create drawer shelves, and they’re perfect for any room. Imagine the things that you can keep in a drawer. These are perfect for the bathroom for adding extra storage, or you could paint them in different colors and use them in the nursery, a kid’s room, or anywhere else in the house.

36. Easy Kitchen Shelving Cart

You can build a kitchen cart so easily, and it will barely cost you anything. You do need a few supplies like boards and some metal slotted angles, plus casters if you want your shelving cart to roll. This really is an easy project and will give you loads of room to store kitchen essentials. You could also use it in the family room to store games or create a little bookshelf with it. The possibilities are endless. Just choose the height and color that you want. You can paint the metal angles and boards the same color or contrast them to really make your new shelf stand out.

37. Easy DIY Window Box Shelves

Window box shelves are so pretty and unique, and they are easier to build than most other shelving varieties. You can create an entire display of window box shelves or just hang one, and you don’t need a lot of supplies or materials to make them. You can actually create lovely window box-type shelves out of old dresser drawers. You just clean and sand them, paint them if you want, and then remove the bottom so that you get a great box look. If you have an old dresser with broken drawers, this is the perfect way to upcycle those old drawers instead of just throwing them out.

38. Pegboard Shelves

This pegboard shelf is such a neat idea, and it’s an easy one to accomplish. You will need a sheet of plywood, some wooden dowels, and a few other supplies and tools. The gist of the project is to create your own wooden pegboard and then add the dowels wherever you want the shelves to go. You can easily move them around as needed, and it’s just a great look overall. Sand and paint or stain your pegboard and dowels before you begin if you want them a color other than natural and you do need to have a bit of precision when cutting out the holes for the dowels.

39. Paint Bucket Shelves

These adorable shelves are made with plastic paint buckets. The next time you empty a paint bucket and wonder what to do with it, keep this little project in mind. Not only is it unique, it gives you loads of storage space and it’s a really fun project. You will need to cut the top off your paint buckets and remove the leftover paint from inside. You can do several of these on a wall or just hang one here and there, wherever you need them. They’re cheap since you already have the empty paint buckets, and they’re bound to spark conversation when people see them.

40. DIY Wooden Wine Shelf

Even if you don’t tend to drink wine, this DIY shelf is great. It perfectly holds those wine bottles and displays them in a beautiful way. If you don’t drink wine, this would also be great for holding flavored vinegar or other bottles of things. Use it in the bathroom to hold your hair supplies or shampoos. There are really a million ways that you can use it, and it’s really easy to make. With recycled wood, you won’t be spending anything to make it either, which makes it our favorite kind of DIY project.