Tip #5: Optimize ANY Kitchen Series

If you've missed them, check out my previous tips.

TIP #5:

If you have open space, you can add furniture and shelves to your kitchen (or dining room) to create more storage.

What you add doesn't need to be new, formal or matching.

Shelves with brackets are a great simple solution. I recommend solid wood or plywood (not particle board) because the shelves need to be strong enough to hold the weight of kitchen items and durable to getting wet. It is very important that supports for shelves are secured to the studs (not the drywall). Personally, I went to home depot and bought 10" wide planks. I had them cut to the length I needed right there.

Used pieces of furniture like shelving units, armoires, hutches, and dressers are a great idea because they are likely less expensive than buying new, and you are not contributing to creating more waste or using up natural resources. I’m a fan of the unique look that selectively chosen re-used furniture can offer to a kitchen. I recommend solid wood if possible.

Floating shelves are shelves that you can't see the bracket. This option is usually more expensive. Here are a few good sources:

Custom Floating Shelves

Ultra Shelf on Etsy

Cabinet Parts

Shelfology

Furniture Islands can be bought or made out of old furniture. They are great because you can take them with you or easily replace (remove) them. Don't get one with a veneer top. It should be solid wood, stone, metal or plastic laminate. It's recommended to have 42"-48" of empty space around your island anywhere that you're cooking/prepping. Walkways should be 36" of clear space. You can get away with smaller just know that it might feel tight. Here's a budget-friendly option.

If you buy or find raw materials or decide to refinish something, I recommend using a sealer by Monocoat. Monocoat is a non-toxic tinted oil that seeps into the wood and it is easy to apply yourself with just a rag! Trust me though, once it's on, it really seeps into the wood, so it doesn't come off. We sold it at the eco-friendly building store I worked at and it's fast becoming the new, well-deserved, trend in sealing. I've personally used it inside and outside at my house.

Note about open shelves:

There is a great debate going on in kitchen design right now. Open shelves have become very popular. Some people love open shelves and some hate them.

Pro's: (I'm a big fan of each of these features)

- Easy to access items

- Open feeling instead of cabinets everywhere

- You can add a plant on them

- You can see where things are

- Less expensive than cabinetry.

Con's:

- They are very popular right now so they could go out of fashion (if you care)

- You might need to dust them if your house gets a lot of dust

- If they are close to the stove, the shelves and the items on them will likely get oily

- Earthquakes can knock things off the shelves. This can be solved with a little lip. If a lip wouldn't work, your cabinet doors would probably be flying open at that point anyway.

- "My dishes aren't pretty or don't match". An easy fix to this issue is to buy all white dishes. You can do this at thrift stores pretty easily as they don't need to match at all, just buy only white.

- Some people think they look messy. This is a personal preference, so if this bothers you, don't add them to your kitchen.

If you've missed any of my tips, go to my blog to get up to date on the series. Please, as with any field, follow the advice of experts in the field, not bloggers trying to sell you things that you don't need.

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