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5 ideas for floating kitchen shelves

22.8.2023

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

Putting up shelves will give you extra storage space in the kitchen without making the room look cluttered or dark. To get the look, there are three things to look out for. Colour, material and proportions.

Floating shelves are a great storage solution that’ll make your room look well balanced instead of cluttered. Once you’ve put them up, you can keep items you use frequently at hand or display beautiful ceramics or cookbooks. Showcased well, they can be very decorative. For example, it can look great if you opt for shelving in the same colour as the rest of your kitchen – or go for a complementary colour to add an accent. When choosing your material, it’s worth going for stain-resistant, coated surfaces and the same material as your countertop or existing cabinets.

You might have included them in your kitchen design from the start or decided to add them at a later stage. Either way, it’s important to check if your walls can carry the load before installing them and make sure installation is okay to make if you rent your apartment. The dimensions also need to be right. Make sure to leave enough empty space between the kitchen shelf and the wall or other pieces of furniture. If in doubt, choose a smaller model so it doesn’t look cramped. The following five examples show where and how you can use different colours, materials, sizes and heights to help give your kitchen an exciting look.

1. Above the sink

The small open shelf «Bon» by Ferm Living fits perfectly on small wall surfaces. The light wood complements the cutting boards below and seamlessly blends into the colour scheme with the beige wall. However, the material and colour of the shelf are neutral enough that it would also look good in a white or dark kitchen.

Compact kitchen shelf «Bon» is a great place to present pretty items. Photo: Ferm Living

2. In the corner

This wooden shelf by House Doctor has three levels and was put in a small free space in the corner. It provides space for dishes and decorative items. It was placed so that the distance to the wall panelling and up to the frame of the door is the same. This makes it seamlessly blend into the wall.

This shelf occupies wall space that would normally be lost and showcases a selection of bowls and books.
Source: House Doctor

3. On the side wall

The storage space in this kitchen is extended above the sink, as well as on the adjacent wall to the side using shelves. Because there’s enough space, several shelves were put on the wide wall one below the other. They look much lighter than a classic floor standing shelf, offer just as much storage space and are the same colour as the marble around the sink. This gives the room a harmonious feel. Another important detail to achieve visual tranquillity: the shelves are aligned with the height of the countertop and the shelf above the sink.

These shelves are mounted on two walls and offer as much storage space as a conventional shelving unit.
Source: Oyoy

4. Beside the dining table

The designer piece «Sector» by Ferm Living is a modern interpretation of mid-century shelving units and features the classic combination of oak and brass. It fits wonderfully with this rustic interior design and creates a colour contrast with its blue-grey back wall. It isn’t centred but mounted in the lower left area of the wall to form a unit with the dining table. This asymmetry can be pleasant to the eye and look more natural.

«Sector» is based on the location of the dining table.
Source: Ferm Living

5. Above the work surface

«Fari» by House Doctor is a metal floating shelf. It extends over the sink of this beautiful kitchen with its white cabinets. The material of the shelves provides for an exciting mix. Compared to the wooden elements, the metal brings an industrial flair to the room. However, to form a unit with the wooden cabinet on the other wall, one of the shelves is at the same height as its upper edge.

The shelving system «Fari» provides storage space, which is also a display area.
Source: House Doctor

Different kitchens, different possibilities

No matter what possibilities your kitchen has to offer (think free wall space), open shelves can always be rearranged to shape and change the overall look of the room. Sometimes it’s enough to change an accessory to tweak the colour palette. This will make the kitchen appear completely different.

Shelving

OYOY Living Grid

43 x 16.5 x 90.5 cm

Shelving

Ferm Living Sector

102 x 26 x 87 cm

Shelf accessories

House Doctor Fari

Shelving

OYOY Living Grid

43 x 16.5 x 90.5 cm

Shelving

Ferm Living Sector

102 x 26 x 87 cm

Shelf accessories

House Doctor Fari

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Pia Seidel

Senior Editor

Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.ch

Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.

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5 ideas for floating kitchen shelves

1. Above the sink

2. In the corner

3. On the side wall

4. Beside the dining table

5. Above the work surface

Different kitchens, different possibilities

These articles might also interest you

This home decor hack changes everything

The coolest storage solutions around right now

5 creative alternatives to hanging pictures on your walls

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