15 clever ideas for storage in a small kitchen: A dream pantry and neat open shelves!
How to fit all the essentials neatly and beautifully in a small kitchen? Check out these clever ideas to make use of every nook in your compact kitchen. Your morning coffee will be even more enjoyable when the kitchen is in order!
1. Simplicity works
This is one way of building your breakfast cabinet. In this 1960s summer cottage, renovated in a fresh Scandi style, the sliding door is suspended from a roller track reminiscent of the olden days. It hides all the breakfast essentials behind it. The light-colored cabinets create the illusion of a space larger than it actually is.
2. An easy jar hack
In a small space, it’s worth making use of vertical surfaces for storage, such as the side of your refrigerator. Get plenty of lidded metal containers with magnets on the bottom, or glue magnet buttons, which you can get at a craft-store, to the bottoms of old containers. This way, your spices, cocoa powder, nuts, gum, sprinkles, and vitamins are conveniently at hand. You can also have one container for matches if you can never seem to find them.
3. Like a pharmacy shelf
A 1920s log house kitchen is a perfect place for a vintage wooden cubby with handle-equipped glass drawers. This 1950s cubby was rescued from a friend’s renovation site. It’s a convenient storage for frequently used dry goods like rolled oats, flour, muesli, and cereal.
4. A dream pantry
Professional kitchens often feature a dedicated “dry” storage area, a great option for a home or cottage kitchen as well, if space allows. This shelving custom-made by a carpenter is backed by William Morris’s Blackthorn wallpaper. A set of matching glass jars completes the lovely setup.
5. Upcycled furniture
This fun kitchen shelf in an old log house is built from wooden wine boxes. Appropriately, it holds wine glasses and accessories displayed in an airy arrangement.
Open shelves are a handy solution for storing frequently used dishes—but they do require careful consideration and tidiness.
6. Café style
This sauna cottage was designed to evoke a relaxed beach house vibe. The resident created a café-style kitchen complete with a chalkboard wall. The uniform collection of glassware keeps the open shelves looking neat, and they pop nicely against the dark backdrop. LED lights are integrated in the undersides of the shelves.
7. Wallpaper brings everything together
The upper cabinets were removed to make the wallpaper of dreams, William Morris’s Pimpernel, stand out. The simple open shelves were cut from an old tabletop. The pretty background brings all the items together. The essential factor is having a modest amount of items that are visually appealing. A wooden tray and a hook rail are cute ways to display dishes and utensils.
8. A classic solution
Loose odds and ends are the bane of every household. In this 1970s log cabin where there’s just 25 square meters of space, items are stored in a convenient open shelf so you can immediately see where everything is. The shelving system can be adjusted as needed. Baskets, boxes, and closed cabinets conceal the most miscellaneous items. The log wall behind the shelving is a calming element.
9. Nothing unnecessary
At its best, open kitchen shelving can look like a work of art, with only a thoughtfully placed selection of dishes, cookbooks, and glass jars arranged in an airy, rhythmic way. This oak shelf unit is the Shelf Library from Frama.
In a small kitchen, be sure to make use of the walls for storage.
10. Bring on the nostalgia
Vintage coffee cups, colorful enamel mugs, and nostalgic tins are beautifully displayed on vintage open shelving, paired with a matching cabinet underneath. The dishes echo the wallpaper’s hues, so the overall look is harmonious instead of chaotic.
11. Tricks for clarity
The black shelves are visually tied together by the black square painted behind them, and the black utensils blend in perfectly. If you have small items on display, group them together on a nice tray, which also makes it easier to clean the countertop. The holder from Granit accommodates nine wine glasses.
12. Shelf as wide as the wall
In this 1700s house, respect for the old extends to even the smallest utensils. The electric stove is nearly unnoticeable in the kitchen decorated in an old-time style. An antique sideboard serves as the base cabinet. The kitchen was expanded into an unused bedroom, making room for a dining table while also increasing storage.
13. Some things hidden, some on display
This cozy cottage is decorated with the owner’s favorite colors, like pastels and turquoise. The painted back of the old display cabinet provides a striking backdrop for the rose-patterned dishware collection. Thanks to the glass doors, the collection is on show but protected from dust.
14. Behind a curtain
This wooden house from the 1930s was refreshed in a renovation and got kitchen cabinets in exactly the right style. There’s no need to hide the kitchen appliances when they blend seamlessly with the wall color. A gathered curtain in matching tones replaces some of the lower cabinet doors, softening the overall look.
15. It bears all things
This kitchen corner holds everything you might need. The large corner cabinet is original to the 1800s log house. It stores the porcelain dishes used every day.
