We started out the push to get chaos in your kitchen under control by looking at hanging stuff up. Not one for the minimalists in the crowd, but effective nonetheless. This time around we’re still not making minimalists happy, as this time we’re looking at how to use shelves in your kitchen to create extra storage out of thin air. Future blog posts will include tips for minimalists, we promise!
So on with shelving. The most obvious advantage of using shelves in your kitchen is that they add a visual display element. Which can be good if you have some decorative or interesting things to put on them, but bad if you allow them to just be a jumble of junk.
Vigilance is required!
Shelving can also be a good way to break up the bulk of a kitchen. While floor to ceiling cabinetry might optimise space, it can also be visually overwhelming, and make your kitchen feel smaller. Breaking up that bulk with some well-placed shelves can help open up the room. That probably is only useful to know if you’re still in the throes of designing a new ktichen though, so let’s continue with ways to add shelf storage to an existing kitchen.
If you have a kitchen window, adding a shelf above it gives you a great place for a more decorative display area. Given it might be hard to reach if it’s fairly high, you probably don’t want to put day-to-day items there, so displaying some rarely used or decorative items works well. If the shelf is easy to reach, a cute holder for the dish mops along with other more practical, often-used items can be stored on it.
Depending on the height of wall cabinets, think about adding a shelf underneath them. This can add much-needed space, and can even make life easier by putting frequently used items within easy reach, whilst still keeping the bench area free from clutter. If the shelf is glass and you store glassware on it, it can almost appear invisible!
If you already have shelves, but there’s wasted space because they’re a long way apart, then adding simple slide on baskets or shelves can give you a way to better utilise the gaps between the rows.
The ends of things can also be transformed into extra storage with a couple of narrow shelves or holders. The end of cabinetry, for example, can be a wonderful place for cook books. Same with the side of an island bench, particularly if the bench already is longer than the support island.
And if you have a big, blank wall in your kitchen or adjoining dining area, then consider adding a bookcase or dresser to really bump up the storage space. I have a boxed-in fridge space that is too small for my fridge, so it houses a bookcase filled with all my cookbooks and some decorative container sets. Perfect!
Time to get shelving!