Looking to update your home decor? Floating shelves are a simple and easy DIY option that will seamlessly add style and function to any room. Perfect for upgrading underused walls and creating additional storage or display space, floating shelves are a versatile way to modernise any interior scheme.
From rustic wood to eclectic designs, floating shelves come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. That's why we've put together this guide detailing key advice, along with a round-up of the 10 best floating shelves in the UK, available online from Amazon and Argos.
You should aim to choose a material that will enhance your interior design, providing an aesthetically pleasing and functional storage solution for your kitchen, living room, bedroom or bathroom. From wood to metal, there are plenty of lightweight yet sturdy options suitable for creating your desired feel and look for your room.
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Looking for something less conventional? Choose a box or hexagonal floating shelf! These are perfect for adding personality to unused wall space, and could even be used for showcasing a particular ornament, keepsake, plant or candle.
Alternatively, you could bring the outside in with a live edge floating shelf. Made from wood, these shelves have bark edging which is ideal if you prefer natural or rustic interiors. If you're worried about your precious items slipping off your shelf, opt for one with a raised lip to avoid any accidental damage and breakages.
Don't restrict yourself to just one floating shelf either. Create an eye-catching centerpiece in any room by positioning multiple shelves at different heights to display all your favourite trinkets and photographs.
Create a never-ending slideshow of your favourite photos with a digital photo frame on your new floating shelf.
It is essential to know how much weight your floating shelf can support, so as to avoid sagging or buckling. Overloading your shelves risks damage to the structure itself, the surrounding wall, and your treasured items.
For books, vases and photographs, a floating shelf that can bear a load of at least 6 kg should be enough. For heavier items such as pots, pans and dishes, ensure a load capacity of at least 10 kg. As always, it's best to err on the side of caution and overestimate the capacity you require.
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Ideal for DIY pros and novices, floating shelves are designed to be easy to assemble and install. It's just a matter of choosing the correct screws for your wall, to ensure a secure and stable fit. Most floating shelves come supplied with concealed brackets, fixtures, and fittings suitable for mounting to a stud wall.
If you are mounting to plasterboard, choose a floating shelf with plasterboard screws to avoid damage to your wall and paintwork. If you do not have the tools or the confidence to drill into walls, opt for a self-adhesive acrylic floating shelf. These are perfect for creating a quick and easy storage or display solution!
Make sure those shelves are mounted straight with a spirit level.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of floating shelves available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() House of Rustic | 2 ![]() STOREMIC | 3 ![]() Umbra | 4 ![]() Oake | 5 ![]() Gatton Design | 6 ![]() Gobesty | 7 ![]() SONGMICS | 8 ![]() Spot on dealz | 9 ![]() Habitat | 10 ![]() INMAN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | English Oak Colour Floating Shelf | Black Floating Shelves | Floating Wall Shelves for Small Objects | Solid Wood Wall Mounted Floating Shelf | White Wall Mounted Interlocking Cube Design | Floating Acrylic Wall Shelves | Modern Wall Shelves | Metal Wired Hexagon Floating Shelves | Jak 60cm Floating Shelf - Grey | Rustic Solid Oak Timber Block Floating Shelf |
Features | Beautiful Floating Oak Shelf Made in Dorset | Matte Black Shelves, Perfect for a Stylish Modern Interior | Create a Gallery Wall for Your Ornaments and Collectables | Bring Nature Indoors With This Handmade Floating Shelf | Innovative Cube Floating Shelves That Can Be Interlocked | Transparent Acrylic Shelves With Cutout for Cables | Hang at Various Heights to Add Interest to Your Wall | Go for Vintage Glamour With These Hexagonal Shelves | Save Valuable Floorspace While Displaying Plants or Books | Oak Lipped Shelf to Prevent Objects Falling |
Price | £39.00 | £26.99 | £16.58 | £19.99 | £31.99 | £13.99 | £21.99 | £13.98 | £18.00 | £19.99 |
Material | Wood | MDF | MDF | Oak | MDF | Acrylic | MDF | Metal | MDF | Wood |
Style | Conventional | Conventional | Conventional | Living edge | Boxed | - | - | Hexagonal boxed shelves | Conventional | Lipped |
Weight Capacity | 10 kg | 9 kg | 3 kg | 10 kg | 8 kg | 3 kg | 5 kg, 4 kg, 3 kg | 3 kg | 6 kg | 22 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall | Stud wall, plasterboard | Stud wall, plasterboard | Stud wall | Stud wall | Stud wall, plasterboard | Stud wall | Stud wall, plasterboard | Stud wall | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 80 cm x 22.2 cm x 6 cm | 60 cm x 23.5 cm x 3.8 cm | 10.5 cm x 7.8 cm x 3 cm | 40 cm x 20 cm x 2.5 cm | 3.9 cm x 45 cm x 63.5 cm | 23 cm x 9 cm x 6 cm | 40 cm x 10 cm x 9 cm, 35 cm x 10 cm x 8 cm, 30 cm x 10 cm x 7 cm | 30 cm x 26 cm x 10 cm, 25 cm x 23 cm x 10 cm | 60 cm x 23.5 cm x 3.8 cm | 50.8 cm x 10.16 cm x 3.81 cm |
Colours Available | - | Black | White, charcoal, black | - | White, black | - | Grey | Gold | Grey | - |
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This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£39.00
Material | Wood |
---|---|
Style | Conventional |
Weight Capacity | 10 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 80 cm x 22.2 cm x 6 cm |
Colours Available | - |
£26.99
Material | MDF |
---|---|
Style | Conventional |
Weight Capacity | 9 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall, plasterboard |
Dimensions | 60 cm x 23.5 cm x 3.8 cm |
Colours Available | Black |
Set of 3
£16.58
Material | MDF |
---|---|
Style | Conventional |
Weight Capacity | 3 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall, plasterboard |
Dimensions | 10.5 cm x 7.8 cm x 3 cm |
Colours Available | White, charcoal, black |
£19.99
Material | Oak |
---|---|
Style | Living edge |
Weight Capacity | 10 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 40 cm x 20 cm x 2.5 cm |
Colours Available | - |
£31.99
Material | MDF |
---|---|
Style | Boxed |
Weight Capacity | 8 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 3.9 cm x 45 cm x 63.5 cm |
Colours Available | White, black |
Set of 2
£13.99
Material | Acrylic |
---|---|
Style | - |
Weight Capacity | 3 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall, plasterboard |
Dimensions | 23 cm x 9 cm x 6 cm |
Colours Available | - |
Set of 3
£21.99
Material | MDF |
---|---|
Style | - |
Weight Capacity | 5 kg, 4 kg, 3 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 40 cm x 10 cm x 9 cm, 35 cm x 10 cm x 8 cm, 30 cm x 10 cm x 7 cm |
Colours Available | Grey |
Set of 2
£13.98
Material | Metal |
---|---|
Style | Hexagonal boxed shelves |
Weight Capacity | 3 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall, plasterboard |
Dimensions | 30 cm x 26 cm x 10 cm, 25 cm x 23 cm x 10 cm |
Colours Available | Gold |
£18.00
Material | MDF |
---|---|
Style | Conventional |
Weight Capacity | 6 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 60 cm x 23.5 cm x 3.8 cm |
Colours Available | Grey |
£19.99
Material | Wood |
---|---|
Style | Lipped |
Weight Capacity | 22 kg |
Suitable For | Stud wall |
Dimensions | 50.8 cm x 10.16 cm x 3.81 cm |
Colours Available | - |
Written and researched by Amanda Norman
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