Shelves for the kitchen: types, selection and placement

Shelves for the kitchen are purchased in two cases: the first - when the room has enough space to install, in addition to the headset, additional furniture; the second - when the room is so small that it makes no sense to weight it with the top closed drawers, and open shelves come in to help, transmitting light and air, preserving the volume of the room.

The kitchen is filled with many necessary items, and no matter how many additional storage places are created, they will not be superfluous. For this reason, it seems to many that shelves in the kitchen can only have virtues.

But if you approach the issue more carefully, you can find both pros and cons. First, consider the benefits of kitchen shelves.

1. Open shelves of the upper tier unlike closed cabinets unload space.
2. Shelves can be decorative or functional. In any case, the benefits of them are obvious.
3. An important role is played by the easy accessibility of open shelves, especially if they are located in the working area.
4. The presence of shelves allows you to organize things. All items find their permanent place and do not clutter up tables.
5. The simplicity of the design makes it possible to make it yourself.
6. Corner open products will not create problems with opening doors, as is the case with ill-conceived headsets.
7. Shelves are cheaper than hanging drawers. A wide selection and variety of materials, shapes and colors will allow you to choose them for any stylized interior.

The disadvantages include the following points:

1. dust sits on shelves faster than what happens with closed furniture, respectively, and they will have to be cleaned more often;
2. open designs are always in sight, they stimulate the maintenance of perfect order;
3. you cannot put old utensils on public display, which means that not everything that needs an additional storage place can count on it.

Shelves for kitchens can be divided by location (floor, table, wall), by material, color and shape. The constructive variety of products helps to choose them for any purpose and location, as well as use for many styles.

Kitchen shelves come in many different types.

Models have simple concise forms. The absence of doors simplifies installation and allows you to make it yourself. Such shelves can be so beautiful that even when unloaded, they become an interior decoration, and if you place decor on them, they will support any style of the kitchen. Open shelves can have a working focus and withstand appliances or heavy utensils.

Sometimes products are equipped with hinged, sliding or lifting doors. Such furniture allows you to hide from the public view unsightly, but necessary kitchen utensils.

Such shelves may include from one to several tiers. Corner products are very convenient, especially for small kitchens. They occupy a corner unsuitable for other types of furniture. At the same time, the design looks compact, has good capacity.

Most often they are made of metal. The plane of the shelves looks like an elegant lattice. Chrome options are placed above the sink, they perform the drying function for plates and cups.

In the kitchen of modern styles (hi-tech, minimalism, loft), chrome shelves can decorate any corner. Lattice products are also made with forging elements.

Unlike ordinary shelves, they can be complicated by the presence of drawers, or have a combined design in which some sections are endowed with doors, while others remain open.

They are placed in the cabinets of the lower tier. Filing shelves is very convenient, they can be put forward, go on rollers, rotate and protrude from the stands. Depending on the location and model of the shelves, they are used for spices, detergents, for cans or bottles.

Illumination can make the shelves in the interior accent, draw attention to the decor. If the design is located in the working area, additional illumination is of practical importance.

An unusual 4-in-1 shelf holder is very convenient for small kitchens. This small-sized device contains three roller shelves - for paper towels, cling film and bags, as well as an additional storage space for seasonings and other accessories.

Kitchen shelves have different purposes, they can be filled with light little things or heavy objects - utensils, appliances. Shelves for spices are often made of glass, plastic, wooden slats, and for products for kitchen appliances or pans they choose wood, chipboard, metal.

A warm, natural material that is great for making furniture. Oak, alder, apple, beech, pine - each breed has its own color and unique pattern. Wood is treated with impregnation from insect pests and coated with varnish-and-paint compositions, after which it acquires moisture-resistant properties and is suitable for kitchen shelves.

Wood is a universal material, it is used for the manufacture of products of various configurations and sizes, many design styles from historical to modern are not without it.

Wood is easily processed, so it is chosen as a material for making shelves with your own hands. Without it, it is impossible to create interiors in the style of country, classicism, empire, baroque, Provence, shabby chic. Even modern areas of kitchen finishes, preferring glass and metal, use natural wood in their design.

Chipboards are excellent imitators of natural wood. They are covered with veneers of various varieties of trees, this makes it possible to choose shelves with any palette and pattern, just to get into the style and color of the decor in a particular kitchen. Given that chipboard is noticeably cheaper than wood, the availability of such material for each family is obvious.

Glass shelves seem impractical, stains remain after wet cleaning. But, on the other hand, not a single material will make the shelves so airy and weightless.

Metal shelves cannot compete in popularity with wood, but they have a wide selection. Forged models with delicate attractive patterns are elegant and beautiful. Such products are used in the styles of Gothic, Provence, some types of country. Chrome options are represented by trellised regiments.

Miniature specimens are hung on rails, using for trifles, and larger and stronger models are mounted on the wall or mounted on tables at the sink, used as drying for dishes. Modern techno-styles adorn any wall with chrome shelves. For retro directions produce products stylized as copper, bronze or brass.

Shelves made of artificial and natural stone can rarely be found in the kitchen, although they suit many styles - rustic, historical, ethnic, techno. Stone refers to expensive and heavy materials. Large floor products are made to order. Miniature shelves made of artificial stone are fixed by a hidden method, they look unusual, as if glued to a wall.

In a simple modern kitchen, the plastic surfaces of the shelves will look quite organic. The industry produces durable material matte and glossy textures, colorful colors, as well as imitation stone and wood.

Before choosing shelves for the kitchen, you need to decide for yourself what they will be filled with and where to be. In the first case, you can understand the required volume of the structure, in the second - calculate the size.

If the shelves are used for spices or other small things, 1-3-level small structures made of wood, plastic or glass are suitable. Railing shelves (lattice) on chromed metal suspensions are good for small things. For a large number of dishes or for appliances, you should choose durable structures made from reliable material - wood or metal. In this case, angular structures are convenient - they take up little space, but have a large capacity.

Small attachments are best purchased on hinges; they can be removed and washed. Various options of retractable, traveling and rotating products are convenient; all contents have easy access to them.

In small kitchens, for which every centimeter is registered, and which cannot be cluttered with hanging drawers, they use shallow shelves above the worktop, going to the ceiling, combined with open and closed sections.

For styles such as minimalism, hi-tech, small glass shelves that transmit light and create volume are well suited.

It is important that the products purchased correspond to the style and color of the interior, have a harmonious appearance, meet the taste of the owners.

Shelves are universal furniture, and they can be located anywhere. Let's look at examples of different shelf layout options.

• It’s convenient to have little things right at hand. To do this, equip an iron, stainless steel, drywall or any other shelf on the desktop. With this arrangement, each object comes into view.
• A window in the working area is surrounded on two sides by shelves designed for dishes.
• Corner open models are good for small kitchens. With a large capacity, the products take up little space.
• Simple straight-line shelves can completely replace hanging cabinets in the kitchen, occupying the entire wall above the work surface.
• Structures on chains or cables are suspended in the center of the kitchen, the hostess gets additional storage in the most unexpected place.

In the kitchen they cook, have a meal, relax, arrange gatherings with friends. Every housewife wants to see this room cozy and unique. Moments of originality and home warmth will help to bring unusual decoration.

• Of the simple drawers, original shelves are arranged. You can put any little things on them.

• In Provence or Shabby Chic style, storage spaces on slightly modified stairs look great.

• Vertical wine shelves take up little space in the kitchen, but collect the entire home collection of wine.

• Glass shelves with white utensils can decorate any wall. With proper lighting, the plates and vases seem to soar in the air.

Kitchen shelves are so different that they will always find their destination. They can store little things, take on the load of household appliances, become an adornment of the kitchen, showing beautiful dishes and decorative elements.

On how to make an unusual shelf for the kitchen with your own hands, see further.