Hang Your Shelves Like This To Make Your Built-Ins Look More Expensive

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When it comes to styling bookshelves and built-ins, we've all seen the beautifully layered arrangements that mix art, decor, keepsakes, photographs, and more for a wonderfully composed aesthetic. But what if that tried-and-true design approach leaves you feeling stuck in a rut and craving something different? Luckily, Susan Klaich (@nest_styling_and_staging_co) shared on Instagram how she completely transformed her dime a dozen shelves by creating a luxe tilted display area with only one small addition.

Klaich demonstrated how easy and affordable it is to add brass pulls to an adjustable shelf then reinstall it on an angle to create an elegant display shelf that looks like a million bucks. Display your favorite coffee table book open to the most iconic page, or show off a series of your favorite art pieces or photographs. In short, feature any cherished piece of decor or keepsake that typically lays flat. This angled shelf with a brass rail showcases and elevates — literally and figuratively! — your special belongings in a way that looks far more expensive than the cost of the hardware it takes to pull it off.

This hack works on any adjustable shelves held in place with pegs or hardware that sit in a cutout underneath the shelf or screws into the bottom for stability. Though it worked on Instagram, flat L-shaped hardware that rests below the shelf may not be substantial enough to hold the slanted shelf in place, risking a forward slide, so be sure to test out the stability of the tilt with your particular shelf hardware before drilling any holes. When choosing which shelves you'd like to angle, keep in mind that the ideal placement is below eye level so your displayed treasure is still fully visible when tilted upwards. Now you're ready to kick off this beginner-friendly angled display shelf DIY.

The premise for this sophisticated slanted shelf is super simple, requiring only a drill, level, and pencil. The Instagrammer used two 12-inch (on center) brass pulls from Amazon for her particular shelves, but you could opt for one larger pull or two pulls of an alternate size, depending on the width of your shelf. Use a decorative vintage-inspired rod for a historical touch, or opt for a sleeker profile if you have a more modern home aesthetic. Using a level to ensure the pull is straight, place, measure, and mark the holes for the pulls. Center a single pull width-wise on the shelf about an inch or so back from the front edge, or evenly space a pair of pulls with a gap in the middle. Pre-drill the holes and install the cabinet pulls with the provided hardware.

Once your front rail is installed, which will keep objects from sliding off the shelf, remove the shelf hardware and place the rear pegs about 4 to 6 inches higher than the front pegs. For shallow shelves, this dimension may be lower, but for deep shelves or a more dramatic display angle, it could be higher. Once you're happy with the shelf's angle, reinstall it into the frame with the brass front rail at the bottom. DIY one standalone tilted shelf to really showcase a special treasure in a unique way, or create a whole row of custom slanted displays at a consistent height across multiple shelves to transform the whole look of your built-ins. This angled shelf hack will bring your beloved treasures to life by angling them for all to see on this beautiful and high-end DIY.