We have a pretty big kitchen with large windows but very little storage space, so one day we decided to use a pair of narrow bookshelves to hold some of our dishes. It felt a little funny at first, but now it's one of our favorite features. Click below for some other kitchen shelving ideas...
Floating shelves create visual interest and storage space. You can also add a row of under-shelf hooks to hold mugs. Image via Meg and Ross' House Tour.
Another great use of floating shelves from Erin's New Kitchen and Bath.
Amy and David use shelves and hutches throughout their home to hold their collection of modern dishware.
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this is exactly what i needed to see today! my best friend is coming over today to help me purge clutter - kitchen included!
i love those floating shelves against the woodsy background!
i hope you paint the bookshelf in the first pic white so it will blend in with its surroundings and not appear so jarring. but if you're happy with it, that's cool too!
I've done this in my own kitchen (bookshelf), and am about to upgrade with a taller, nicer bookshelf. Why not? Both dishes and cookbooks will be kept handy!
By the way, I like how the dark wood shows off the graceful white creamer, teapot, and s&p ... don't paint it!
I have an Ikea Billy bookcase in the kitchen - it's awesome. I have a glass door on the lower half (which, by the way, was a b*tch to attach alone), where I store assorted dishes, glassware, frequently-used pantry items, and my food processor.
On the top half, I have some baking supplies in pretty jars and about half of my cookbook collection. Perched on top is my cast-iron dutch oven.
The amount of storage I get out of about 1 square foot is amazing.
it would be cool to paint just the back wall of those bookshelves in the first pic, to create a pop right behind the display items.
I really love open shelves in the kitchen.. I don't know why more people don't do it! Check out Japanese contemporary home interior magazines for some lovely, simple inspiration!
Love the Zeisel stuff!
I just moved a bookshelf into the kitchen - it makes so much sense next to the oven. It helped me realize my (somewhat silly) dream of color-coding a batch of books, and it makes so much sense where it is (and adds some new storage in a spot where prep space is at a premium). My boyfriend made fun of me at first, but it feels much more homey now.
The only thing about open shelving in a kitchen, I have found, is that items really need a good scrubbing every few weeks. The grease and dust builds up quickly in a kitchen.
"The only thing about open shelving in a kitchen, I have found, is that items really need a good scrubbing every few weeks."
We have all kinds of open shelving in our kitchen, including a wall-sized bank of bookshelves, and I've found that the only area that gets manky and needs regular cleaning is the area around the stove, probably because we don't have a range hood. Everything else stays pretty clean, possibly because it's a really big room and we keep the windows open whenever possible.
I had a tiny kitchen where the only storage were 3 shelves on the wall, 2 mounted over the sink, then one long one beside it that ran over the 2 feet of counter space and the 4 foot tall fridge. My mom (who is not into modern design in any way and would wallpaper the outside of the house if my dad would let her, to explain how out of character this was) loved that kitchen more than any other - because of the open shelving. It was painted the same color as the walls (lavender/grey) and all my plain white dishware and simple glassware looked very pretty on it.
However, the shelves were far enough away from the stove that they never picked up any grease spatters, so they were easy to keep clean.
I love the free floating shelves. Where did you get them? I think the brackets are wonderful, and I'd love to do the same!