The url is thenester.com, but the blog is called "Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Beautiful." Amen to that sentiment, and I apologize for the error!

Great kitchen. More than enjoying that, I really like the blog itself and the Lovely Limitations. Some creative ideas there. Thanks for sharing!

I like it!

I had seen that kitchen somewhere quite a while back. Great idea . I had to look at it more than once to realize exactly what they did. I agree with one of the comments that the brackets right by the stove are not attractive but that can be changed whenever. It is a brilliant solution.

Look at the cool ideas that she posted for " we all have branches". Great ideas. I wish I was that creative :( c

That's a great idea. I really like the look. They just chose bad brackets, but that's easily remedied. And it seems very practical--you can put mugs and other frequently-needed things, or decorative things, on the shelves and still have room for a mixer, coffee maker etc.

It would work especially well for tall people, but I like it even though tall I am not.

Here's another kitchen I have had bookmarked for awhile where they did the same thing as the Southern Living kitchen. I think it turned out great, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Another kitchen

I think Marcolo has been championing the idea of shelves under uppers for a while. However, I hadn't previously caught on that you could do it with the existing cabinets. (Not relevant in my case, as the cabinetry Had. To. Go.)

That's a great one, Corgimum. The bracketless shelves are much better.

I noticed the brackets, but was appreciating the idea, even if it isn't accomplished quite the way I'd do it. ;-)

I am just still amazed that this somewhat simple solution never occurred to me, and after all these years on the forum, I've never seen it done. I've often liked the idea of shelves under the cabinet, and had wondered if I should add some under mine, but didn't want to limit that space between counters and uppers... Clearly, the better idea is to add them at the right height and put the cabinets above. A great use of existing, healthy cabinets, the solution to the awkward space above, and also a solution for 9 ft ceilings, but not wanting 4 ft + tall cabinets or doors.

I've missed out on Marcolo's mention of such a design. And maybe I just needed to see it done for it to sink in.

Funny thing is, now that I think about it, there is very little of my kitchen in which this would work... For example, the open shelves would be great to have under my microwave, if it didn't put an already high placement up too high for me to reach!

It's interesting to see this post. We're going to be starting our build soon. The thought of open shelving intrigues me yet seems a bit impractical for our kitchen. But something in the back of my mind went back to that SL kitchen with the one shelf below the cabinets. We have 10' ceilings downstairs. So we could do stacked cabinets (the priciest option), leave the upper section open or push the cabinets up and do a shelf. It's very interesting and really gives the kitchen some character. My concern would be if it would push the cabinets up so far that there'd be too much unusable space. I mean, the upper, stacked cabinets are used mostly for stored items that are used very infrequently or for display items. But it's something to consider. Could this work for 10' ceilings?

I don't know why it wouldn't work for 10 ft ceilings, but maybe I don't understand why you're asking. The hard part about tall ceilings is what to do about the very top, and since this is at the bottom of the uppers, could work as well in any height room. I have 9 ft ceilings and my uppers go to 8 1/2 ft with trim planned for the last 6 inches. I find the top shelf to be pretty hard to reach, and can't imagine going any higher.

I wouldn't think open shelves too practical in our house either, but to have one feature shelf underneath with most of the storage being closed, I think it could be useful and fun.

This has been shown before several times. Within the past few days I recommended it on a thread. IT is great to have pix to illustrate the look. rarely save inspirations pix of things we are not using in our house. If we had done uppers, we would have done them this way...
I like the look as well as the function. It saves a lot of money vs doing stacked cabs. To me, it is a more open feel while still using uppers.

Rhome, I guess I'm asking because I really don't want to deal with an open area above cabinetry. So we,ve been thinking about doing stacked cabinets. But there is a budget to consider. That money could be used elsewhere in the house, you know? So this could be an option I guess? I just am thinking of those upper shelves in the regular cabinets. I suppose they'd be used for storage kind of like the top shelves of the cabinets in our previous kitchen with 8' high ceilings?

I've seen similar but generally with shelves without brackets or attached to the upper cabinet. We considered doing something like that on our baking wall but we were doing new cabinets and decided to have full depth storage. I still like the idea though.

Hey -- that's just what I suggested in the small Ikea Kitchen thread last night! It's great to see it realized. I like it better than I had feared. I think it would possibly be a good solution for that person -- I hope she sees this thread.

Babs, I guess the very top shelves would be instead of the stacked cabinet, and the next shelf just like the top shelf in the main (under stacked) cabinet? I'm not sure if that was clear at all! But I guess you just have to decide if this will make what you need to reach accessible in a way you want it to look. 10 ft is high and a challenge to design, and reach, no matter what you do...

Thanks for the input! And sorry to semi-hijack this thread! I'm glad to see this kitchen again. It certainly gave me something to ponder!

I didn't consider that a hijack at all, Babs. Very on-topic. ;-) I just wish I could've been more help with your question, because I didn't feel I had anything very helpful to offer.

You could start a thread of your own, though, if you want more input. More people will look and answer if it's a specifically titled post asking for help.

I'm planning this for my wretched reno. On the cleanup side of the kitchen, the open shelf is good for storing coffee cups and everyday dishes. On the prep side, it's good for putting mise bowls while prepping, or some well-used spices, etc, while keeping the prep surface clear.

By the by, Marcolo, how is that wretched reno going? How's your foot/leg? I rather miss your rants about contractors.

Didn't someone post this kitchen a while back because they actually knew the homeowner or were involved in the project somehow? I seem to recall a long thread on it, debating the usefulness of the higher cabinets for shorter folks:

I was thinking of doing this in one area of my kitchen - but I am concerned about the "reachability" of whats above it. Has anybody here already done it and have some words of wisdom to share?

No experience, but I think if you did what Marcolo was talking about, you'd just be replacing the things you'd keep handy on the bottom shelf of the cabinet on the shelves, and the cabinet would be in the same place, or possibly lower, depending on how you set it up, as the 2nd shelf in the cabinet. It's the same wall space, just some of it is without doors. I suppose it could become an issue if you used the open shelves more for display and the cabinet contents all went up a shelf that way. Like any choice in kitchen planning, it has pluses and minuses, and may not work for everyone.

It'd be a good reason to plan a spot in the kitchen to keep a step stool handy. A 6" blank spot that became a cabinet for a folding step stool was one of my favorite features in the remodel we did in our last house.

I still think this shelf-below-the-uppers thing is a particularly cool option for reusing those shorter, builder's grade cabinets and getting rid of the useless open space above them, and giving the kitchen a whole, new look.

I've seen that white picture before, Rhome, but good for you for highlighting this great option.

It's a terrific, and potentially very low cost way, to add individuality to an existing kitchen AND for anyone to get the look and function of open storage while still defeating dust. Not at all least, it also opens up the area right in front of the cook that much more, lessening the cabinets-in-face effect. In the right kitchen I'd definitely do it. Marcolo, looking forward to seeing yours eventually.

Read this post over the weekend, rhome, but it didn't really sink in until I was obsessing about kitchen layout at 4:30 am this morning :-)

It is a great idea. Didn't think I could use it. But now....sorry to hijack your post, but how do you think this would work in a butler's pantry? I need room for cookbook storage, have 8' high ceilings, so having upper glass cabinets with a shelf below for books would be functional. But looks-wise?

Thanks for sharing this idea!

JMcGowan...I love that idea! I really think it could be lovely. Functionality/losing storage would have been my main question, but it sounds like it would really work for you.

I like how books look, besides the ability to have them so handy. Mine are above my fridge and freezer, which is a great solution after I hadn't planned a space... But I'd sure rather they were more at eye level and reachable. I think books, cosmetically, add color and a warm, homeyness. They can be very tightly organized and neat, or a little haphazard and funky with some upright and others stacked horizontally, even with a few other objects mixed in....Both can be good looks. Having them a little bit out of the way in the butler's pantry sounds like an option I'd like better than having them in the main kitchen.