It is difficult to imagine the interior of any room without shelves. It would seem that it is already difficult to come up with new shapes or combinations in shelf designs. However, the restless design thought does not stop there. Creative solutions create new models and help reveal unexpected advantages in them.
White corner shelves
Decorative corner shelves
Advantages of corner shelves:
- practically do not take up space and do not clutter up space;
- increase the functionality of the environment;
- ease of manufacture, the ability to assemble models yourself from scrap materials;
- complement the interior of any room;
- It's easy to choose a model for all design styles.
Corner shelves for decoration
Corner wooden shelves
Types of kitchen shelves
There are several varieties.
Open
They contribute to the visual expansion of the room and make it much freer. However, the contents of open structures constantly require perfect order and frequent cleaning. In this case, to make maintenance less labor-intensive, it is recommended to install a more powerful hood.
Closed
Such models are distinguished by the presence of rear and side walls, complemented by sliding, lifting or hinged doors.
The photo shows closed rectangular shelves with a colored facade in the kitchen interior.
Mounted
They become a great addition to any free space in the kitchen or easily fit even into a wall. Hanging shelves can have a wide variety of purposes, which affects the depth, height and location of the structure. Products equipped with hidden fastenings have a particularly beautiful and trendy appearance.
Floor-standing
It is a fairly durable model that can withstand any load. Floor shelves with legs are great for placing a microwave, multicooker and other household appliances. Such structures are mainly made of metal or wood and are sometimes equipped with wheels, which makes them more mobile.
Tabletop
Such products can be stationary or folding and have several tiers. They are located against the wall on the countertop and provide a convenient place for mugs, jars of spices or cereals, a bread bin, a sugar bowl, or even a vase of flowers.
Built-in
Such shelves, built into a niche, the end module of a kitchen unit or an island, provide intelligent use of the available space and bring variety and creativity to the environment.
Shelving
These organizers with a certain number of shelves, which are combined into one box, easily complement any kitchen design. Racks provide effective organization of things, for example, various dishes, recipe books, baskets for vegetables and fruits, as well as small household appliances.
Hidden
They are distinguished by a façade that blends with the surrounding decoration, furniture, or, for example, a kitchen apron. Hidden models are especially suitable for those who prefer a laconic and discreet interior.
Material
In the manufacture of shelves it is permissible to use almost any materials:
- Wooden. They have a truly luxurious appearance, are environmentally friendly and, if necessary, can be easily restored.
- Plastic. They are considered a fairly economical solution that allows you to achieve interesting kitchen decoration. Plastic structures are often placed above the table or above the sink for drying dishes.
- Metal. Despite their elegant configuration, such products can withstand quite a heavy load. Stainless steel shelves or sophisticated metal gratings do not burden or overload the interior, making it truly stylish.
- Chipboard/MDF. When choosing such models, you can save a lot of money and at the same time create a very beautiful, simple and practical design.
- Drywall. Drywall products have a wide variety of shapes that can be designed with your own hands. Such shelves are more suitable for storing small accessories and are sometimes equipped with spotlights.
The photo shows a kitchen interior with hanging open shelves made of wood.
Also quite often in the kitchen interior there are shelves made of tempered glass, which look very fragile, but at the same time withstand almost any load. These transparent structures can have hidden fasteners, which creates the feeling of objects floating in the air.
Open
An open shelf in the kitchen has some advantages, for example, over cabinets with closed doors.
- It takes up less space than a closet.
- A successful design solution creates the impression of increased kitchen space.
- All kitchen utensils placed on it are in sight. It takes less time to find the right item than in closed cabinets.
- Beautiful dishes arranged on shelves with open shelves decorate the kitchen interior.
- Open shelves in the corners of the kitchen perfectly complement hanging or built-in cabinets.
However, open shelves in the kitchen have some disadvantages. Dishes, objects, things standing on them quickly become covered with dust, and if the kitchen hood is bad, then with droplets of grease. It is difficult to place large kitchen utensils on small shelves. Another reason why the housewife does not want to have open shelves in the corners of the kitchen is her reluctance to display her dishes.
Shelf sizes and shapes
In a small kitchen, corner shelves complemented with various accessories look especially appropriate. Such products occupy a minimum of usable space and blend organically into the surrounding environment. Quite an original design, they have high structures up to the ceiling, which consist of several tiers. They not only look very stylish, but also provide convenient placement of many necessary items.
The photo shows a straight narrow shelf made of wood in a kitchen interior in light colors.
A particularly interesting design of the kitchen space can be achieved using horizontal multi-level models, which can be quite long and occupy the entire wall or only part of it. There are also not only wide, but also narrow shelves that are perfect for a variety of decor and contribute to significant space savings.
The photo shows the interior of the dining room, decorated with open shelves up to the ceiling.
Advantages of corner shelves
Unlike linear shelves, such accessories have an undoubted advantage in the interior:
- Compact sizes.
- Convenient shape.
- Hanging shelves allow you to free up space for other purposes (for example, a small table or a cabinet with a sink in the bathroom).
- Such furniture is distinguished by its ease of independent work.
- A large selection of ready-made projects with a detailed description of each step of the work, diagrams and drawings.
Craftsmen should pay special attention to the reliability of the fasteners used, the maximum permissible load on the shelves, as well as the condition of the underlying wall.
Photos of original hand-made corner shelves will allow you to evaluate the merits of each known model.
What to put on the shelves?
Popular filling options.
For dishes and pots
On the shelves for dishes, you can conveniently store plates that can be placed in a slide or interestingly arranged in a row. Such models can sometimes be equipped with special cross beams that prevent falls. For glasses and bottles with alcoholic drinks, various vertical holders, rotating, hanging or side shelves are used, which often act as an additional accessory to the bar counter.
Decorative
Designs that include different decor, for example, original candles, photo frames, lamps, flower pots and other cute trinkets, significantly soften the kitchen environment and give it a special taste.
For TV
With this design you can achieve a very beautiful design. When choosing a shelf for a TV, it is desirable that it blends harmoniously with all the other furniture in the room, thus creating the most comfortable and neat interior possible.
Food
Very often, for seasonings and spices, they use holder shelves or use an entire niche for storage. Depending on the size of the structure, it can be filled not only with numerous jars, but also with boxes of tea, containers with cereals, bottles with vegetable oil or sauce. For fruits and vegetables, products in the form of a rack or shelf with metal baskets are especially appropriate, which takes up little space and can sometimes be equipped with wheels.
The photo shows a tabletop wooden shelf in the shape of a ladder for storing tea and coffee.
For household supplies
Shelves with hooks are a very practical accessory that combines two functions at once. Such products are also suitable for placing sponges and, for example, hanging towels.
For kitchen appliances
For various appliances in the form of a small toaster or microwave, pull-out structures, shelves with hinged doors, floor-standing or wall-mounted models are used.
Design
At this point, I divide corner shelves into two large and important categories: wall-mounted and floor-mounted. Personally, I prefer the second option, but you need to understand that there are situations in which the shelf can only be hung. This is what increases the amount of usable space in the room.
You should have already decided on the material earlier, and therefore you need to focus on the design of a new piece of furniture. To do this, we will need tools for working with wood, a simple pencil or marker, glue, a compass, preferably with a larger radius, and a simple level with a ruler.
You can make drawings for making a corner shelf yourself, or you can scour the Internet. Luckily there are plenty of options. Sounds a little simple, but follow simple designs and implementation paths in this endeavor.
The fact is that the shelf, first of all, must stand, or hang, and hold everything that is placed on it. If you introduce some complex system of jumpers yourself, the likelihood of violating the integrity of the structure will greatly increase. This is especially bad in a child’s room, and even if the shelf is made into a rack.
How to place it in the kitchen?
Ways to place shelves in the kitchen space.
Over the table
The free wall above the table is often decorated with shelves for decorative items or various small jars of seasonings. In this area, models with invisible fasteners that merge with the surface of the wall and become one with it will look very advantageous.
The photo shows a kitchen interior with decorative shelves located above the dining table.
In the corner
Corner designs will fit perfectly into the interior of both a small and more spacious kitchen. Such triangular or L-shaped products provide significant space savings and, thanks to various design ideas, give the environment a stylish and unusual look.
Over the sink
For such placement, choose shelves or dryers made of materials that are not afraid of moisture, temperature changes, mechanical damage and high loads. Sometimes, to prevent the appearance of marks and stains, special decorative spraying is used.
In a niche
With this option, you can get away from template interior design, as well as make the most efficient use of space. The dimensions of the shelves are selected depending on the dimensions of the niche, and the material is selected in accordance with the style of the room.
On the apron
This placement near the work surface with a sink and stove is not only original, but also reasonable. This way you can place at hand the products and items needed during the cooking process.
The photo shows square shelves in the design of a work area with an apron in the kitchen interior.
Under the ceiling
Thanks to the additional storage space under the ceiling, it is possible to organize a practical and stylish design. The main advantage of this solution is the preservation of usable space below. Rarely used dishes, household appliances are placed on such frame shelves, towels, potholders, etc. are hung.
Above the door
It is quite a relevant option for the kitchen. The mezzanine above the door provides a convenient place to store boxes or baskets with necessary things.
On a free wall
When placing shelves on an empty wall, the main thing is to maintain a sense of proportion so as not to burden the appearance of the room. For example, quite often the structure is hung in the free space between two cabinets to create a single furniture composition or simply placed in a linear, checkerboard or chaotic order.
Above the sofa
This solution can give the kitchen interior a special zest and a sense of order. Above the sofa it is better to install less bulky and not too long or rounded models with attractive decor.
Disadvantages of using shelves
There are also disadvantages of practical use:
- Insufficient shelf capacity.
- Lack of limiters, which can lead to falling contents (spices, dishes, souvenirs).
- Shelves are not able to withstand significant loads, even when made of wood or metal.
Furniture located above the work area requires more frequent wet cleaning.
Color spectrum
A kitchen decorated with shelves in white or gray shades, which are especially appropriate for creating a minimalist interior, looks truly stylish and modern. Also very impressive are designs in black or wenge colors, which most often complement both modern design and furnishings in a classic or English style.
The photo shows a two-level tabletop shelf made in chrome.
For interiors with light finishes, interesting contrasts are often used in the form of products in rich colors. No less expressive interior solutions are chrome-colored models, which favorably emphasize the overall design of the room and highlight its accents.
Design ideas
Thanks to backlit models, it is possible to significantly expand the functionality of the kitchen space. These luminous products are complemented by a system of LED modules, spotlights or sconces; they are also sometimes decorated with a mirror wall, which allows you to give the room a special soft and diffused glow.
Quite an extravagant solution is represented by unusual designs that have a non-standard shape or multi-colored design, which contribute to the creation of a not always practical, but quite creative design.
The photo shows a kitchen interior with hanging green shelves of an unusual shape.
In order to emphasize the originality of the interior, carved products are used. Warm and cozy material with all kinds of patterns, especially harmoniously combined with a variety of jars, clay pots, wicker, wooden decor and other kitchen utensils. Forged shelves look no less advantageous, giving the decor a certain rarity, solidity and chic.
Photo of open shelves in the kitchen interior
Open shelves make the kitchen interior more expressive and at the same time very cozy and homey. Beautifully arranged dishes add a special personality to the setting.
A stylish and modern design option is the asymmetrical arrangement of open shelves. Such a solution is not always convenient, but it certainly attracts attention. With sufficient lighting in the room, open structures can be placed even in the window opening area.
Wood shelves
Natural wood is an excellent material for making open shelves. The material is sufficiently durable and ideal for DIY work.
To extend the service life, pre-treatment with antiseptic, antipyretic and antifungal solutions will be required.
Options in different styles
Examples of design in popular style directions.
Scandinavian style kitchen
Nordic style primarily involves models made from predominantly natural materials. Here, semi-closed combined shelves with drawers or open shelves with decorative items that emphasize this direction, such as paintings with animals, black and white photographs or green plants, look very impressive.
The photo shows wooden open shelves located above the sink in a Scandinavian-style kitchen.
Shelves in Provence style
In this interior, they prefer vintage wooden structures with an aged appearance or choose the most simple products in white, beige and other natural colors. A particularly relevant decor for closed shelves in the Provence style will be curtains with a floral pattern.
Loft style
The loft-style kitchen space is complemented by more massive shelves made of wooden boards or metal, which have an unfinished appearance. Constructions made of concrete or brick are quite a bold design solution. In the design of these products, rusty pipes, various taps, bolts, screws and metal rods are used.
Country style kitchen
For rustic design, it is appropriate to use antique structures, characterized by simple design and decor in the form of forged and openwork elements. Most often, there are a large number of accessories and kitchen utensils on the shelves.
High tech
High-tech hi-tech is characterized by models made from more modern materials, such as glossy plastic, glass or metal, combined with chrome elements or lighting equipment. The content should be minimal and include only items with a direct functional purpose.
Classical
For classics or neoclassics, glass showcases or racks and shelves made of natural wood, which are decorated in the form of carvings or forged metal plates stylized as gold, bronze or brass, are especially often chosen.
Step-by-step manufacturing of a corner shelf
The stages of construction of a rack or shelf depend on the purpose of the structure, expected dimensions and model (suspended, floor-standing types).
To make a corner shelf for icons with your own hands, all you need is one tier and small-height carved sides. You can additionally consider stands for the iconostasis and holding candles.
Designs for flowers, books, toys will require several floors. Bathroom shelves are best built from a combination of materials, for example, the supports are made of metal pipes, and the plates themselves are made of wood.
