Floating Shelves & Wall Shelves

What a floating shelf is

A floating shelf is a wall shelf fixed so the support stays hidden. Instead of open brackets underneath, the fixings either run inside the shelf body or bolt through a back plate that the shelf then covers. The result is a clean line with nothing visible below, which is why the look reads as light against the wall.

Different pieces in our range reach that look in different ways. The cast-aluminium sculpted shelves carry their support inside the moulded form, so the shelf appears to grow straight from the wall. A plain metal ledge with a front upstand keeps its fixings behind the back edge. Circular and hexagonal wall units hang from concealed points too, so the frame does the holding while the join stays out of sight.

Choosing a width and depth

Start with the wall you have. Measure the clear run between any door, window or corner and leave a margin at each end so the shelf does not crowd the space. Our ledge shelf comes in two widths, which helps if you are fitting a narrow hallway return or a longer living-room wall.

Depth matters as much as width. A slim ledge holds framed prints, small plants and a few books face out, while a deeper shelf takes stacked items and larger pieces. For wall shelves fitted in a study or bedroom, think about how far the shelf will project into the room and whether it sits above a desk or bed where a shallow depth is safer.

If you are grouping more than one shelf, keep the spacing even and align the ends where you can. A tidy grid of wall shelves settles a plain wall better than a scatter of odd sizes.

What they hold safely

Be realistic about load. A slim ledge shelf is made for display: framed photographs, candles, a plant in a light pot, a short row of books stood upright. It is not built to carry a heavy stack of hardbacks or a run of full storage jars.

The shaped wall units, such as the honeycomb hexagons and the circular compartment shelves, spread their weight across several fixing points, so they take more than a single slim ledge. Even so, keep heavier items low and central rather than loaded to one edge.

Marble-topped shelves have real heft in the top itself, so the fixings need to be sound and the wall behind them solid. When in doubt, put less on the shelf than you think it will take.

Metals and finishes

Our range leans on metal, with a few pieces bringing marble, glass or wood into the mix. Finishes cover black, silver and a set of warmer metals: brass, antique brass and bronze. Black reads quiet and works against almost any wall, while silver keeps things cool and simple.

The warm metals are where a shelf earns its keep as a feature. Brass and antique brass carry a soft glow that lifts a darker or moody wall colour, and bronze sits well against warm neutrals and deeper greens. A ribbed marble-and-iron round shelf and a corrugated metal shelf with a marble top both use texture to catch the light.

If your wall is pale, a bronze or antique-brass shelf stands out and draws the eye. Against a strong colour, black keeps the shelf reading as a shape rather than a shine. Choose the metal to match the fittings already in the room where you can.

Shapes beyond the straight ledge

Not every wall shelf is a straight run. Our range includes interlocking hexagons that form a honeycomb wall unit, letting you build a cluster that fills a corner or climbs a chimney breast. Each cell holds a small group of objects, so you can sort books, plants and keepsakes into their own pockets.

There are circular units too: one divided into open compartments and a larger circular multi shelf with straight dividers inside the ring. These suit a spot where a boxy shelf would feel heavy, such as above a console in a hallway or beside a bed.

Shaped units work best when what you place in them is edited rather than crammed. Leave some cells part empty so the shape itself stays visible and the grouping has room to breathe.

Fixing and care

The fixings you need depend on the wall. Masonry and brick take a plug and screw that bite into the solid surface, which suits heavier and marble-topped pieces. Plasterboard needs proper cavity or toggle fixings that open out behind the board, since a plain screw will pull straight back through.

Keep the load sensible whatever the wall. Spread weight across the shelf, avoid loading one end, and check the fixings are tight before you place anything valuable on top. If a wall is old or crumbly, get the fixing right first rather than trusting the shelf to hold.

To clean a metal shelf, lift everything off and wipe with a soft dry or slightly damp cloth. Avoid harsh sprays and abrasive pads, which can dull brass, antique brass and bronze. Dry straight after any damp wipe so no marks are left on the finish.