The No-Fuss Modern DIY Storage Shelves That Are Thick And Adjustable

If you're looking for a way to maximize storage space in your small home, fill up an awkward empty wall, or bring more modern flair to your living space, we might just have the DIY for you. In a convenient tutorial shared on YouTube, creator and builder The Awesome Orange DIY-ed a custom built-in shelving unit that's the perfect fit for her living room. While creating your very own shelving unit is a feat in itself, this storage space has one unique quality that sets it apart from the others: adjustable shelving.

Rather than permanently affixing the shelves in place, this DIYer created a system that allows her to raise and lower them as needed. The final result is a setup that's completely customizable to the user's needs, even as they play around with different styling methods. Over time, the shelves can be adjusted to fit different sizes of décor and create different looks, resulting in a final product that can grow and change over time. While this idea might seem a bit intimidating at first glance, it's actually a woodworking project even beginners can do. As long as you have the right tools and materials on hand, you can create a modern and functional storage piece that's the perfect fit for your space.

The first step of any project should be gathering your materials. For this DIY, you'll need 2-by-10-inch boards, a table saw, dowels, wood glue, wood screws, and corner brackets. The exact dimensions of this project will depend on your space and what shape shelf you want to create. But regardless of the specific design, the first thing you'll need to assemble is the frame. Cut down your boards to create a top piece, a bottom piece, and a few vertical supports. If you choose to create an L-shaped shelf like The Awesome Orange shared in her video, you'll also need to miter the top pieces so they will fit together seamlessly and connect them with dowels.

Now that the frame is assembled, it's time for installation. Place it up against your wall in the desired spot, then attach it to the surface with corner brackets. Cut down several 4-inch pieces of your boards, then install them, evenly spaced, inside the frame. These will create ledges for your shelving to sit on, allowing you to raise and lower the position of the shelves freely. After cutting down more wood to create the shelves, all that's left to do is give everything a coat of paint and set it up.

Because this is a DIY project, there is plenty of room to play around with customization. The switch that will make the biggest impact, of course, is the paint color. Paint the unit the same color as your walls for that classic built-in look, or go for a contrasting shade to bring in more interest. The Awesome Orange opted for a black frame and raw wood shelves, which helped to highlight the modern lines in the shelving. You can also paint the shelves the same color as the bracket for a sleek look or a slightly lighter or darker shade for monochromatic vibes. Or, if you're looking to create a glam statement-making piece, wrap the shelves in something like Very Berry Sticker Store's Textured Metallic Wallpaper in your choice of shimmering shade.

You're also free to play around with the shape. If you're still a beginning DIYer and you want to make this project a bit easier on yourself, keep it contained to one wall rather than opting for an L-shape. This will help to significantly cut down your build time and make the overall plans much simpler. If you're up for a challenge, however, you could easily extend this shelving unit to wrap around a room or cover a full wall.