
The Dream Kitchen: Open shelving – because we really need more storage (#ORC Week 4)
We’re into Week 4 of our 6 week kitchen makeover for the One Room Challenge. This week we’re adding some open shelving. Whenever anyone walks into our kitchen, the first comment we get is usually get is “Wow, that’s a lot of cabinets” and to be fair, they’re not wrong. We do have a lot of cabinets.
In fact, when our kitchen was originally delivered from IKEA, it came in 376 boxes. That isn’t an exaggeration.
So while the space is clearly not lacking for storage, what it does lack is any place for us to display anything – pretty dishes, wine glasses, etc. To rectify that, we built some open shelving boxes to mount below our cabinets.
The plan:

Kitchen Elevation showing open storage boxes
Similar to our media wall console, we built the boxes out of 3/4″ plywood that is laminated to give it an 1 1/2″ thickness and then finished the raw edges. The finished plywood edge will help give the boxes a bit of the industrial look we’re going for.
Kes also routed channels into the boxes which will be used to recess some LED strip lighting. This will allow us to backlight the inside of the boxes as well as provide some under-cabinet lighting for the space.

Routed channel in the open shelving box for recessed LED lighting
The boxes are assembled and ready to go. Now we just have to stain them & get them installed.
Before we go, lets check in with our overall to-do list for the kitchen.
The to-do list:
Source backsplash tile optionsResearch countertop optionsResearch sink optionsSource electrical workChoose countertopFinalize lighting choicesPaint window wall framesUpdate electrical for island pendantsWire island for outlets & bar fridgePurchase bar stoolsBuild& mount open shelving- Install under cabinet lighting
- Replace window/door trim
- Purchase bar fridge
- Purchase backsplash tile
- Install sink
- Have countertops cut & installed
- Install backsplash
- Install new faucet
- Install pendant lights
- Install wall sconces
- Style & accessorize
That’s it for this week! What do you think? Are you digging our open storage boxes or do they seem like overkill?
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