If you're looking for sturdy wall-hugging shelving that doesn't require fancy custom braces or brackets, check out the industrious design of these Hungarian shelves.
What makes them "Hungarian"? Instructables user Juliofo ran across the design while visiting a friend in Budapest and was told they'd had been designed by a local professor—but if you know another name for this innovative style, by all means, share it in the comments.The design itself is simple but sturdy: one set of boards attached vertically against the studs of the walls, another set of boards serves as the shelves.
The two segments are held together by series of mortise joints, shimmed with wooden wedges. Save for screwing the vertical support pieces into the wall studs, the entire affair is held together without any screws or glue—and this is all explained in a bit more detail at the Instructables post. While the example Juliofo uses for his tutorial is rather plain, another Instructables user mtemple was inspired by his design and created a more polished version, complete with detailing on the vertical supports as seen in the photos above right.
If you have your own elegant DIY wall storage solution, we've love to hear about it in the comments below.
How to Make and Install Hungarian Shelves [Instructables]