The worst place to store wine is next to the ceiling. It is HOT up there!!! Maybe it looks good but not a smart idea.

Amen, CCP MBD. Also, oils, vinegars and spices stored above or immediately beside the stove is a questionable idea. I've read lots of times, even on this blog, that proximity to heat changes the flavors of all those items. At the risk of repeating the above observation: Cute, but not a smart idea.

I like the look of the cubbies but can't help thinking they must be impossible to clean. The shelf inside the cabinet door looks amazingly functional.

Not to mention that shelf on the stove for oils and spices. Way too hot for both of those. There are probably better things that could kept there or a better use of that space.

I was so excited to discover that my new apartment kitchen had a narrow cupboard that was perfect for holding baking sheets and racks. It's amazing how awkward they are to store otherwise.

agreed about putting items over the stove; it gets very greasy too. I have a tile on the wall over my stove and I'm constantly cleaning it.

Question - does anyone know where to get the 7-shelf unit on photo #10? It is hanging on the inside of a closet door. This would work very well in my kitchen and I'd love to find one.

Since warm air travels upward, having wine stored at ceiling height is the worst possible location. Heat is not a friend for long term wine storage. The space would be better used to store items like holiday dishes and seasonal items of china that are infrequently used.

They did the same thing in #9, with the wine over the fridge. Not only is it too hot up there because heat rises in the room, but also because of the heat coming from the fridge motor and condenser. Really bad idea.I like the books, though. Keeps my daughter from pulling them down.

Also, in #14, I assume that's dog food in one of the pails. That's also a really bad idea. Dog food is high in fat, and so it needs to be covered, not just for freshness, but to keep bugs out, and to keep the smell from permeating everything else under there.

The same heat comment applies to wine storage over a refrigerator- heat from the refrigerator will travel upward, not a great storage location for wine.

I keep seeing wine stored above the refrigerator and above cabinets. Absolutely the worst place ever for it. Warm temps and vibrations of fridge both are enemies of wine. Open cubbies also allow grease in cooking air to get on everything.

Wire shelf in a closet is not new. I'd like to see someone devise a way to use my hot water heater closet /pantry (not ideal b/c of heat but it's all I got!) space more efficiently. Loft kitchen means very little pantry space.

Overall, it's a decent roundup. IKEA Grundtal is indeed great, but #5 is IKEA's Bygel system.

@greathill I suggest following the link to the original tour. There is a lot of info as well as a link to the owner's blog.

I love how real most of these kitchens are -- how rare and welcome to see pans that actually look like they've been used, like in #8.

I agree with the worries about putting oils and herbs over the stove, but I think that might be a good solution while cooking. Except of course that if something catches fire on the stove (as happens occasionally), and the shelf is made of wood, that could lead to a disaster.

Hey everyone, It's my kitchen that has the wine cubbies at the ceiling and I'd like to put everyone's mind at ease: we don't store "good" bottles up there at all. Also, we've taken the temperature in the cubbies and it's never been more than a few degrees hotter than the ambient temperature in the room. So yes, it's probably not a great way to cellar your amazing 1994 Cabernet, but for your everyday $15 bottle, it's worked out perfectly!

If you're using the Ikea Island for prep/counter space, then wouldn't using it to store all your cookbooks not be the greatest storage solution, because you'd have to lug all the books and the bookends somewhere else whenever you needed to use the island? That seems more like a before than a great solution for finding storage space.I think you'd be better installing a floating shelf directly above the top surface when the island is stowed against the wall, thus achieving the look and preventing you from cluttering up the surface (because I don't know about anyone else, but an empty table top has a magnetic pull for clutter in my house) but not requiring book-schlepping.

@bonjourmiette--that immediately bugged me too! What wasted prep space.

No need to worry where wine is stored in my apartment - it doesn't hang around long enough to warrant a special place to store it!

Storing wine above the cabinets might make it harder for us to finish the case before the end of the week!