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    Floating Shelves Add Flexibility To Your Kitchen Design

    Floating Shelves with Spices between White Kitchen Cabinets | Canyon Creek Cabinet Company

    If you have pictures of your parents’ or grandparents’ homes from the 1940s, you might see open shelving above the sink, near the range, or by the small eating area common to many kitchens of the era. Go back to the 1840s and you will see free-standing work tables, hooks for cookware and yes, open shelves.

    As kitchens evolved, open shelves morphed from a purely functional necessity to a design statement. It’s no secret that everyone from design gurus to homeowners have strong opinions on the “yes” or “no” of open, or floating, shelves.

    Many people like the convenience of dishes and cookware immediately at hand, while others feel the kitchen looks bigger and more open without a long stretch of wall cabinets. On the “no” side is the perspective that items on open shelves are harder to keep clean, and can create clutter or the look of disorganization.

    A compromise that we see quite often is a single shelf or a couple of shorter shelves in one area of the kitchen, often defining a beverage area or the home for fresh herb pots near a window. When you do choose open shelving for your kitchen, there are a couple of things to consider.

    It’s good to consider how the shelves will be used and where they will be placed. TSS or a hard wood like Maple would be best on a shelf that will see constant use as they are less prone to scratching. If you need a pop of color, a brightly painted shelf with colorful accessories is a great choice. Consider a touch of nature with a fine wood finish in a beautifully painted kitchen, for example.

    Because shelves are open and items are unprotected, if you have cats that love to climb or a budding soccer star in the house, you might consider a different solution. In earthquake country, keep breakable keepsakes in cabinets and use shelves for easily replaceable (or unbreakable) options.

    At Canyon Creek Cabinet Company, we offer shelves in most wood species and materials. Our custom program allows you to modify the widths, depths and height in ¼” increments. Our standard program offers the flexibility to choose your width while still supplying a mounting bracket supporting 10 lbs /lineal foot. Make sure to visit our inspiration gallery and search “open” to see more great ideas.

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