7 Different Ways to Use Corbels in Your Home

Corbels and brackets may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ways to spruce up your home or add a little visual interest in a room, but they are versatile elements that can be used both structurally and as decorative embellishments all throughout the home.

1 – A traditional shelf

One of the most popular applications for corbels is for use on a traditional shelf. Corbel shelves can add easy visual interest to any room, whether you’re opting for a simple Shaker style or leaning more toward a classical look.

When building shelves, shorter shelves usually feature two corbels, one at each end. Longer shelves may feature more corbels in the middle as additional support. Additionally, adding a coordinating molding to the visible edges of the shelves can add even more visual interest.

2 – A corner shelf

If wall space is at a premium in your home, consider a corner shelf. Smaller corner shelves can easily be used to tuck away personal belongings while larger corner shelves can be used to store things that would otherwise take up too much space anywhere else in the room. One customer of ours built a corner shelf with two levels to keep their TV out of the way but still convenient and easily accessible.

3 – Corbel-supported table

Similar to a traditional shelf, a corner table typically uses corbels in place of legs for support, and the table is permanently attached to the wall. These tables can be as small as a nightstand or as big as a fully-functional desk. One of our customers used 4 of our corbels per nightstand and used them in such a creative way! (See gallery below)

4 – Add interest or support to a fireplace mantel

Fireplace mantels are one of the most common places for corbels in a home. They often provide not only a design element but also a structural one. Many of our customers add corbels to their mantels, and our variety of corbel styles allows our customers near-endless design opportunities, as well.

5 – Add support for island or bar overhangs

Another very common place for corbels are island or bar overhangs. Sometimes, an overhang isn’t large enough to require the addition of island legs but added support is still necessary, and that’s where many of our larger corbels are often utilized. We also feature a selection of island height corbels which function like a cross between a corbel and an island leg.

6 – Add support to a stovetop or range hood

Another popular use for our larger corbels is also in the kitchen as support for a stovetop or range hood. These specific corbels are often pretty deep yet not very tall to accommodate the often limited amount of room between a stovetop or range and the hood above it. Sometimes, added elements like a shelf or molding can be added above the corbels, too.

7 – Shallow corbels can add visual interest to shallow overhangs on cabinets or tables

Not all corbels have to be weight bearing! Our shallow corbels can be the perfect addition to a cabinet or table with a shallow overhang where added visual interest is desired. We have several corbels that are only 2 or 3 inches deep that would work perfectly in instances like this, as well.

Browse our gallery of customer-submitted photos below. Build Something Beautiful with Osborne’s wide selection of corbels & brackets, then be sure to send us photos of your finished project and you may even be featured on our blog and our social media outlets!