20 Floating Shelf Ideas To Elevate Any Room

These designer-approved floating shelf ideas will show you how to make the most of a little bit of vertical space.

COURTESY OF ANN GOTTLIEB, BY ANGELA NEWTON ROY PHOTOGRAPHY

You can put floating shelves just about anywhere. Stack them over your desk and decorate with your favorite reads or line up your wine glasses on them and create a dry bar—the possibilities are endless. Named for the way they look on the walls thanks to hidden hardware, floating shelves are the most stylish form of storage. These floating shelf ideas from homes by designers across the South are sure to inspire and show you how to make the most of a little bit of vertical space.

Install Under-Shelf Lighting

Lighted floating shelves in kitchen — COURTESY OF AMY’S INTERIORS

If you feel like your shelves are missing something but can’t quite identify what, try adding some under-shelf lighting. It helps create a little extra drama and makes whatever you’ve styled on the shelves shine—literally.

Trim Them Out

Teal kitchen with floating shelves — COURTESY OF CREATIVE TONIC DESIGN, BY JULIE SOEFER

Teal is the color of choice in this kitchen by Creative Tonic Design in Houston, Texas. Adding trim to the floating shelves in the same hue as the cabinets and hood make them feel all the more intentional and cohesive.

Add a Shelf Rail

Floating shelves in kitchen — COURTESY OF URBANOLOGY DESIGNS, BY MIKE DAVELLO PHOTOGRAPHY

The purpose of a shelf rail is to keep objects from falling, but the decorative impact it makes is undeniable. Here the brass creates a striking, vintage-inspired contrast against the wood.

Use Live Edge Wood

Coastal outdoor kitchen — COURTESY OF PRD CUSTOM HOMES & INTERIORS, BY RUTA SMITH

Instead of being perfectly cut and polished, live edge wood takes advantage of all the natural beauty of the material. Each shelf will be noticeably one-of-a-kind and add organic personality to your space.

Bookend the Television

Living room TV console — COURTESY OF ERIN MYERS DESIGN, BY LAURA VISIONI

No one wants the TV to be the focal point in a room. Sometimes though, the size of the TV or layout of the space makes its overwhelming presence unavoidable. Besides using a Samsung frame TV to help camouflage the technology, Erin Myers Design in Washington, DC hung a trio of floating shelves on both sides to make the wall as a whole feel more styled.

Box Them Out

Coastal living room — COURTESY OF JILL HOWARD DESIGN STUDIO, BY JULIA LYNN

Simple yet statement-making, we love the modern, unexpected look of rectangular floating shelves. Even better, the silhouette offers double the styling opportunities.

Stretch It Across the Wall

Make a long wall feel even longer with a floating shelf that stretches from one side of the room to the other. As seen in this space by Urbanology Designs in Dallas, Texas, you don’t have to fill the whole thing up with knick-knacks—breathing room keeps it from feeling cluttered.

Layer Them Over Windows

Modern neutral kitchen — COURTESY OF BLACKBERRY FARM DESIGN, BY INGALLS PHOTOGRAPHY

In most circumstances, you don’t want to minimize any natural light, but sometimes you’re lucky enough to have an abundance or the windows aren’t giving you very much to begin with. Enter: floating shelves.

Create a Geometric Design

Office — COURTESY OF EMILY JUNE DESIGNS, BY KERRY KIRK PHOTOGRAPHY

With a lot of floating shelves, it’s what’s on them that stands out. In the case of these shelves designed by Emily June Designs in Houston, Texas, the shape and layout make a statement on their own.

Add Mini Cabinets

The chief complaint about floating shelves is that they upkeep to continuously look good. By incorporating mini cabinets, you get the best of both worlds: beautifully styled vignettes front and center combined with practical storage behind closed doors.

Outfit a Nook

Floating shelves in living room — COURTESY OF BLUEBERRY JONES DESIGN, BY AVERY NICOLE

Nooks can be tricky: They’re often big enough that you can’t ignore them, but small enough that your design options are limited. Floating shelves are simple to install and work as both a storage and styling moment.

Wave Around

When you think of floating shelves, you typically imagine clean lines. In this boys’ bedroom by Stephanie London Interiors in Austin, Texas, the wavy design brings playful personality that fits in perfectly with the space.

Create a Bookshelf

In this kitchen by Ann Gottlieb Design in Washington, DC, floating shelves used on the side of kitchen cabinets create a bookshelf that seamlessly transitions into the living area.

Thin Them Out

Coffee bar with floating shelves — COURTESY OF CHINOTTO HOUSE, BY NATIVE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Slender floating shelves have a minimalist feel to them, drawing your attention to other details. In this case, the brass hardware, wood countertop, and green sconce.

Create Unexpected Built-Ins

Green kitchen with floating shelves and library ladder — COURTESY OF FOUR BROTHERS DESIGN + BUILD, BY STEVE HERSHBERGER

To break up the wall-to-wall green cabinetry in this kitchen, Four Brothers Design + Build in Washington, DC incorporated wood floating shelves with a brick backsplash. You could also add surprising floating shelf built-ins around your bed or in a bathroom.

Match Them with Painted Trim

Bold colorful laundry room with wallpaper — COURTESY OF EMILY JUNE DESIGNS, BY CLAUDIA CASBARIAN FOR JULIE SOEFER

Painted trim is one of the biggest paint color trends of the moment, adding bold personality to a space. Why not take it one step further and match your floating shelves to the trim?

Make Them Invisible

Playroom basement — COURTESY OF JENNIFER BARRON, BY MOLLY CULVER

Redefine the “floating” part of floating shelves: Here, acrylic shelves minimize visual clutter and create the illusion that the books are suspended in the air against the wall.

Play With Visual Weight

Modern neutral kitchen with glass front cabinets and floating shelves — COURTESY OF URBANOLOGY DESIGNS, BY COSTA CHRIST PHOTOGRAPHY

Though symmetrical design is said to create a sense of calm and balance, asymmetrical design is often more interesting to the eye (and allows for more creativity). In this kitchen by Urbanology Designs in Dallas, Texas, glass-front cabinets on one side of the window and two floating shelves on the other play with the visual weight and catch the eye.

Build Them Into Your Headboard

Coastal bedroom — COURTESY OF JILL HOWARD DESIGN STUDIO, BY JULIA LYNN

Especially ideal for small spaces and guest rooms that don’t require as much storage, a mini floating shelf attached to a headboard kills two birds with one stone: form and function.

Position Them Above Your Counters

Navy blue kitchen with checkered tile — COURTESY OF FOUR BROTHERS DESIGN + BUILD, BY STEVE HERSHBERGER

When you have more than enough cabinets but are lacking in counters, consider making room for floating shelves above them. There you can put your go-to cookbooks, seasoning, and oils, keeping them easily accessible and at arm’s length while maintaining a clear food prep area.

Quincy Bulin