For functional storage and style, the corner shelf is a popular organizational piece that can take your space to the next level. Corner shelves come in all different designs, shapes and finishes, providing a creative way to maximize storage space and organization while enhancing decor. The best corner shelf units are made with quality materials, offer a sturdy construction, elevate the space and work to reduce clutter.
Whether you want a floating, free-standing, wall-mounted or hanging design, there are several types of corner shelves to consider. Some homeowners may prefer a corner wall shelf in the bedroom for decorative elements and accessories, while others might want a modern bookshelf in the living room for plants, gadgets and pictures. If you need stylish decor without taking up too much floor space, then a small stand or a floating open shelving unit can be the perfect choice. With so many cool designs, it can be a challenge choosing the right corner shelving unit for your space.
To inspire you, we’ve compiled this guide on the best corner shelf ideas. From wooden units to wall-mounted and standing options, explore these cool corner shelves to find cute and popular designs you’ll love!
Corner Shelf Design Ideas
Corner Bookshelf and Stand
This corner shelf juxtaposes a sleek, angular black frame with curved wooden shelving. While this design is prized because they’re so low-profile, the width of this unit provides ample storage space.
Wooden Rectangular Floating Shelves
From minimalist to boho, floating shelves can be utilized in many different design styles to achieve gorgeous home decor. Great for low-profile wall storage, this stylish look can wrap around corners, adding architectural interest to a room. While many floating units are only a single layer, these offer multiple levels for staging decor.
Stylish Industrial Tiered Corner Shelf
This tiered corner shelf features a broader base with taller shelving and a narrower top with shorter ones. This versatile piece allows you to store more practical items like books on the bottom level and smaller decorative items at the top. The staggered shape also draws the eye upward and elongates the room.
Cool Rustic Standing Shelf and Bookcase For Small Spaces
This chic modern industrial shelf combines multiple angles for striking visual impact. The black metal frame features crossed bars on alternating shelves, while the warm wooden levels feature crisp right angles. By featuring the “X” shapes on two sides, the unit looks minimal and open.
Thick Floating Corner Shelf
These easy DIY corner shelves are trendy and functional, making them an excellent addition to any room. All you need to do is cut slabs of wood to size and stain them in your preferred shade. While they are somewhat minimal in design, the thickness of the wood draws plenty of attention, making it the perfect place to add bold decorative touches to your small space.
Small Wall Stand with Arc Design Shelves
This tapered corner shelf is deceptively simple in style but still creates a striking focal point. The frame is built with two symmetrical trapezoidal pieces, while the levels are composed of quarter circles in staggered sizes. The thickness of the metal frame and the textured stained wood elevate the simple geometry of this piece.
Tall Corner Shelf with Quality Storage Racks
While some designs are deliberately understated, this piece pushes the envelope with its bold grid-style peaked frame. From blonde wood to deep mahogany, the circular wedge-shaped shelves feature color gradations that create a distinct flair. This statement piece is as interesting as the decorative items it can display.
5-Tier Corner Shelf For Trendy Wall Storage
This floating corner shelf is ideal for small spaces like dorm rooms. Each level is just big enough to showcase a small individual item, like an alarm clock, a photograph, and a potted plant. The shape is almost reminiscent of a spiral staircase.
Modern Corner Bookcase with Drawers
This corner shelf features closed storage underneath and open levels on top. The combination of cabinetry and drawers makes this unit very versatile. The wood is stained to look like dark ash and features a sleek brushed metal drawer and cabinet pulls, giving the design a masculine feel.
3-Piece Rustic Wall Shelf Set
These wall-mounted shelves come in three different sizes so they create a stairstep effect. The honey brown stain and visible wood grain give a warm, homespun feel. Whether you prefer a bohemian, farmhouse or Scandinavian contemporary interior style, this simple design works to create a beautiful and organized space.
Charming DIY Floating Corner Shelves
These floating shelves can be recreated out of two by fours or even scrap wood. Adding a golden stain gives them a warm feel while leaving knots exposed enhances their rustic feel. Leaving them shorter on one side gives them a fun asymmetrical vibe.
Sleek Industrial Corner Stand
This stylish shelving unit has a chic and contemporary vibe. Alternating panels feature a metal mesh backing, which adds lots of texture to the otherwise simple design. The neutral wood plays beautifully off the powdered metal frame.
Crisp Contemporary White Unit
This tall modern unit combines square shelves with long rectangular wood panels for a geometric feel. The lofty design is perfect for holding oversized items like large art books, but the bright white color keeps the size of this piece from feeling too overwhelming.
Chic High-End Étagère
This stylish piece of furniture has a distinctly French Provincial feel thanks to its beautiful scalloped edges. The rubbed white finish and antique brass drawer pull give this shelving unit a shabby chic vibe. The additional drawer at the bottom adds versatility to this decorative piece.
Floating Corner Shelves with Raised Edge
This minimalist floating design offers modern lines, and the textured wood grain and warm wood stain add an appealing, rustic flair. The slightly raised lip at the front adds an element of practicality. In addition to potted plants, you can also easily display propped-up photos.
Monochromatic Floating Shelves
Matching your shelves to your wall colors takes the floating effect to the next level. Using a white-on-white color scheme helps your vibrant decorative elements pop.
5-Tier Corner Ladder Bookcase
This tiered corner ladder bookcase offers a chic design with decorative and functional shelves that can be mounted on the wall in your office, bedroom, bathroom or living room. With ample storage space for your home decor items, this cute furniture piece can elevate any space.
Ultramodern Mid-Height Display
While many shelving units are tall, this design is medium height and can fit in a variety of spots, providing a versatile and stylish piece. Parallel black bars form a striking frame that contrasts beautifully with the textured wood. This design pairs well with low-profile furniture, like a woven circle chair.
Low-Profile Geometric Floating Shelves
These chic, modern floating shelves are a departure from the typical design. While this style is typically found in triangular or rectangular profiles, this pentagonal shape is unique and stylish. This unconventional shape could feel overwhelming, but the thin profile and matte finish give them an understated, contemporary vibe.
Weathered Wooden Standing Bookcase
This rustic display features a beautifully textured wood finish. Its broad profile and tall shelves make it the perfect place to store oversized books and large home decor items. Concealed screw holes elevate this otherwise homey furniture piece. Be sure to anchor this unit against the wall to prevent the risk of toppling.
Elegant Marble Bathroom Shelf
This upscale piece is the perfect storage solution for a chic spa bathroom. Gleaming chrome poles anchor sleek triangular shelves crafted from Carrara marble. Use this unit to display useful items like towels, soaps, and other bath and body items.
Three-Dimensional Triangle Wall Shelf
This three-dimensional triangle wall shelf is a bold statement piece that will take your decor to the next level. The alternating direction of the center piece adds a sense of movement and intrigue.
Unique Contemporary Standing Design
This one-of-a-kind corner bookcase brings multiple geometric shapes together in new and different ways. While the shelves are cut to be squares, the frame is arranged in an open-sided triangular prism shape. The five levels provide plenty of storage for books and other home decor pieces.
Luxury Diamond-Shaped Wall-Mounted Corner Shelf
This upscale corner shelf offers pizzazz courtesy of its gleaming gold frame. The tiered design is graduated from the middle as it ascends and descends, which adds dimension and edge to this piece. Slim and low-profile, the styling ensure that your decorative items take center stage.
Primitive Wooden Design
This one-of-a-kind look makes a real statement. Its unconventional shape draws the eye, making it the perfect showcase for original art pieces like brutalist stone statues. Narrow tapered legs balance out the heaviness of the backing piece.
Criss-Cross Style
This mid-height unit brings contemporary flair into your small space. The criss-cross shapes provide a sharp, angular contrast to the glossy lacquer finish. Stage a piece with black and white decorative objects for a crisp, modern feel.
Rich Mahogany Floating Corner Shelves
These understated, elegant quarter-moon shelves have a lustrous deep brown finish that pops against a neutral, textured grasscloth wallpaper. To decorate, you’ll want to stage with items in various shades of brown to create a warm, layered feel.
Vintage-Inspired Corner Hall Tree
While many corner shelving units serve as backdrops for decor objects, this retro hall tree is eminently practical. It features hooks along the top so you can neatly store umbrellas, coats, hats, and bags. Meanwhile, the levels underneath give you a place to organize multiple pairs of shoes. This variation even comes with a small bench so you can sit down and slip off your shoes when you come home.
Rounded Zig Zag Look
This laminated wall shelf is a great place to store small, delicate decor objects. Use it to showcase air plants, vintage glassware, and other unique trinkets. With its diminutive size, this piece is an ideal storage solution for small spaces.
Striking Hammered Copper Floating Shelves
These rectangular shelves have clean, simple lines that might be minimalist in another finish, but this version is wrapped in gleaming hammered copper, making it an incredible decorative feature. The visible nailheads add a rustic feel that keeps the styling from feeling too fussy. Over time as the copper ages, these levels will begin to develop a beautiful patina.
White Contemporary Corner Bookcase
This fashionable corner bookcase features five square-shaped levels. Criss-cross backing adds some visual interest and breaks up the lines to keep this unit from looking too boxy.
Unconventional Climbing Shelf
This chic shelf comes with a unique build and three levels but provides abundant storage space. This modern display makes an excellent focal point in a contemporary living space.
Mid-Height Criss-Cross Corner Case
With square shelves and x-shaped backing, this stunning piece offers a chic design in a cute color and its medium height sets it apart from similar, taller units. You’ll want to stage this stylish design in a room with wainscoting to provide interesting visual contrast.
Matching Staggered Floating Product
These simple white floating shelves are shaped like quarter circles, which helps them fit neatly into corners. You can use multiple identical pieces and stagger them to create a customized look in your home. Matching the color to your wall can enhance the floating effect and bring attention to the decorative elements.
Tapered Gray Corner Shelf
This elegant, streamlined bookcase starts narrow at the top and fans out dramatically with each descending shelf. The simple frame is composed of slim gray boards, which contrast sharply against the curved design. You’ll want to try placing smaller, more delicate items on the smaller top levels while filling up the broad bottom levels with overflowing potted plants for a lush effect.
Edgy Traditional Bookcase
This deliberately understated corner bookcase is deceptively well-designed, resulting in a textured high-end look. The contrast between the wood frame and the white shelves gives it a casual, unfussy feel. This piece fits in perfectly to a modern, artsy living space.
Clever Open Kitchen Shelving
This tiny city kitchen makes the most of a tight space with this custom design. Warm wooden boards rest on top of black metal brackets, mashing up rustic and industrial styles. Open shelving in a kitchen is a great way to maximize your storage space without making the room feel too crowded or dark.
Floating Scandinavian Wood Shelves
These honey-toned wood shelves are a great way to bring warmth into an otherwise sterile white space. They come in three different sizes to create a tiered effect. Use them to display anything from books to photos to plants. Place them adjacent to your desk to add practical storage solutions to your work-from-home area.
Winding Wood and Metal Corner Shelf
This zig-zag corner shelf combines multiple unusual design elements for a one-of-a-kind look. The black metal backing is comprised of a surprisingly delicate pattern, while the levels feature variegated wood grain patterns. This striking look creates an artistic piece that becomes stylish and decorative.
Elegant Streamlined Corner Ladder Display
This chic industrial modern bookshelf has been designed with a subtle tapered look, giving the piece a stylish finish. The matte black frame is a strong backdrop for the gleaming wood finish. A warm, deep brown stain and visible wood grain offer texture and character.
Tasteful Tall Gray Ash Standing Shelf
This simple bookshelf derives a lot of elegance from its use of materials. The neutral gray wood and monochromatic design choices give this piece a chic and understated feel. Use this unit to display everything from books to plants to photographs.
How To Decorate A Corner Shelf
Decorating a corner shelf is all about maintaining a balance between styling and personality. Your corner shelf decor should complement the interior design style in the room, bring in new textures and maintain a similar color scheme. You can decorate corner shelves by featuring a few statement pieces, grouping unique trinkets together, incorporating family pictures, varying the height of items as well as combining style and substance throughout.