In a kitchen, shelves should be 18 to 24 inches above the counter, with 21 to 15 inches between shelves.
TLDR: There's really no “right” or “wrong” height at which you should hang your kitchen shelves. Honestly, as long as you like the look and you can reach your items, you're good to go! But the “standard” we'd recommend would be about 18 inches above your countertop surface and/or 54 inches from the floor.
Kitchen shelves are typically 11.25"-12” deep, this size is large enough to hold most dish ware and consistent with many upper cabinet depths. (See our overall shelving guide on where to find wood shelves).
Like artwork, floating shelves look best when they're eye level, about four to five feet from the floor. If you're hanging shelves above furniture, measure about ten inches from the top of the desk or couch. If placing shelving over a kitchen counter, they should be approximately 16 to 24 inches from the counter.
As a reference, standard shelf spacing is between 8 to 12 inches.
For an office or workspace with open shelves or uppers, 22 to 24 inches is standard for shelf placement above the top of the desk. This is high enough to clear most computer screens and even accommodate undercounter lights.
As far as shelf size, a depth of 10 or 12 inches fits most functions without concern of drooping in the middle, while length should be determined based on where you want to install yours.
Ensure shelves are properly sized to the brackets used — the front edges of shelves should not overhang the lips on the end of the bracket and the ends of shelves should not overhang end brackets by more than eight inches.
Aesthetics. Drink shelves are often an aesthetic focal point of a room. To increase their visual prominence, they should be placed just below eye level, 50 to 65 inches above the floor.
The open shelving kitchen trend has been around for a few years now, but real talk: it doesn't seem to be showing any signs of slowing down.
To get the right balance of style and substance be sure to mix both practical and decorative items. When considering what to put on open shelves in a kitchen, for example, mix up useful items such as serving bowls, mugs and recipe books with decorative items such as planters, artwork and a sculpted vase.
The standard depth of most shelves is 16 to 20 inches deep. The highest shelf should be shallower, like 12 inches deep, to make those items easier to access. If you find that stuff seems to get pushed to the back and forgotten about, you should consider even shallower shelves.
How deep should closet hanging space be? 'For reach-in closets, 26 inches is ideal for the closet depth and 12-14 inches deep shelving,' says Alice Arterberry. 'Walk-in closets' shelves should be 18-24 inches deep.
The basic rule of thumb for decorating and organizing bookshelves: one-third books, one-third accessories, and one-third empty space per shelf. If you're short on storage, fill the bottom shelf with identical boxes or baskets.
Centuries-old homes have open shelving incorporated into their kitchens for added style, ease, and function in kitchens all over the world. So there you have it, while there are many opinions about floating shelves, they aren't going anywhere! If you love the look, then do it!
The answer depends on what you need from your kitchen! If you need to hide messy clutter and plastic cups, then no, open shelving is not practical. But if you have a small space and nice looking dishes, then open shelving is very practical!
White oak is an extremely hard hardwood, which makes it perfect for furniture, flooring, cabinetry, and shelving. White Oak is also naturally resistant to the elements and decay which makes it an excellent choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor applications.
The most common size used in shelving is a 3/4 inch thickness. Cabinetry, furniture, and smaller decorative projects might generally use a combination of 1/2 and 3/4 and occasionally 1/4 inch.
Plywood for shelves should be 3/4 inch thick or thicker. Standard sheets of plywood come in 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch, 1/2-inch, 5/8-inch, and 3/4-inch thicknesses. Plywood panels over 3/4 inch in thickness are usually special order products.
First and foremost, the wood you use for making bookshelves will impact the design as well as the cost of your project. ¾-inch plywood is considered the industry standard, thanks to it being strong yet inexpensive—especially when compared with some solid woods.
For basic bookshelves, plan to set the standards 32 inches apart if the walls have studs spaced 16 inches apart. If your studs are spaced 24 inches apart, plan to attach a standard to each stud. Shelves should overhang the side brackets by no more than 6 inches.
Start with your largest objects, such as framed art, wood cutting boards, or tall vases, and spread them out across the shelves. Next, fill in the gaps with medium-sized pieces, taking care to space out items with similar colors, patterns, or shapes for a balanced look.
Open Shelving Makes Your Kitchen Feel Larger
On the one hand, floating shelves don't take up a lot of physical (and therefore visual) space, so in a small or dark kitchen, swapping even three feet of cabinets for shelving can make a kitchen feel larger and brighter.