21 Wall Storage Ideas That Are as Smart as They Are Stylish

By
Ashley Knierim
Ashley Knierim
Ashley Knierim

Ashley Knierim has over a decade of experience in writing, editing, and content strategy. She held positions at Time Magazine, AOL, and JPMorgan Chase. She is also a home décor and DIY enthusiast who spends her free time decorating (and redecorating) her home.

MyDomaine's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on May 26, 2021
Living room with built in storage

House of Chais

Whether square footage is at a premium or you simply want to clear your floors and take advantage of your wall space, there are endless solutions for storing stuff away from the floor. But, when you're struggling to find storage space, it can feel like an uphill battle to keep a tidy house and stay on top of clutter.

Once you've decided on a few wall storage systems, it may feel like "cute" and "storage" are not two words that go together. But, the good news is that there are a lot of wall storage ideas that are not just practical, but aesthetically pleasing too.

Read on for genius ways to utilize your walls for storage without sacrificing style in any room in your house.

01 of 21

Create Cubbies

Nursery with storage

Anne Sage

Decorating a nursery space often means finding room for all of the essentials—and a few knick-knacks as well. Instead of a standard bookshelf, opt for uniform cubbies to create smaller alcoves that are easier to keep tidy. Place fabric baskets in a few so you can easily disguise all of your baby's stuff while making it easy to access as well.

02 of 21

Remove the Feet

Floating cabinet

Anne Sage

If you have a small area to work with, sometimes every bit of floor space counts. To help a small space appear more open and airy, consider mounting a storage unit to the wall to remove the legs. This will open up a room and give the appearance of even more square footage—without sacrificing storage.

03 of 21

Add Hooks Below a Shelf

Front entryway with hooks

Arbor & Co.

Make your shelving works over time by installing a few hooks under each floating shelf. This not only expands your storage space, but offers an easy landing pad for bags and sweaters, items we often just toss on a couch or table and forget about.

Use Command strips if you're worried about damaging an apartment. These nifty little tools have come so far—you can even find Command hooks that look just like real metal or wood now.

04 of 21

Match the Shelving to the Wall

Wall shelf

Afro Bohemian Living

If you need a lot of extra storage space but don't want to clutter your room visually, consider matching your shelving unit to the walls. This will create the illusion of more depth and openness while still providing a place to show off all of your treasures.

05 of 21

Opt for a Peg Board

Peg board with shelves

Arbor & Co.

From a small kitchen to a cozy office space, there are few areas in your home where a pegboard can't save the day. We love this simple natural wood pegboard to add wall storage space that's not only attractive, but incredibly versatile and customizable as well.

06 of 21

Create Custom Shelving

Dining table with shelving

Amy Bartlam

Sometimes, the best wall storage is one that has been created just for your space. Consider heading to the hardware store and having shelving cut exactly to size to fit your nooks and crannies for a truly built-in and customized look.

07 of 21

Keep It Interesting

Black built ins on wall

Arbor & Co.

If you're planning on taking up an entire wall for storage, make it visually appealing. Mix up the color or shape of your wall shelf to turn your wall storage into a work of art. Add various size shelves in both width and height for added texture and versatile storage space.

08 of 21

Create the Perfect Mud Room

Blue built ins

Ashley Webb

When it comes to wall storage space, your mudroom is the best candidate for a custom built-in look. Consider hiring out a contractor to create a truly built-in unit or head to IKEA to DIY a semi-built-in unit with Billy bookshelves fit to your space.

09 of 21

Add a Plant Perch

Shelf with planters

Burchard Design Co.

Every plant parent knows that finding the perfect perch for your plant babies is important. Here, a hanging shelf offers the perfect landing pad for a variety of terracotta pots filled with greenery. This is a great way to store unused pots and give your plants a little lift at the same time.

10 of 21

Add Wallpaper

Shelves with wallpaper behind it

Casa Watkins Living

What can't wallpaper spruce up? We love a good wallpaper, especially as a backdrop to a well-styled shelfie. Upgrade your wall storage with a layer of wallpaper to create a striking background to distract from any clutter you may have accumulated.

Worried about removing wallpaper? When the time comes, it is actually not that difficult with a few tools and some elbow grease.

11 of 21

Paint It Black

Black built-in bookcase

Katie Martinez

Black paint helps to enlarge a room and create a lot of depth. Painting a hanging shelf a rich black such as Sherwin Williams' Tricorn Black can give your room the illusion of more space and help your storage fade away into the background.

12 of 21

Display Your Books

Nursery with wall book shelves

Arbor & Co.

You don't need a full bookcase to store books. If you're short on space, opt for a shelf ledge and display a few favorites for easy access instead.

13 of 21

Think Outside the Box

Pink buffet with globes above it

Rikki Snyder

If you want a wall storage idea that will truly spark conversation, look no further than this eclectic idea. Hang vintage chairs on your wall to add a perch for books and other knick-knacks.

If chairs aren't your thing, head to your local flea market and look for other fun ideas like milk crates or vintage boxes.

14 of 21

Keep It Minimal

Wall shelf

Lindsey Brooke Design

If you love streamlined, minimal decor, keep it simple when it comes to your wall storage. Opt for thin lines and straight edges for the least amount of visual clutter.

15 of 21

Go Vintage

Wall storage accordion rack

Sarah S. Reed

Head to your local thrift store to find cute wall storage ideas that offer extra space without sacrificing style. Here, a vintage accordion-style rack is the perfect place to store coats and bags in a small entryway.

16 of 21

Spruce Up Your Garage

Garage storage

Ursula Carmona of Home Made by Carmona

Who would have thought a garage can be cute? With a little paint and a well-organized system, you can create a workspace in your garage that's as attractive as any room inside your house, but still incredibly functional.

17 of 21

Carve Out Bathroom Storage

Bathroom with small wall shelves

Nest Out West

Small bathroom problems? Get a couple of custom-cut wood shelves to add extra storage for toilet paper, towels, or other must-haves. Think beyond the typical back of the toilet spot and look for corners or small nooks to add extra storage as well.

18 of 21

Go for Rattan

Bedroom with rattan storage

House of Chais

If you're as into the rattan look as we are these days, there are endless storage ideas out there that are incredibly stylish. Look for hanging wall shelves made of rattan or wicker to add a boho, eclectic look to any room.

19 of 21

DIY Your Own Built-Ins

Living room with built in storage

House of Chais

If you're craving that custom look without the custom budget, head to a hardware shop and look for a modular shelving unit to fit into your space. If you want to make it look a little more high-end, spray paint it black or white to match your walls.

20 of 21

Upgrade Your Bathroom Mirror

Mirror with shelf under it

Becca Interiors

When you have to get creative with your bathroom storage, consider swapping a standard mirror of one with a small shelf under it. If you don't want to swap the entire mirror, you can hang a little shelf right above your sink for extra storage space to keep your serums in place.

21 of 21

Add Hooks

Mudroom with hooks

Whittney Parkinson

Even if you have a lot of built-in storage, adding a few decorative hooks is a must for a mudroom, closet or bathroom. Match the hardware to the existing materials in the room for a purposeful, customized look.

Related Stories

More Related Articles