How to choose the right shelves for your kitchen?
It is no secret that often the kitchen in an apartment or house is the most favorite and cozy corner. Housewives pay a lot of attention to the furniture and equipment of the kitchen.
After all, everything should be harmonious, thoughtful, convenient and functional. Fortunately, the choice of kitchen furniture, appliances and all sorts of devices today in specialized stores is huge and is able to satisfy the most demanding, refined or non-standard requests.
And what could not be found in the finished form, is made to order or made with your own hands, including shelves for the kitchen.
How to choose shelves Cabinets or shelves?
Kitchen furniture, as well as kitchen utensils, is not enough. But the question arises: what is more convenient and functional cabinets or kitchen shelves.
It is more rational to equip the bottom of the working wall with cabinets with internal shelves or drawers. Such kitchen furniture is very practical and roomy and looks great in the interior of the kitchen.
In the floor cabinets, it is convenient to put bulky kitchen utensils, install containers for garbage and waste, store bags of vegetables.
Hanging kitchen cabinets can be safely replaced with open shelves or closed, and it is good to combine all three types. It should be noted that the open shelves in the kitchen are lighter and do not clutter the space. This is especially valuable in small kitchens or in studio apartments.
Part of the floor cabinets can also be sacrificed by installing open shelves.
However, it is necessary to make the shelves themselves more massive and thicker than the mounted ones, because massive kitchen utensils and appliances are always stored below: a juicer, a meat grinder, pots of various capacities and pans.
The location of open kitchen shelves can be very diverse. They look great between regular hanging cabinets or from the sides. Small open shelves will be appropriate under or above the cabinets.
For example, you can place flower pots, cups, glasses or containers with sugar, salt, spices, and cutlery on them.
Wooden open shelves located above the kitchen table can be used as an additional decor of the room, and quite a practical thing, placing vases with flowers, scented candles or frames with photos of all family members on them. Such designs look advantageous in the interior of the kitchen.
Kitchen interior style
Kitchen interior style there are a lot of styles in which you can equip a kitchen with open shelves: minimalism, Scandinavian style, high-tech, retro or classic-it all depends on the wishes of the hostess. Each style of kitchen has its own materials, colors, and shapes.
For example, when choosing a Scandinavian style, the hanging shelves should be made of natural materials, wood, stone (special attention should be paid to the fasteners and the choice of place, the structures are quite heavy).
As for the color scheme, you should choose beige, light gray, light blue, light green, light brown, as this style is aimed at maintaining warmth and comfort in the house. Such a combination of colors and materials, of course, will be an exclusive solution in the interior of the kitchen.
High-tech or minimalism is a modern style and materials that are used in them, as if they better reflect modern realities. Plastic, metal, glass, a lot of right angles and lines, a combination of black and white with splashes of bright colored details is most suitable for these styles.
You can also use lighting for hanging cabinets and open shelves, this will make the kitchen more modern and practical.
Hanging shelves made of glass, whether completely transparent or frosted glass, will look particularly impressive. Like the shelves in the interior of the kitchen will look more fresh and simple.
One thing: the glass open shelves in the kitchen should be reliable. Therefore, it is not reasonable to take glass less than 6-8 mm, there is a significant risk that the shelves will crack under the weight of the placed items.
In addition to the open shelves on the mounts, there may be shelves that are mounted in the wall. Such a move will help to save space in the kitchen space and make the room as constructive as possible.
Such shelves are usually made of drywall. They look good, are functional, and can withstand considerable weight. The main disadvantage of the design is the stationary installation.
Painlessly dismantling such kitchen shelves is quite problematic and you will have to use them until the next major repair.
Plastic kitchen shelves are light, mobile, they are easily attached and dismantled. But it is worth remembering that plastic is not strong enough material and is not suitable for installing heavy kitchen utensils on it.
On such kitchen shelves, it is more reasonable to place small items or dishes made of the same plastic, since there will be no problems with the choice. To date, high-quality plastic tableware for the kitchen is not inferior to porcelain or earthenware, as well as glass.
A particularly interesting detail of the kitchen interior will be small, wooden hanging shelves, they are perfect for storing condiments and spices, teas or coffee beans, it will look incredibly cute and sophisticated, such designs are characteristic of kitchens in the Italian or English style.
Nowadays, it has become very fashionable to fill the kitchen shelves with recipe books, thereby saving time and space. The hostess has everything at hand, and to get the necessary item is very easy and simple, without leaving the kitchen.
Materials for kitchen shelves
Kitchen shelves differ not only in size, color, but also in the material from which they are made. As mentioned above, it can be.
- Tree. Perfect choice for the kitchen. Natural material, Eco-friendly, breathable, hypoallergenic, durable enough and easy to operate. It definitely needs an additional moisture-resistant coating, which is designed to extend the shelf life and simplify maintenance. Such a protective coating can serve as a wood varnish or oil paint.
- Chipboard or fiberboard. In its qualities, it is slightly inferior to wood, but it is also quite attractive and functional. Kitchen structures are reliable and easy to maintain.
- Glass. It is better to use hardened reinforced, then there will be no problems with open shelves and filling capacity. And of course pay attention to its thickness. Thin glass, less than 6-8 mm, is inappropriate and impractical, and also unsafe. It may crack. The glass shelf should not be hung in close proximity to the stove or oven.
- Stone. Quite bulky and massive material. Carefully hang the structures and pay close attention to the fasteners. It is more reasonable to mount on the load-bearing wall of the kitchen than on the piers and do not strive to raise such shelves to the ceiling, closer to the floor they will be the most place.
- Drywall. To create a stationary kitchen interior for a long time. Suitable for lovers of classics and conservatism. These are kitchens in the English colonial style. In order for the kitchen shelves to last for a long time, the coating must be moisture-resistant.
- Plastic. Lightweight, mobile material. It can imitate wood, stone, glass, and even mirror surfaces. You cannot hang shelves over the gas stove and near heating devices. Do not overload. Remember that cheap plastic easily changes its color, especially white becomes yellowish over time, which spoils the overall appearance of the entire kitchen interior. Ribbed plastic is easy to get dirty, but difficult to clean.
- Metal. Quite new and not universally appreciated material. Such open shelves can withstand significant loads, are not afraid of high temperatures or moisture, and are quite easy to care for. They are easily cleaned of grease and soot. Shelves do not require additional decoration and finishing. From individual open shelves, you can create interesting designs to create an exclusive kitchen interior.
- In the interior, it is allowed to use one material or a combination of two, at least three types. For example, the shelf itself can be made of wood or glass, and the fasteners can be made of metal. Glass kitchen shelves can be combined with metal or wooden ones. Stone shelves, as a rule, are used by themselves, and it is allowed to supplement them only with wood. Drywall is appropriate with plastic or glass. When selecting the material, it is necessary to take into account the general direction of the style of the kitchen set and the interior as a whole. A lot doesn’t always mean necessary. The kitchen should not be overloaded.
We make kitchen shelves ourselves
Open shelves for the kitchen can be purchased in the store, purchased using the Internet, or made with your own hands.
Open shelves in the kitchen made of wood with their own hands can make even a layman well, or made of plastic. To work, you must have the following materials and tools.
1. A tape measure, a piece of paper, a simple pencil, a ruler.
2. A hacksaw or a jigsaw, metal corners for fixing, a drill or a screwdriver, self-tapping screws or screws, sandpaper.
3. A stain (drying oil), a waterproof wood varnish, a brush or two.
Stages of work.
1. To begin with, it is necessary to decide in which place the kitchen will be placed on the shelf and their total number. The tape measure carefully measures the length of the intended product and the width. The dimensions are fixed on paper. Then they are marked directly on the board with a pencil, the excess is removed with a hacksaw (jigsaw). The place of the cut and the corners of the future shelf are carefully cleaned with sandpaper, they should be smooth, without roughness and burrs.
2. The shelf blank is covered with a stain when a dark-colored stick is needed, or with drying oil to preserve the natural color and pattern of the wood, in two layers. Allow to dry thoroughly. In the absence of staining, use a solution of medical iodine.
3. When the base coat dries, the work piece is covered with a wood varnish with a moisture-resistant effect, which is important. Kitchen furniture must be kept clean, and without the appropriate coating it will be difficult to do. Frequent wet cleaning can cause damage and shorten the shelf life if it is uncoated. The first layer of varnish after drying is treated with fine sandpaper and apply the second layer.
4. Step back from both edges of the structure by a couple of centimeters, mark the places for fixing the corners. Twist the metal corners. The shelf is ready. Use self-tapping screws and a drill to hang it on the wall at the chosen location. Check the strength of the fasteners and only then arrange the necessary items.
If desired, the outer edge of the shelf can be decorated or left clean. The decor is applied with oil paints or burned with a special burner.
It is advisable to abandon the three-dimensional decor. The settled fat on such a surface will be quite difficult to remove and the kitchen shelves eventually become sloppy. What will affect the appearance of the entire interior of the kitchen?