A Clever Trick for Faking Built-in Kitchen Storage

published Sep 12, 2022
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When you’re working with a small or dated space, finding good-looking kitchen storage solutions might seem tricky, but trust me, you can do it. If you need more room for cookbooks or a few key serving or prep pieces, a narrow, shallow bookshelf may be the perfect solution. For others who want easier access to cooking items and dinnerware without spending any money, removing upper cabinet doors can be a great option. If you find yourself somewhere in the middle of those two solutions — looking for a stylish, functional, and budget-friendly option — then you might want to check out this unique idea for storing more in a cook space.

A paper artist living in a 600-square-foot apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Diego Martinez has been renting his current place for six years, and it serves as his home, studio, “chill space,” and home office all at once. Despite the size of his digs, Martinez knew he could turn it into a fully functional home, and that’s exactly what he did with s series of creative and intentional small space solutions. “I took my time to find each thing that is in my home — it is a continuous process,” Martinez says.

One space that needed extra thoughtful planning? His kitchen, which is one of the tiniest rooms in the house. With just floating shelves above a bank of lower cabinets, Martinez needed more space to store his plates, bowls, and knickknacks. That’s where a sleek three-tier storage rack comes in handy, and you’ll love where Martinez put it: right next to his kitchen peninsula, as shown above.

On a stretch of empty half-wall space by his kitchen peninsula, where many people choose to place stools, Martinez opted for storage instead. “My biggest challenge has been finding my own style and choosing the objects I really like,” he says. This shelf provides a great opportunity to display some of those items and keep cookware and other serving pieces at the ready. Sure, Martinez has to forgo seating in this spot, but it’s worth it for the storage. He also has a table right next to this spot for dining, so it’s a decision that doesn’t really impact his ability to entertain or host. Come to think of it, putting a shelf in this space mimics the effect custom kitchen islands often have, where built-in shelving provides the perfect spot for cookbooks and more.

The style of this particular rack is great for multiple reasons. For one, it’s made entirely of metal, so you don’t have to worry about the shelves being sturdy. The height of this rack is also pretty low, so it won’t take up too much wall space. Find a version like Martinez did — which matches his peninsula’s wall pretty closely — and not only will your rack recede into space and look visually light, but your cool objects will also take center stage. You can barely see the rack in this pulled-back view of Martinez’s home below.

So if you’re looking for a sleek, affordable way to display some things you don’t presently have the space for, you might consider one of these low-slung storage racks for your kitchen. Chances are you aren’t really using those stools you pulled up to your kitchen peninsula, and your smaller cook space might be better served with a storage rack in this spot instead.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: Here’s a Clever Solution for Faking Fancy, Built-in Storage in a Kitchen