It looks cute, but hopefully they don't need to open the freezer door too often.

/\ Ditto /\
...and heaven help them if they decide to pull the fridge out for cleaning or need to replace it.

That was quite a lead for such a small change.

I would have installed the shelves higher, like a continuation of the cupboards from the other side.

It might have limited the storage to more infrequently-used items; but it would have been less like to be hit by opening the freezer door

why is this on apt therapy?

LOL I'm with Kathryn. This is quite anti-climatic. And I love green but damn.

I ike it! Sometimes the smallest changes count for more than you at first anticipated.

Well, it does look like there is a little gap between the fridge and the wall. I'm just not sure if the gap is deep enough.

I agreed with Kathryn about installing them higher.

"Sometimes the smallest changes count for more than you at first anticipated."

LOL! You're so right!
like being now unable to use the freezer...

I hate snarky comments, but...

Amberart, indeed, why is this on apt therapy?

I can only guess the DC writer chose this particular project so as to promote Mandy's blog, which is waaaaay more interesting than this so-called upgrade.

Don't let us down APTT.COM with fluff.

OMG! Shelves.
This is quite close to parody.

This post made me chuckle. It's just awful. LOL!

I have to say this is not what I would call an upgrade people.

They should have put the shelves on the wall facing the fridge and moved the artwork to where they put the shelves.

This is not an upgrade, it just...is

I really find this post to be so puzzling, not offensive btw.
Nepotism? Original post was deleted, had to go with plan B?
C'est tres bizarre

Ditto Kathryn! This is the big change?! Shelves? Really. Yup, I'm guessing there was nothing else to post. Actually, the addition of shelves is nothing...

Wouldn't be so bad if the lead in didn't read like a typographical drum-roll... And where we were all waiting for, "TAH-DAH!", it was more like a balloon deflating.

This is worth a post on AT?
Anti-climatic to say the least.

These comments are cracking me up! I was thinking the same thing!

even if they don't encroach on the fridge, those shelves are too "delicate" in comparison to the quantity and weight of the items on them... triangular shelves hung in the corner would have been better in every way

Post this again when they put cabinets between the ones the already have and the ceiling, and maybe carve out a shallow built-in where the put the "new" shelves.

::sniff:: God, I love this place! And by that I mean you all, not the kitchen with the anti-climatic shelves.

Ha! Maybe there is an ulterior AT motive ... because I just registered so I could thank everyone above for making me laugh and saying exactly what I thought x

Hey, if it works for them, why not? What commenters need to realize is that real live people live in most of the homes AT bloggers write about. I think it's an adorable kitchen.

Today I changed my underwear - previously solids, now stripes. I should have taken pictures of the dramatic makeover and posted here.

In addition to the whole commentary of how underwhelming and possibly ill-placed these shelves are- Am I the only person who thinks the whole idea of open shelving in a kitchen is grody?
You really have to use the stuff on at least a weekly basis to keep it from getting nasty with kitchen grime.

There IS a gap between the fridge and the wall, but if you look at the floor you'll see that it's only an inch or two. The shelves are both impractical and unattractive, spoiling the one visually uncluttered space in the kitchen.

Comments like those of LA Margarita, KayinKCMO and diridi restore my faith in the AT community :)

As a karate expert I don't want to talk bad about this post but I'll just say the author has a way with words. PS- where are the After photos???

My southern politeness will not let me say what I want, so I'll just thank you all for doing it for me.

Sometimes I see things on AT that I'm not crazy about, but I prefer to keep my snarky comments to myself then. After all, someone, to whom this place seems special, lives there and is looking at these comments now.

it is nice, but I'm wondering about the lighting? I'm sure in person the green is lovely, but the lighting makes it a little garish...I'm about to do an accent wall in a similar green in my tiny galley kitchen but I'm a little worried looking at it here! but the shelves do make a difference :)

Hahaha, usually it annoys me when people bash the posts, but I totally agree. I'll be sending in pics this week of how I completely transformed my bathroom with a new toilet paper holder.

Btw, I like the kitchen fine, and her blog seems cool. I just think Ms. Colleen could have worded the article differently to not raise your expectations to something AMAZING. To me, "getting creative" is not installing shelves.

OK, first, although I don't think this is a startling transformation, a lot of people who have small spaces sometimes need small changes to make life better. What's wrong with showcasing them once in a while?

Second, in a kitchen this tiny, opening the freezer door MOST of the way, but not all, might be functionally practical to gain a bit of wall storage. (I'd point out that with the stuff ON the shelves, they ARE about the same height as the cabinets -- if the shelves themselves were that high, the top one wouldn't be very functional.)

Third, if this were my space, I think I'd paint the wall opposite the appliances bright white. Having used a bright color like this in a stairwell (in my case lemon pie yellow) I learned how the color reflects on everything, visually staining skin tones and -- in this kitchen -- undoubtedly the food. (You can see the effect in the photography.) Making the one wall white would diminish that effect.

This is actually my kitchen, and I was (pleasantly...at least initially) surprised to see it posted on here. These comments are incredibly snarky and will certainly make me think twice about sharing my projects on my little blog.

In my defense...

I never thought this was a big transformation. In fact, the title of my blog post on it is called "A Little Upgrade."

Second, I actually carefully measured it such that the refrigerator/freezer completely open. There's about a 10 inch gap between the fridge and the wall that you can't see because of the perspective of the photos.

Finally, regarding the color of my kitchen, my blog post literally says: [Disclaimer: The combination of the kitchen wall color and the over-sized fluorescent lighting makes for absolutely horrid pictures. In fact, whenever I see pics of my kitchen, it makes me think of anything but eating. I've tried messing with my white balance, but even that doesn't seem to help.]

I guess I knew that you put yourself up for scrutiny when you post stuff online, but jeeze.

I think it's a cute kitchen. Sometimes the little things make an important difference.

My friend posted a similar idea of shelves in kitchens on her blog - check it out!

http://olivesanddaisies.blogspot.com/2010/10/open-shelving-in-kitchens.html

@ mandypage723 - I like it! And congrats on a wine fridge!

I agree with you and posts (or rather comments) like these make me very hesitant to send in any pictures of my own space. I have a bathroom and more recently bedroom before and after... but would they get trashed?

I think I will just share them with my friends and family, thankyouverymuch.

Yeah, y'all are mean. How about some constructive criticism rather than just annihilating the poor girl. There are plenty of people who would love help from the apartment therapy community, but threads like this just scare people away.

I really like this kitchen, and I think that shelves were a great addition. I might have placed them differently, sure, but they were a great move. I think that the message is getting lost here: small changes *can* do a lot for a space. Let's not let AT's admittedly over-sold pitch minimize that. The space is appealing, functional, and enjoyed by the people who live there.

@mandypage723 - your blog is very cool, the lead in to this project, though, was a tad misleading; hence, the comments.

If you are happy with the results, great! Honestly, thank you for sharing and letting us in on your creative process.

I have a similar size kitchen, I wanted open shelves too, so I sacrificed the cupboards above the sink.I had my dad, a very handy guy, take out the middle bracket and frame out the box, I have gone thru two accent colors inside the shelf and have settled on a pale aqua blue.Galley kitchens can be so utilitarian and boring so I totally get your desire for open shelves. Btw, love your floor.

some of us like the shelves (and the kitchen) and recognize that in a small kitchen, even the smallest change can make a big difference.
i can't believe how many of you are concerned about the freezer. don't you think the people who live in the kitchen wouldn't put the shelves up if it were a problem? maybe they only cook using fresh produce and hardly use the freezer.
didn't your moms ever tell you, "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"

Definitely not the huge change that I was expecting given the dramatic lead in! The kitchen is super cute though and so now I'm off to check out the blog!

wow, the weather changed rather suddenly

I thought this was one of those "These two photos are not the same. Can you find and circle the one or two differences???"

BTW: Those cookbooks are going to end up on the floor when that IKEA shelf falls off the wall.

OK, so I left out the part about how I think the kitchen is actually cute. Just not a notable "before and after".

Second, I actually carefully measured it such that the refrigerator/freezer completely open. There's about a 10 inch gap between the fridge and the wall that you can't see because of the perspective of the photos.

10 inches? Really?

I will believe this when Mandy produces a photo.

I will also point out that most of the snark here was for Colleen's unwitting out-of-proportion build up, not for the kitchen itself, which I think we'd all agree is absolutely charming.

Demanding proof of a 10 inch gap in the comments on a design blog?

Really?

Deep breath.

Yeah come on how is this post helpful, AT is supposed to consider form and function and this is just a dumb decision. I like the shelving idea and didn't find it to be fluff or a wasted post, but THIS:

"...and heaven help them if they decide to pull the fridge out for cleaning or need to replace it."

...is why this post is annoying. The shelves need to be higher up.

I guess I've reached a new low, but I can't help but provide the proof: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandypage723/5149716245/

I will admit, however, that the gap is only 9 inches, not the 10 I had earlier claimed. But 9 inches is more than enough, because the shelves are only 7.5 inches deep. (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10094630)

Sigh.

@mandypage723

Ahhhh, yes my dear, you've reached a new low....if only by defending your choices. Never dignify negativity by acknowledging it (i.e. lending it power). Others' opinions only have as much power as you allow..

I see many posts here which do not appeal to me personally. And if I'm honest, some I find downright hideous. Nevertheless, I can STILL admire the creativity and resourcefullness of the poster and often [usually] find inspiration even in those I dislike.

Inspiration is what it's all about.

Fwiw, I'm not at all sure I could live with your bold choices day in & day out. But know this....if you invited me to dinner, your kitchen would definitely make me smile and I would leave envious of your creativity & resourcefullness as I pondered how to incorporate your ideas into my own space.

Point being...don't allow the scrutiny to make you think twice about sharing your projects. Think how depressingly boring the world would be if we all had like tastes. Diversity inspires creativity.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm off to check out your blog now.

wow. v small, made me a tad scared.. sorry if im sounding rude. =p

Cute little kitchen! I'm glad you're making it work for you. Galley kitchens are certainly difficult. I agree with Sherry about painting the wall opposite of the appliances white.

Anyway...remember when it seemed like half of the posts on AT were of questionable value, to put it nicely? I'd say this is an improvement! ;)

I've been coming to the site for inspiration and I never really noticed the comments could be so snarky and rude. I guess the more beautiful the apartment, the uglier the person. And I do mean ugly on the inside, don't get your panties in a bunch.

Seriously, I think it's a very cute kitchen and those shelves look great.