Bertha Heathcote
Join our newsletter Name: Your Email Address Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Thank you for signing up to Realhomes. There are lots of upsides to open kitchen shelving, the obvious practical bonus being that you can see where everything is.
No searching high and low for your favorite coffee cup because you can keep it front-and-center for your morning brew.
Plus, if you have a pretty collection of kitchenware or dinner plates, open shelving doubles as a display...
We’ve found from experience that it’s not an issue, because you are using your shelving every day, so there’s no time for dust to settle and you can easily give them a wipe before putting back your pieces in the evening. Experts at Ikea (opens in new tab) explain, 'With kitchen shelves, you can fit more into your space while keeping all your things easy to find (and grab).
Lastly, it’s relatively inexpensive, you can make your own if you are DIY-efficient, or look out for vintage shelves at charity shops and car boots, or invest in the ones below that we’ve found... Their kitchens always offer great storage solutions that are both relaxed in style and modern and keeping your tableware out on show can add a decorative touch to your space. The jet black metal looks great teamed with the blond wood back, and provides a neutral space for your plates and bowls to shine.
This is where you can pop in a wall shelf or two so you’re maximizing your kitchen storage space and creating a break in the scheme a la IKEA's TRANHULT/SANDSHULT (opens in new tab).
We love how they’ve added a task light to the wall which highlights the shelf, you can use it for recipe books and vases that aren’t in use. We’ve long been fans of String shelving (opens in new tab) and their practical shelving ideas; the Swedish designed system by Nils Strinning back in 1949 is super versatile and you can create your own configurations using the individual pieces.
We love this all-wooden kitchen which showcases Sainsbury’s Nordic Spring (opens in new tab) tableware and secondly, whoever thought of putting a ladder style wall unit on the countertop is genius. It’s sleek and stylish with oozes Scandi style practicality – the nearest we’ve come up with to copy this idea is Next’s Oakley (opens in new tab) wooden storage shelves – if you’re handy with a drill you could easily fix this to the wall on the countertop or properly wall-mount it with this how-to.
Choose a suitable shelf style and fixture: If you're working with plasterboard or drywall, look for lightweight shelves and consider light things to keep on it.
Fasten the brackets to the wall with a screwdriver or drill and attach the shelf, checking all are secure. It shows how easy it is to use everything from chopping boards, salt and pepper, tumblers for the kids' drinks to herbs and spices to create a display that's very good looking. They can all be out on show when you use them daily – the bonus of popping them on the shelf is that it keeps your countertop clear and clutter-free.
These shelves are made with simple lengths of pine and wooden brackets, all painted in a stylish, period shade. Organizing open kitchen shelving doesn't get much better than this, where everything has its place in this lovely unit. With an in-built plate rack, cup hooks and baskets for smaller items, this multifunctional shelving unit is a must have in any industrial-style kitchen. Go bespoke with your kitchen shelving ideas to create more design interest and added function. Make use of wall space and if you're one for cute trinkets, color co-ordinated cookery books and coffee cups, keep it all on display. Ensuring essentials like spices and dried herbs are within reach is a must while more decorative items can stay on that top shelf.
These full height shelves from String Furniture (opens in new tab)are minimal and discreet. Hooks, hanger racks, and rods are a really good way to keep utensils and pans at the ready.
What I really like about String are the cork accessories such as the underlays, where you can put a hot pan to cool down - and of course the bottle tray for the wine!' Rather than fixing multiple shelves to your kitchen wall, a simple, all-in-one bracket like this is an easy way to create ample extra shelf storage.
This will also give easy access to the items on the shelves and help you easily keep track of where things are in the kitchen. But for something a little more traditional, go for a mish mash of plates and bowls in varying colors and styles.
Display your jars of pasta, recipe books and fruit for a kitchen that beckons you to spend time in it. Painting your open shelving in the same color as the rest of your walls is a clever trick which works to make your space feel bigger.
Sometimes selecting just a few beautiful pieces to display can make the most decorative impact and be the most sentimental.
Coordinating different colors on your shelves is another simple and effortless way of making these pieces stand out and decoratively tie a room together. Many forget that storage can be part of the interior design scheme and by displaying and styling our objects, we can merge function with decoration,' says Peter Erlandsson, co-owner of String Furniture.
