Shelves are super versatile and practical. They can change a space in an instant and best of all they’re easy DIY creations. Industrial DIY shelves are the most approachable kind and that’s because they don’t require a lot of supplies and they’re also cheap and easy to make. The fact that this style is also quite rugged and uses lots of unfinished details is important as well. Of course, industrial shelves don’t suit all spaces. They’re great for garages, pantries and sheds but they’re also a viable option for certain living areas as well where they can look really charming and cozy. To better understand them, let’s take a more hands-on approach.

An industrial towel rack may not the first thing that comes to mind when you’re picturing your bathroom but just look how lovely this one is. It really makes the space feel super cozy and welcoming. The list of supplies used in this case includes 8 corner galvanized pipes, 8 2” pipes, 2 circular plates, 2 T-shaped pipes, 2 1.5” pipes, 2 pipe plugs, 2 8” pipes and 1 coupling. As with any DIY project, you can customize this piece in all sorts of ways. For example, if you increase the diameter of the pipes your towel holder will look bulkier.

Something larger like a TV stand wouldn’t be difficult to build either if you decide to go with an industrial style. The legs can be made out of pipes and you can use wood for the rest. This stand also has a storage shelf for electronic equipment and accessories. The design is simple and if you want to also add a rustic touch to it you can use reclaimed wood boards.

Something else that you can build in an industrial style is a coffee cart. It’s one of those accent pieces that you don’t really want to invest a lot but that you’d actually love to have in your home. To build a cart from scratch you need only a few affordable materials and some basic tools. You can personalize the design in all sorts of ways. For example, you can stain or paint the wood even add color to the frame.

Building a rustic console table using galvanized pipes is also quite easy. You can have it displayed in your entryway or in a hallway or you can turn it into a sofa table. This is what you’re going to need for this project: end caps, pipes, T connectors, floor mounts and a piece of wood for the top. You can make the table as tall as you want and you can also customize the overall proportions of this piece as well.

Some scrap wood and a few pipes and fittings would be enough to make some nice-looking shelving. This might be something you can add to your bathroom, bedroom, living room or office or a source of inspiration for other future projects. If you’re curious to find out more about this little project you can check out instructables for the full tutorial.

Iron pipe shelves can also be made on a larger scale. You could build a large wall unit such as this one for all your books and other items such as small planters, collectibles and decorations. This would also be a very practical design for pantries or walk-in closets. If you want more details about this project you can check out instructables.

If you’re interesting in trying something a bit more detailed and complex, you might really enjoy this particular project which is featured on instructables. It’s an industrial pipe shelving unit with a very interesting geometry. Depending on the space that’s available to you, you can change the size and the shape and create something that suits your interior as well as your storage needs.

Pipe shelves don’t always have a rugged and super industrial look, at least not if the wood overpowers the metal throughout the design and you only use pipes for support. Take these nice-looking shelves for example. They’re quite versatile and could potentially fit into a variety of different spaces and decors. We can imagine something like this looking right at home in a cozy bedroom or in a casual living room. Check out instructables for extra details.

A set of DIY industrial shelves can cost close to nothing, especially if you include some reclaimed materials into your design. You could use pallet wood for the shelves themselves and some plumbing pipes and fittings for the support frame. Each shelf is mounted individually which makes it pretty easy to add more in the future if needed. You can find a detailed tutorial for this project on instructables.

Another interesting and cool idea is to build some industrial shelves using only metal pipes and fittings without any wood or other materials. The inspiration in this case comes from a project featured on instructables. This sort of zig zag design could fit perfectly in a corner or up against a wall and you can find various uses for it. For example, this could even serve as a shoe rack.

If you plan on building a large bookcase using metal pipes for the structure, you can attach the bottom to the floor and also use the wall for support. This would mean you’d have to choose the placement carefully, given that you won’t be able to make adjustments once everything is installed. Pipes can also be used as dividers between the shelves or for added support. You can find more details about this project on diycandy if needed.

A fairly similar project is also featured on thedesigntwins. In this case however the unit is fixated on the wall alone with the space underneath being open. The frame is simple and symmetrical and the wooden shelves add a nice warm touch to the design without overpowering the design. The fact that the pipes are not very thick also helps to keep a sleek appearance.

If you need some extra storage for your entryway or you want to better organize your home, some simple industrial shelves could do the trick. You can build these for really cheap and you can take care of the installation yourself since it’s a very simple task. Customizing the shelves is easy and you can mix and match different sizes to create something special. Check out modernrenewal if you need more details and ideas.

Using the design strategies mentioned previously you can be really creative and build a variety of different furniture pieces, such as a desk for example. This right here is actually a hybrid piece which combines two different functions. It’s a desk but it also incorporates a set of shelves. The design is simple which means you could definitely build something similar for yourself from scratch. If you’re interested in this piece check out etsy.