19 Amazing Kitchen Shelf Decor Ideas That Look Absolutely Amazing

You have to see these amazing kitchen shelf decor ideas! They’re so beautiful and functional, you’ll want to use every single idea in your kitchen.

I love decorating kitchen shelves. It’s the perfect place to add a little personality to your space. And, it’s also the perfect place to add a little functional decor. You can do so much with kitchen shelves.

You can add storage with baskets and boxes, you can add a little green with plants, and you can add a little charm with a few decorative items. I’ve gathered a few of my favorite kitchen shelf decor ideas to help you get started with your own kitchen shelves.

1. Add a Vintage Touch with a Ladder Shelf

Ladder shelves are a great way to add dimension and visual interest to a space. They’re also super versatile and can be used in a variety of different ways.

In this kitchen, a ladder shelf leans against the wall and is used to display a collection of vintage kitchen items. The rest of the space is left fairly minimal, allowing the shelf to be the focus of the room.

2. Use a Floating Shelf for Extra Storage

If you’re low on cabinet space, a floating shelf is a great way to add some extra storage to your kitchen. These sleek shelves are installed directly into the wall, making it look like they’re floating.

You can use floating shelves to store plates, bowls, and other kitchen essentials that you want to keep within easy reach. This is also a great way to store items that you use frequently but don’t want to leave out on the counter.

3. Combine Open Shelves with Closed Cabinets

If you love the look of open shelving but don’t want to commit to it entirely, consider combining open shelves with closed cabinets.

This kitchen by Studio McGee features a mix of open shelves and glass-front cabinets to create a light and airy feel. The open shelves are styled with a few decorative objects, and the rest of the space is left empty to keep the look clean and uncluttered.

4. Display Your Favorite Dishes

If you have a collection of dishes you love, why not display them on your kitchen shelves? This is a great way to show off your favorite patterns and colors.

If you don’t have a collection of dishes yet, you can start building one by picking up a new dish every time you see one you love. Or you can look for a set of dishes that you love and use them to decorate your kitchen shelves.

You can also mix and match your dishes with other items like cutting boards or cookbooks to create a beautiful display.

5. Use a Single Shelf to Create a Breakfast Nook

If you have a small kitchen, you know how important it is to make the most of the space you have. That’s where a simple shelf can come in handy.

Here, a single shelf is used to create a small breakfast nook. The shelf is styled with all the essentials needed for a morning cup of coffee, and a small bistro table and chair are placed in front of it.

The result is a cozy little breakfast nook that takes up minimal space in the kitchen.

6. Create a Farmhouse-Inspired Look

If you love the look of a farmhouse kitchen, you might want to recreate that style on your kitchen shelves.

You can do this by adding a few farmhouse-inspired pieces, such as a rooster statue or a set of cow-printed bowls.

Here, the shelves are filled with white dishes, a few baskets, and a small plant. It’s the perfect balance of chic and cozy!

7. Use Open Shelves to Create a Coffee Bar

If you love coffee, then you know how important it is to have a designated space for your coffee maker, mugs, and all of the other necessities that come with a good cup of joe.

Open shelving is a great way to carve out a space for your coffee bar, and it also provides an opportunity to create a beautiful focal point in your kitchen.

Add some greenery, a few decorative objects, and a pretty set of mugs, and you’ll have a coffee bar that looks just as good as it tastes.

8. Install Shelves Inside the Cabinets

If you don’t want to see your shelves from the outside, opt for a built-in look by installing them inside your cabinets. This is a great way to take advantage of any unused space in your cabinets.

You can even add a sliding shelf to your existing cabinet shelves to make it easier to access items in the back.

9. Combine Shelves with a Chalkboard Wall

If you have a little bit of space on your kitchen wall, consider adding a chalkboard wall and some shelves.

This kitchen wall is a perfect example of how to mix and match different elements to create a cohesive look.

The three shelves are each styled with a mix of kitchen decor, while the chalkboard wall is used to write down recipes, grocery lists, and even to draw a little bit of art.

10. Use a Pegboard to Add More Storage

If you’re looking for a way to add more storage to your kitchen, a pegboard is a great option. You can hang shelves, hooks, and even baskets to create a custom storage solution that fits your needs.

Pegboards are also a great way to add visual interest to your kitchen walls. You can paint them any color you like, or even add wallpaper to create a fun, unexpected look.

11. Add a Pop of Color to Your Kitchen

If your kitchen is mostly white or neutral, you can use your open shelves to add a pop of color.

In this case, the shelves are filled with various shades of blue and green. But you could use whatever color you like!

12. Install Shelves on an Empty Wall

If you have an empty wall in your kitchen, consider adding shelves to fill the space. This is a great way to add extra storage and display your favorite kitchen items.

In this kitchen, the shelves are used to display a collection of vintage dishes and glassware. The shelves are also a great place to store everyday items, like plates and bowls, so they are easily accessible.

Pro Tip: If you plan to store dishes on open shelves, make sure they are dishwasher safe. This will make it easy to clean your dishes before using them.

13. Use Your Shelves to Store Your Recipe Books

One of the best ways to decorate your kitchen shelves is by using them to store your recipe books. Not only does this make the shelves look super cute, but it also makes it easy to grab your recipes when you need them.

You can even use a small bookend to help keep them organized and in place. This will make it easier to find the recipe you’re looking for, and it will also add a little extra style to your shelves.

14. Create a Rustic Look with Wooden Shelves

If your kitchen has a farmhouse or rustic look, you can easily add some open shelves to the space with the same style.

Wooden shelves are perfect for adding a rustic touch to the kitchen. You can make the shelves yourself or purchase them already made.

15. Add an Industrial Touch to Your Kitchen

If you love the industrial look, you can easily incorporate it into your kitchen shelf decor.

To add an industrial touch to your kitchen, simply hang a few metal shelves, then decorate them with your favorite kitchen items.

Here, a collection of white dishes, cutting boards, and canisters are used to decorate the shelves, which adds a pop of color to the space.

The industrial shelves are a great contrast to the white tile and wood cabinets, and they add a lot of visual interest to the room.

16. Use a Simple Shelf to Store Your Spices

Sometimes, the simplest shelves are the most effective. This floating shelf is the perfect size to store all of the spices you need to cook up a storm.

The black brackets add a subtle pop of color to the space and tie in with the black accents throughout the rest of the kitchen.

17. Combine Shelves with a Pot Rack

If you’re short on space, you can still incorporate open shelving into your kitchen.

Here, a pair of shelves is mounted to the wall, and a hanging pot rack is installed above it. This creates a functional storage area that also serves as a focal point.

18. Use Your Shelves to Display Your Plants

If you love to have plants in your kitchen, then why not use your shelves to display them? You can also use the shelves to add some color to your kitchen.

I love how the shelves have been styled with a mix of colorful dishes, plants, and kitchen canisters. It all looks so pretty together!

19. Create a Cozy Corner with Open Shelves

If you have a small, galley kitchen, you might not think you have space for open shelving. But, as this kitchen nook shows, you can easily make space for a few shelves.

By adding a small shelf above the stove and hanging a pot rack, this kitchen nook is full of storage and style. The shelves have a few small plants, mugs, and bowls, but the best part of this kitchen is the cozy little corner.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed these kitchen shelf decor ideas and found some inspiration for your kitchen.

Kitchen shelves are a great way to add character and charm to your kitchen.

If you are looking to add open shelving to your kitchen, there are many ways to do it!

You can build your own shelves, buy them, or use floating shelves.

For more shelf decorating ideas, check out our post on bathroom shelf ideas.

Do you have any kitchen shelf decorating ideas? We would love to hear from you.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Happy decorating!