Aesthetic & Practical Value of Shelves in Kitchen Design
Kitchen shelves certainly have a place in the kitchen and can be used in more places and ways than you may think!
Once an aged approach for storage, kitchen shelves have become a way to showcase art, ceramics, and those showstopping pieces in your kitchen. Open kitchen shelving comes in multiple forms and colours and are now considered a key element in giving your kitchen that personal touch.
They can be your main kitchen storage space for your most used items in the pantry, enhancing kitchen organisation, to storing mixers or crockery, or simply a focal point with beautiful plants and a few collectables.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to shelf style so we are going to explore a few below;
Tall open shelves
Tall open shelves can be found in your pantry to store the most used items in the kitchen through to decorative slim units used to store that all important wine!
Make it decorative by adding kitchen lighting to each compartment and it can be used as a way to store smaller items between a wall and fridge space.
Wall open shelves
Wall open shelves are the most common type of open shelves we come across and generally used in the pantry but can also be used as a decorative piece to your kitchen.
Kitchen wall shelves, particularly corner shelves, are designed to maximise the use of corner spaces with angled or curved shelving, which not only adds character to the space through a variety of colours and materials but also opens up the area. If you wish to highlight these kitchen wall shelf features even more, consider integrating lighting.
Floating shelves
Floating shelves in the kitchen have become increasingly popular, as they can transform a dark or narrow kitchen by opening up the space. These floating shelves kitchen additions serve both as storage solutions and stylish focal points.
Floating shelves, whether used in pairs or more, come in various lengths and can be curved or squared off, making them a shelf design favourite. They are fabulous for artistic displays of ceramics, arts, and plants, enhancing the aesthetic of any kitchen.
With an understanding of the different types of shelves, such as kitchen wall shelves and floating shelves, you’re ready to explore kitchen shelf designs and how to style them to reflect your personal taste and style. The following tips will guide you in creating a look that’s uniquely yours.
Position Larger Items First
When styling kitchen shelves, start with larger items like vases or books, and then arrange medium to smaller items in descending order. This approach ensures your shelves are balanced and proportionate. Experiment by moving items around until you achieve the perfect balance, and remember that when it comes to kitchen shelf styling, sometimes less is more.
Create Depth
For effective shelf styling, layer your items with smaller pieces in front and larger ones in the back to create depth and interest. Surprisingly, odd numbers often appear more aesthetically pleasing than even numbers, with groupings of three being particularly appealing.
Colour Palette
In kitchen decor, it’s wise to limit your colour palette, often sticking to one or two colours and introducing a third for contrast to achieve a good balance. Take a look around your room to other areas to get a feel for the scheme of the space as this will help you determine the colours to include. More interest can be brought into the scheme by using different textures with the same palette.
Add Greenery
Incorporating kitchen plants can bring colour and life to your culinary space. Make sure you choose a plant that thrives in the kitchen environment it is placed in. Should the conditions not be ideal for the type of plant you would like to showcase, consider opting for some realistic fake plants that maintain the aesthetic appeal.
Books & Magazines
Be creative with your kitchen shelf decor by thoughtfully placing books and magazines. A collection of cooktops can be displayed beautifully. Choose cooktops with aesthetic covers or in shades that suit the colour palette of your decorative items. Books can be placed horizontally or vertically but limit to a few books so that it’s a feature rather than storage!
Don’t Over Clutter
It is ok to leave some blank space on your shelves! Less really is more when it comes to styling and too many pieces can detract from your overall design making it too busy. Balance is the key creating focal points of interest in clusters.
Change things around
A cost-effective strategy for your kitchen remodel is to simply re-arrange your shelves! Once you have settled on your design, it’s perfectly fine to rearrange items depending on your mood or the season, giving your kitchen a fresh look without a complete overhaul
We hope you will consider placing some shelving into your kitchen or joinery design and the above tips help you to style them beautifully. Reach out to our team to help get you started.