Best Ways To Incorporate Floating Shelves Into Any Room

Of all the design trends, floating shelves are one of the most affordable ways to add visual interest to your walls. Both stylish and versatile, they have grown to become a regular detail of interiors over the last decade.

As designers, we turn to the clean lines of these shelves to create high-impact, low-effort modern features that provide storage and are decorative. An easy way to uplift your living space, we will walk you through the selection, installation and styling of these fashionable wall accents.

1. Floating shelves are a great way to add display space to any room

With unlimited potential for style and function, floating shelves provide a contemporary space for decorative pieces in any room of the house.

Be it colourful ornaments, fresh greenery, sentimental photos or chic ornaments, you can display just about anything. However, just be sure that you are not exceeding the weight limit of your shelf, or else your precious accessories will come tumbling down.

The weight capacity of your floating shelf will depend on how big it is and where it is hung. Generally, the limit ranges from 11kgs to over 45 kilos for sturdier designs.

As a guide, mounting floating shelves into studs or masonry blocks allows them to carry more weight than they would if fixed onto drywall. Incidentally, the deeper the shelf, the lower its weight capacity.

By rule of thumb, a high-quality rod can support a weight of about 15kgs, so, the more rods your bracket has, the greater the weight the shelf can carry. Lastly, as you may have guessed, the longer your shelf is, the more brackets you will need to support its length.

2. They come in a variety of materials, colours, and sizes to fit any style or décor

With so many styles to choose from, take time to find floating shelves that are reflective of your design statement. Woods with interesting grain patterns like pine and alder will go well with a rustic or farmhouse theme. Contrastingly, modern homes are best paired with the tamer grains of oak, walnut and maple wood.

Take a look at some of our favourite materials to inspire your selection. If you need help deciding, our team of expert designers is just a call away.

Maple Wood Floating Shelves

We love the smooth texture and uniform colouring of this warm wood. Best of all, these shelves retain their natural edge for an organic statement piece.

Teak Wood Floating Shelves

We turn to teak when we require a sturdy, durable shelf that will withstand harsh weather conditions. Perfect for an outdoor area, floating shelves built from teak will last a lifetime.

Glass Floating Shelves

There is a grace and sophistication that glass floating shelves bring to a room that makes them a perfect choice for an ultra modern space. Of course you will need to use the thick, shatter-resistant tempered glass that is furniture grade. You’ll fall in love with your unassuming and classic glass shelving.

MDF Floating Shelves

A more common and affordable option, MDF gives you variety in terms of colour and style. The lightweight shelves are easy to clean and maintain. However, keep them away from heaters, fireplaces and stoves as they are vulnerable to high heat. Also, without proper sealing, these shelves will absorb water thus not making them ideal for outdoor use.

3. They are a great way to add extra storage without taking up valuable floor space

Instead of using up valuable floor space, floating shelves allow us to maximise a room’s vertical space. In some cases, they become the primary source of storage.

Narrow entryways, small kitchens, and tiny bathrooms can all benefit from the added room for crockery, towels, and trinkets. When it comes to hanging height, similar to artwork, your shelves should generally be hung at eye level. This differs for each room and usage situation:

Shelves above a couch should be about 25cm above the back of the couch. Measure 120-180cm up from the floor for hallway shelves. In a dining or living room, hang at about 130cm from the floor. Shelf height above a desk should be 56cm to 60cm. Those above a toilet are best hung at 60cm above the tank. h2>4. Use floating shelves as a bookcase

In the absence of room for luxurious bookcases, floating shelves are the next best place to store your favourite titles. A large blank wall can be livened up by bringing dimension through clean shelves stacked with books.

Play around with different arrangements and patterns to introduce symmetry into your space. As for the books themselves, you can either arrange them by size or by colour, or take on the trend of reversing them entirely.

5. If you're short on space, use floating shelves to hold small decorative items

If you are an avid collector of small precious ornaments, you may rightfully want to show them off and what better way to do so than on elegant floating shelves. Whilst we recommend the use of professionals for sturdy shelves, most homeowners are keen to take on smaller shelving as DIY projects.

To protect your walls from damage and prevent the collapse of your shelves, here are the tools you will need for your installation as well as the requisite steps for a complete job.

Tools You Need

• Level Pencil
• Stud finder
• Drill with drill bit
• Tape measure
• Shelf with shelf bracket
• Screws

Steps to Take

1. Locate the centre of your wall studs using a stud finder and make a vertical mark.
2. Determine the height of your shelf by measuring from the floor upwards.
3. Mark the placement of the bracket(s) by drawing two tiny horizontal lines with the guide of a level.
4. Hold up the bracket and align the top to be level with the horizontal lines you drew.
5. Mark your pilot holes.
6. Drill all pilot holes using a drill bit smaller than the fasteners.
7. Hold the bracket(s) in place, and tighten down each fastener completely.
8. Slide the shelf over the bracket.
9. You’re done!

6. You can also use floating shelves as a TV stand or kitchen countertop

When we design for small spaces, our goal is to free up as much floor space as possible. In small living rooms, this means making use of floating TV stands versus bulky units. Also, cosy kitchens look more spacious when we use floating shelves as countertops.

For these installations, we recommend sturdier shelving than can take on the heavy weights and that will not give over time. It is best to opt for solid hardwood as composite wood will compress under the weight.

Do not skimp on your brackets and ensure that they are not hung on a partition wall but are instead fitted onto a solid wall. Partition walls will require reinforcement by adding a plinth to hold the brackets.

In Conclusion

Floating shelves are the perfect combination of form and function. Their low profile and clean lines make them fit into any space and design style. Use them to add storage to tricky corners and to add texture to a plain room.

For DIY projects, pay attention to weight restrictions and the quality of your brackets. The more solid your fixtures are, the more likely they are to stay in place.

At FCI London, we've been designing and installing bespoke shelving for almost 40 years. Take a look at our selection of shelving or get in touch to discuss your custom requirements.