What is this kitchen nook called & what can I do with it?!
Hi guys,
I've just moved into my new house & it's got this weird nook/display shelves in the kitchen & I have no idea what to do with it! I don't even know what to call them to look for ideas on the internet!
It's facing onto the lounge room, not the kitchen or dining, so it's impractical to put any glasses/dinnerwares up there & at 215mm height per shelf, they're awkwardly sized for most display ideas I've had! My first instinct was to put some sort of dangling plant up there, but given how many other plants I have in the house (& that this is the darkest corner of the kitchen/living/dining area, not helped by low shelf heights) I'm somewhat disinclined to do that... Also my devils ivy I have growing in a jar hardly fit in that tiny spot for height!!
Any renter-friendly ideas for how to style/make sense of it would be very much appreciated!!
To give some idea of the rest of my house style, here are a few pics of it right now...
not quite finished unpacking/decorating, but it's kinda Scandi style, lots of tones of grey, lots of texture, tan leather, light timber, pops of copper & brass, etc. Mostly very clean & new looking stuff with a few fun vintage styling items around...
(45) kommentarer
ethanwes
Forfatter6 år sidenSorry, seems the photos got a bit stretched.... you get the idea, though, I hope!
siriuskey
6 år sidenUgly, get rid of them if you can, very uncool for your house, they're up there with short lace/voile curtains, your other bits look great
ethanwes
Forfatter6 år siden@siriuskey sadly it's a rental, so can't get rid of it... thanks for the name, Scottevie - not found much still just yet, but hey... something's better than nothing!
siriuskey
6 år sidenSorry ethanwes I thought it was your rental property and you were getting it ready for new tenants. You could put some books on the shelves to make them look better. I would also try for some cheap blinds, your furniture is lovely
ethanwes
Forfatter6 år sidenYeah would have to be quite a small book & the angle/open on 2 adjacent sides makes it a bit hard to put them in there....
And I hate blinds with a passion - they look cheap & nasty. First thing I did when I moved in was take down the daggy vertical blinds & replace them with these sheer curtains! Other great thing about sheers is that I can leave the sheers closed when I'm at work & my houseplants can still get some sunlight!
Julie Herbert
6 år sidenOooh!! That brings back such happy memories of my nanna's kitchen , she had a shelf exactly like that at the end of her cupboards, she used it for her prized china pieces and her African violet, oh the good old days, you could put your special pieces there also.juliahocking
6 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}6 år sidenHi Ethanwes
I understand that it is a dark area, but there are plants that can survive such a situation. A baby Madonna lily, string of pearls, baby succulents - 2-3 of the same plants look good.
Include one or two of your favourite holiday trinkets, in your chosen colour, for styling. Lots of texture will detract from the offending shelves.
(Personally I can't see anything wrong with the shelves anyway!)
Enjoy.
siriuskey
6 år sidenHi there, You can put just about anything you would like on the shelves, you're creative show us what you can do. Re the curtains you could make then more up to date to suit your style by just hanging flat sheers with large hems, no gathering, how's that pink bathroom, cheers
ethanwes
Forfatter6 år sidenHaha cheers, Julie, sadly I don't really have any prized china to display... I suppose this is why it's become an outdated idea...
thanks Julia - I guess the problems with plants were kinda 3-fold: aside from the light, I already have so many of them indoors that it borders on excess & that anything that's small enough to fit in that tiny shelf you'd really only end up seeing the pot because it's above head height! Certainly with anything I currently have you don't see much plant if it fits....
I do, however have travel trinkets & might try getting some travel photos printed & popping those up in there....
haha cheers Siriuskey, pink bathroom is still as pink as ever! Only moved in 2 weeks ago, though, so admittedly my attention has so far been more directed to pretty much every other room of the house!
Ruth BT
6 år sidenIn regards to a plant, why not get a bonsai pit and plant into that? They are pretty low and even some nice moss would look good.myownstyle13
6 år sidenI had those shelves put in my NEW kitchen, because I like them! Doesn't look dated at all in my opinion. Gives it a homely feeling. I've put my funny mug collection on them...
oklouise
6 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}6 år sideni agree with "myownstyle13" we like the open corner shelves so much that we had the floor cabinet curved to match and the small shelves make a perfect place to display prized ceramics
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Wallpaper Brokers
6 år sidenI use mine to put my home Phone onto and quick to reach essentials such as pens & notebook & favorite cooking books or I pad or Tablet as an easy to reach safe place.
ethanwes thanked Wallpaper Brokersannb1997
6 år sidenI think those shelves always look good with some neat pottery or glass objects of art. Keep to miniumum though.
Cate M
6 år sidenLots of great suggestions already. I wld add two more possibilities. Artificial plant eg round bowl of cactus in pebbles (if the spot isnt conducive to live plants) , also some feng shui trinkets or aromatherapy reeds.taupo13
6 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}6 år siden
Hi, I have them too, although there are 2 instead of 3 display shelves. I could go for something with more height but just keeping it simple and minimalist, no clutter.cloudpants
6 år sidenGoin Berko, if you read Siriuskey's further comments, you will see that she apologised for having wires crossed, made positive comments about other items in the kitchen and then gave some advice. Didn't appear as if she offended ethanwes' (reading their response).ethanwes
Forfatter6 år sidenSome great pics & ideas, thanks guys! I don’t have a landline phone, prized ceramics or cookbooks, but notepad & pens is definitely a great idea! Seems that they always look better with a bit more height, which sadly mine doesn’t have (& along with the colour is probably what makes mine look so dated!)
I’ll see if I’m able to track down any nice vases or anything that will fit. I’ve also been thinking of getting an essential oil diffuser, in which case these shelves would be a great spot for that too...
Thanks again for all the ideas!
Goin Berko
6 år sidenCloudpants, if you condone a "Shoot first Apologize later" philosophy, fine. Doesn't takes away or diminish the first feelings of hurt, dismay or anger.
User
6 år sidenI would close it in, remove and repurpose into a wine rack so it is not open to this side. In my experience any open shelves or infant any wonderful blank surfaces are husband stuff dumping magnets :)
ethanwes
Forfatter6 år sidenHahaha Atmospheric Studio, sadly as I’m renting I can’t exactly close it in... plus it would actually be too small depth-wise for a wine rack - it only just fits a tissue box, as you can see...
Thankfully, though, as I’m a guy & not married, don’t have to worry about it being a dumping ground for my other half & don’t have kids ;) if anything, the counter below it is my dumping ground! Hahahaha
rwalton5
6 år sidenDisplay something that you love and that gives you pleasure. Don't have to fill every shelf/nook. And you might be allowed to paint or paper the interiors/walls of the nooks in a colour that you like for the backdrop to your special item(s).
rwalton5
6 år sidenYou could put a few smartly packaged food items there. Things that are OK with lowish light and exposure to air. Good looking bottles or tins.
Daniel Lindahl Architecture
6 år sidenThey look about right for glasses: champagne, wine, water, on the 3 levels. All within handy reach for serving pre-dinner drinks when the guests arrive.
Deb Xuereb
6 år sidenCareful using oil burners or candles as you may burn the underside of the shelf above. Speaking from experience here!ethanwes thanked Deb Xuerebsuancol
6 år sidenI love my corner open cupboard with plastic glasses on bottom and real glass glasses on top shelf. In easy reach, near fridge and above counter perfect drink station..
me me
6 år sidenSome of the items that you have on your open shelves would also look good there. Just try some out and see if you like the look. Then you could swap them around when you want a fresh look. And the cost is zero as you already own these items.Susan McMahon
6 år sidenI moved into a sixties house 18 months ago - there were four sets of shelves like this! Three in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. I ripped them all out, which was quite easy since they weren't part of the structure, but had been added sometime after the house was built. I don't have any particular dislike of them in the right setting, but they were wrong in my kitchen and bathroom. I agree with what most are saying here - just use them to display a few well-chosen and loved display items. You will eventually get used to living with them and they won't seem "weird" any more!
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6 år sidenI like the simplicity @taupo13 and that is most definitely the way to go, especially if you are wanting Scandi style which is uncluttered and clean @ethawnes
salajam
6 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}6 år sidenHi ethanwes, you could put your model Kombi on one of the shelves - be easier to see than down low where you have it now. Maybe a fruit bowl? A couple of your smaller photos that are getting lost when set against the larger ones?
Try searching on 'corner shelves'.
siriuskey
6 år sidenWow Berko, you are an angry ant with no obvious sense of humor. Very kind and thoughtful of you @cloudpants mush appreciated @ethanwes you know I have a warped sense of humor, someone that likes the Pink Panther would have. How's your lovely new home going, you must be very happy to have finally moved in cheers
Goin Berko
6 år sidenSidst ændret: {last_modified_time}6 år sidensiriuskey, saw no humor in your comment, interesting you focused on 'angry' rather than hurt or dismay, don't think people with a dilemma need advice that is flippant, self centered with a warped sense of mush humor and by the way, what's wrong with ethanwes's lace curtains.
siriuskey
6 år siden@Berko the angry was directed at you and your personal attack, you suggested the comment's hurt and dismay, re the lace curtains I really don't like them but that's just me, to each his own, your name suits you cheers
pascoeyvonne
6 år sidenI believe this section is for helping people with design dilemmas and all comments should be focused on the subject matter.
I don't see anything wrong with corner kitchen shelves. It's a great place to show off some of your collection of favourite items, eg unusual tea pots, or store cook books.
Goin Berko
6 år sidenethanwes, like salajam's idea of displaying your model Kombi, there are hundreds of metal cast models (easier to dust) of cars, boats and planes. I think your furniture and the end corner complement each other, there is a certain Bauhaus style to your furniture, have fun finding some knickknacks.
Goin Berko
6 år sidensiriuskey, yeah i got it ! see your happy to dish out criticism but can't any, oooh and name calling as well, nasty
sarah_eddy6
6 år sidenLet's keep it nice, I don't think EthanWes is as precious as you may think and it is a forum for personal opinions after all. I also thought the comeback was unnecessarily aggressive & unwarranted.
I would keep whatever you put there quite subtle and simple in colour so it doesn't draw the eye. You've got a nice retro/scandi feel from the look of it, see it as another way to carry this through?!
So some ideas:
- a small succulent in a low 1-2" pot, possibly including a trailing one such as Silver Falls (though don't let it get too out of hand!), will help make it look less compartmenty. Or even Ikea http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/40349079/
- a couple of neutral coloured cookbooks stacked horizontally.
- a nice low serving dish in a soft grey - but make it one you will actually use, not just for aesthetics! ; D I have a similar one to this https://www.countryroad.com.au/shop/home/kitchen-and-dining/serving/60209668/Tiro-Salad-Bowl.html https://www.countryroad.com.au/shop/home/kitchen-and-dining/serving/60203911-9084/Tapas-Salad-Bowl.html and use it a lot.
- or, if you like your tech, it could be a great place for a small wireless speaker. Expensive example, but something like the Bose Soundlink Mini
If you're looking for more ideas, 'open shelving' should provide lots though you are constrained with the very low height of the shelves.
ingyjay
6 år sidenI use mine for wine glasses on one shelf and champagne glasses on the other - it's the only thing that looked any good. You could put a collection of lowball glasses for everyday use on them if the wine glasses are too tall. I found grouping them in sets on each individual shelf looked the best :)
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scottevie