May 31, 2012

More Shelves For The Kitchen

I already showed you the shelves Dan made when he built my kitchen peninsula. I also mentioned in my "Kitchen Wall Cabinets" post that we would use shelving to connect the different styles, shapes, and colors of the cabinets we installed. Well, here are they are, plus a few more.

Shelves for mugs, coffee grinder, & tea pot

These will be painted the same green as the cabinets and will serve for coffee and tea making items.

I also wanted a place for cookbooks. The shelves below will be for just that, and were made from leftover pine flooring planks.

Shelves for cookbooks

Being above the peninsula gives easy access from either side of the kitchen. And here are some I'm just thrilled with...

Cubby shelves
(For a closer look at the doors on the wall cabinet
above, visit Dan's blog, Daniel Tate Pyrographic Art)

Dan made me some cubbies from leftover floor planks, just like the cookbook shelves. I haven't decided how to finish them yet. I've got enough green, so I don't want to paint them that. I'm thinking either stain them dark, to match the Amish cabinets, or leave natural and finish with polyurethane.

A shelf also solved an unexpected problem area. In the original kitchen, the moulding over the door to the addition (where the pantry, 2nd bathroom, and utility room are), was unconventionally tall. You can seen it in the photo below, but you have to look closely.


When we pulled it down to move the pantry door, we found a huge opening in the wall behind the moulding.


Dan suggested putting a shelf above the door to help hide it.


All of my new shelves need to be primed and painted, but I'm very glad to have every one of them. :)


24 comments:

Shannon said...

Love your kitchen design! My husband is always using our leftover hardwood floor for fun projects around the house too!

Cat Eye Cottage said...

Wow, it's really coming together, and what a great use for the leftover flooring.

Sherri B. said...

I've often thought that above the door was such a waste of space. I can picture that nice shelf to display, maybe, a nice large platter or a bowl collection, etc... - Looks like you will have plenty of storage in your new kitchen. xo

Bernadine said...

I love those shelves for your cookbooks. They are beautiful and a great way to recycle. You may have posted about this before but what's the artwork on the panels done with? Are they stenciled, painted, wallpapered.... ? I think they're very unique and charming. What a great idea.

Seeking Serenity said...

It all looks so wonderful!!
say, if you dont want to see the lines on the underside of the upper cookbook shelves, just turn them over. Then the flat part will be what you see from below, and the lowest shelf can be flat side up.

DebbieB said...

My sister-in-law has a shelf running around all four walls of her den, near the ceiling (at the height of the top of the doorways). She has it filled with paperback books. I always thought it was a great use of little-utilized space, and it frees up shelf space elsewhere.

LOVING your kitchen as it progresses!

Michelle said...

Nice! I can't wait to have space for things like cookbooks in my kitchen. I love that you have a special place for hot beverages. I have a makeshift one...

Leigh said...

Shannon, thanks! That leftover flooring is just too good not to use, isn't it?

Candace, thanks!

Sherri, I first saw the idea in one of the library books. I agree it's a good use of otherwise wasted space.

Bernadine, thanks! The doors on the cabinet are woodburned. My husband is a pyrographer. For a closer look at the doors, visit his blog, Daniel Tate Pyrographic Art.

Peaceful, actually we talked about that. All I could think of was how much harder it would be to keep those grooves clean, LOL.

Debbie, I've seen those, aren't they great? The most interesting was the folks who made a climbing cat tree for their cats, who had run of the shelf. :)

Michelle, those are the kinds of things I thought about in the planning stages. I'm glad to have them now!

Susan said...

How wonderful to have all that storage - and so beautifully made to boot! Your kitchen will be a showcase when you're finished.

Woolly Bits said...

lucky you, so much storage and close by! I would like to have my cook books closer, but the only other place is too close to the cooker, so that they'd get all sticky and dirty from the kitchen "vapours"... and you're right, I'd rather not turn the shelves upside down - you'd never get the dirt out of those grooves...

Misty Pines Homestead said...

You know shelves above the windows are great too for extra space like the one you have above the door :)

Ngo Family Farm said...

Beautiful shelving! What will you use the cubby shelves for?
-Jaime

Nina said...

That's a great amount of shelf space. Having removed cupboard doors in order to paint them, I've really come to appreciate the simplicity and functionality of open shelves. It certainly makes it easier to put things away and makes the area feel larger.

Mama Pea said...

I just adore the way your kitchen/cabinets/shelves are coming together in such a personal, customized way! It's what YOU want for the way you will use your kitchen. As far as the shelf over the doorway, you know we've put shelves and bookcases over doors, windows, counters, every possible spot!

Anonymous said...

Awesome!!! You will have the perfect kitchen with all that shelving! What will you use the cubby shelves for? After reading your blog....ive been thinking about a smaller kitchen, and how I might LOVE having one! I currently rent, and our kitchen is pretty large...mostly wasted space of just an open floor! I loved the space at first, but am thinking that you hit on something GREAT! The u shaped kitchen or galley is so functional, and not wasted space! I LOVE your blog Leigh! Keep it coming!!
Amber

Unknown said...

Extra shelves are always a great idea!

Leigh said...

Susan, here's hoping I actually have all the storage I need, LOL. Who ever has enough in the end?

Bettina, I know what you mean! That's why we tried to figure out if we could put an exhaust fan in somewhere but never did. Kind of nice to have the cooking areas out of the way for that reason.

Annnightflyer, funny you should mention that because we have one more window to "dress" and we were thinking just that! One can never have too much space ;)

Jaime, thanks! I want to use them for some small items that I want to keep near by: mortar & pestle, salt jar, recipe box, stuff like that. :)

Nina, I admit I was uncertain about shelves at first because they have to be dusted more often. Still, I love them now!

Mama Pea, thanks! I'm excited and relieved that it's turning out so well. Functional and pretty (hurray for paint!)

Amber, thanks! I appreciate the comment. :) I had a large kitchen once, like you describe and it wasn't my favorite. It was basically an L shape which was too long to be convenient. If I still had it, I would put a big island in the open space. I think that would help. Still, I always loved my galley kitchen best. :)

Nancy, I couldn't agree more. :)

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of using shelves to pull all the cabinets together!! I would keep the cubby one natural :) You and Dan are just blowing my mind!!

Madeleine @ NZ Ecochick said...

Looking good. I love the wood brackets. I want some. Bet you cant wait till its finished. So exciting.

Renee Nefe said...

Beautiful! :D

Lap Dog Knits said...

Did I tell you I love this kitchen????...Well,,,I LOVE your kitchen, so fun seeing it all come together!

CaliforniaGrammy said...

I agree with another of your admirers . . . "Y'all blow me away" with your creative capabilities. I love, love, love your new kitchen with the beautifully wood-burned panels on the cabinet doors and the shelving tying everything together. It's just awesome what you two are doing together.

Leigh said...

Stephanie, that's what comes of looking at 100s of kitchen books! :)

Madeleine, you are so right about that. It will be such a treat to finally have it done!

Renee, thanks!

Kyle, thanks! It is exciting, especially that it's turning out so well.

Janice,thanks! The wood burned panels are really special. He also woodburned a door for the key rack that came with the house. :)

Bernadine said...

Thanks for the information on the cabinet doors. I will definitely check out your husbands website.