Kitchen Clutter Control! Help me find shelves for my counter.
June 29, 2011 3:05 PM   Subscribe

I want to mount narrow shelves at the back of my kitchen counters, along the top of the backsplash. I have not been able to find anything suitable to match the dark decor. I have black laminate counters with dark cherry-finish wood cabinets. All the hardware in our house is oil-rubbed bronze. See PHOTOS.

Ikea makes nice inexpensive shelves, but nothing to match my color scheme.
These glass shelves might work. Do they look too much like bathroom shelves? Is it safe to have tempered glass shelves at the kitchen counter?
I have thought about getting a contractor to make custom shelves, but that seems way too expensive.

Measurements: The wood backsplash is 4.25 high and 7/8" deep.

Specs:
- Need shelves wide enough to store 5" canisters and jars.
- Easy to clean
- Coordinated with my kitchen decor. Any metal needs to be bronze. (No silver, no shiny brass)
- Corner shelves could be freestanding, to hold larger items.
- Hoping to keep cost down. We intend to remodel kitchen in a couple years.
posted by valannc to Home & Garden (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Response by poster: I'm in the Seattle area. In case anyone can recommend a local solution.
posted by valannc at 3:05 PM on June 29, 2011


What about a wire rack that runs along the wall? If you can't find it in bronze, you can spray paint it brushed bronze.
posted by small_ruminant at 3:11 PM on June 29, 2011


Though Googling around suggests that bronze is a pretty normal finish for kitchen shelving.
posted by small_ruminant at 3:15 PM on June 29, 2011


I did this (we had the counter top guy make them out of the solid surface scraps that the counters are made of.) Plan ahead for how they shelf will fit around outlets. I checked to be sure the shelf fit under the outlet but forgot to think about how the actual plugs would fit in. Luckily, my little stereo's plug is happy plugged in upside down and the cordless phone could be moved. Learn from my mistakes! (If you can find a not too busy countertop guy, he might do it for cheap out of scraps. It was a very quick job.)
posted by artychoke at 3:44 PM on June 29, 2011


Best answer: Given that pallette of generally dark and weathered materials, what about sanded and then water-worn wood with a little bronze (to keep it from straying too much from your pallette) in the stain?

Make your shelves out of ~1"x~0.5" pieces of wood, ~0.5" apart, with cross supports ~8" apart. That way you can stack things on it (glasses) or place dishes on their end between the slats without them falling through.
posted by hanoixan at 3:46 PM on June 29, 2011


I have the black version of this hanging in my living room with an 8 x 30" shelf. They are both cheap and sturdy (I spend less than $20 on the two brackets + black shelf and supposedly it can bear 80 lbs). The bracket is about 4 inches tall and 4-5 inches wide. It might work for your kitchen.
posted by _cave at 5:33 PM on June 29, 2011


Best answer: Hobby Lobby has a store in Kenniwick, and they have a huge selection. The metal ones here might work.
posted by raisingsand at 7:43 PM on June 29, 2011


Could you buy some wood stain or even spray paint to get the Ikea stuff to be the color you want? There are lots of online tutorials showing how to refinish stuff using either one.
posted by anotherkate at 11:02 PM on June 29, 2011


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