10 Unusual DIY Shelves
(Updated on September 19, 2023)
Below are 10 unusual DIY shelves that clever DIYers put their stamp on. And they’re fantastic ideas, every one of them.
People surprise me with their endless level of creativity. DIYers especially. They can look at something that’s so far “off yonder” that I can’t even see a speck in the sky.
But they do. And it’s amazing what they see that the rest of us just can’t.
Wood Shutter Shelf:
I have brown shutters I’ve been wanting to do something with for years, but I’m just not as creative as this couple This is a perfect way to repurpose old shutters and give them new life.
It’s just too cute and now I want one just like it.
Boho Plant Shelf:
This looks like a fairly simple DIY. It’s a great way to give succulents the light they need.
Old Tire Shelf:
This tire shelf was obviously repurposed for children. It’s a great place to line up their toy cars when they’re finished playing with them.
Old Chair Shelf:
I would never have envisioned a shelf like this one. It’s a small shelf so it wouldn’t give you all that much room to store stuff.
But the character it gives to a wall is something else!
In my mind’s eye I see a small pot of pothos or ivy with tendrils winding up and around that chair.
Repurposed Books Shelf:
I wouldn’t have seen this one coming in a million years. Books repurposed into a shelf. How on earth did they come up with this one!
It’s whimsical and cute.Think how fitting it would be for a child’s room.
Repurposed Drawer Shelf:
I’d like to have one of these shelves made out of old drawers. I’ve done this with vintage boxes hanging on the wall. But not with drawers.
I’ll keep my eye out for old drawers from now on and see if I can repurpose them.
Repurposed Twin Headboard Shelf:
If I had an old twin headboard no longer in use, I’d call Goodwill or the Salvation Army to come pick it up.
But this DIYer did something else. What a gem of an idea!
Coffee Table Shelves:
I suppose if you had a garage full of coffee tables, this idea might come to you. A great use for coffee tables if you don’t mind carving them up.
Ladder Shelves:
Many of us have probably tried this at one time or another. Put boards through the rungs of a ladder to create shelves.
This DIYer went a step further by painting the boards and ladder the same color to make it look like one piece.
This one stuns me much like the sawed off coffee tables did. I don’t think I could cut into vintage suitcases.
I was fortunate enough to have an old vintage suitcase that I used for storage and vignettes. But sadly it finally fell apart and I had to throw it away.
Somehow I think this DIYer would have taken the parts I threw away and repurposed them somehow.
It takes great ingenuity to come up these darling DIYs. I take my hat off to any DIYer who can come up with ideas such as these unusual DIY shelves.
LOVE all your ideas!!
Very creative and much more fun than traditional shelving…good ideas!
These are all ingenious! 🙂
Great collection of ideas. I love the ladder in the corner and on both walls. How creative. Now I want one for Christmas!
I love the tool box too. Fabulous ideas. Thanks for sharing. Hope your Sunday is blesssed.
Love those tool box ideas! Such creativity.
Sheila
All of these ideas are clever.. I especially like the more "prim" style ones with the tool boxes. Love the big oval basket hung on the wall.
Charlotte
What great ideas:-) Love them all but my favourite are vintage suitcases:-)
XOXO
Love the idea of using an old tool box… Now I need to find one or two!
I love all the shelves you featured Brenda, hopefully some day I'll be able to do some creative decorating again. Thanks for the inspiration.
Teresa @magazineyourhome
Oh gosh….that cocacolacrate is so cute, and i like the striped vases in it too!
Awesome ideas! Love them all, but the toolboxes are my fav.
Really great ideas. Are you stayng cool.
Ooh, I love all of these clever ideas. I think my favorite is the cheese box and the shelf under it.
Such great ideas Brenda. Love the ladders for book shelves. That is pretty cool. Happy Week End.
Kris
I love every idea here, Brenda! Wish I had all those colorful suitcases to make a wall of shelves, but would I really have the nerve to cut them up? Probably not….
Very unique ideas. I would never have thought of most of these.
I like the good old Coca-Cola crate best. I love the charming mix of plants and containers in colors that go well with the color of the crate wthout being too matchy-matchy. I'm going to share the gameboard idea with my daughter. I think she'd like to do something like that in her new apartment. Thanks.
I love the ladders for bookshelves..the Coke case..the tool boxes…the game boards are such fun and so easy..I love the look of the old suitcases but I wouldn't have the heart to cut mine up like that even though it looks so cool..OK…I officially think I just love them all..lol..
The tool boxes are my favorite too. They are all ingenious!
The tool boxes are my favorite too. They are all ingenious!
The gameboard shelves are so cute.
My favorite are the tool boxes. Ingenious IMO. I'll have to be on the lookout for one now.