STEWING ON SMALL KITCHENS AND OPEN SHELVES - THE PERFECT BLEND OF FORM AND FUNCTION!

Have a small kitchen that feels cramped and claustrophobic? An excellent recipe for an unappetizing cooking space. The fix...tear out those upper cabinets and make the room feel bigger by adding in open shelves instead! Here are three very small kitchens made bigger with good old fashioned wall mounted shelves.

Photo courtesy of Ann Sacks
One open stainless steel shelf above the stove is the perfect place to store dishes in this kitchen. Gorgeous Ann Sacks Capriccio handmade 3" x 6" ceramic field tiles in tasmania green make up the backsplash. Stainless countertops match the shelf. A black rustic very worn looking country table acts as a kitchen center island providing more working space and a bit of storage too. Interior design by Tom Lekometros. (above)

Photo by Reid Rolls

Clear glass open shelves replace the traditional use of upper cabinets in this small contemporary kitchen in a Memphis Tennessee loft apartment. Honey colored sleek cabinets, dark stained wood floors and stainless steel appliances (oven, microwave and dishwasher) find their color compliment in the multicolored marble backsplash. Interior design by Kelley Jones. (above)

Photo by Grey Crawford

In this home, an all white modern country style kitchen features wood bracket shelves hanging above grey countertops and white lower cabinets. These shelves hold a mixture of cooking items including spices, serving dishes and cookbooks; allowing easy access to cooking essentials it seems. Bright yellow chairs surround the kitchen table to make this small space as big and bright and cheery as it can be! (above)