The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Living Room Under $100

Shelves. They are versatile surfaces that keep your space organized, create visual interest, and show off your favorite decor. There are very few other ways to really amp up your space for such little money. We’ve gathered up a handful of different shelving looks, along with resources on how to DIY them yourself — all ranging from $10-100.

Wrap-around shelving is a great place for anything — from little plants to artwork and decor. This shelf in Maca’s living room is easily recreated with lumber from a local hardware shop. Grab something simple like a plank of pine for as low as $5 a piece, grab some oil or paint, or leave it unfinished. A few simple brackets to hold it in place and voila! Most hardware shops will even cut the piece of wood to size for you, so be sure to measure your space beforehand, and pre-plan a way to get it home.

Floating shelves are another great way to both maximize vertical space, show off things you love, and keep everything organized. These minimalist shelves are a very affordable option and can be found for as low as $7 a shelf, depending on the size. Put up as few or as many as you like, either at normal shelf height, or down low as seen in Vanessa Bruno’s Paris apartment.

There’s really nothing quite like built-ins is there? Built-in bookcases are a stunning backdrop to any space. You don’t have to be blessed with beautiful bones in your home to achieve the look. One of our favorite examples online involves hacking IKEA’s BILLY Bookcases (at about $60 per bookcase) into something that looks completely built-in for a fraction of the real reno cost. You could have fooled us…

Dabito from Old Brand New used basic components available at the hardware store to create this wall-mounted shelving system, which includes a desk. It looks like he customized the metal hardware with gold paint to make everything look a bit more special, while still keeping things extremely affordable. Buy a kit from Home Depot, or even make your own shelving for less.

Shelves come in all shapes and sizes, but hexagonal shelves especially add depth and dimension to a room, and can become a room’s focal point. They almost look like art. There are lots of affordable options on Etsy ranging from $10-$100 —depending on the size and scale — and there are many DIYs online if you’re crafty enough to create your own. Burkatron created the honeycomb versions above.