Kitchen Shelf Decorating Ideas

If you’re feeling a little lost about what to put on your open shelves to make them look their best, try a few of these simple kitchen shelf decorating ideas.

If you’ve been following along over the past few weeks, you know we’ve been talking a bit about shelf styling for open shelving, built-in bookshelves, and living room bookcase cabinets. We’ve gone over the basics of measuring shelves to determine where on a shelf styling needs to be placed and how much styling to add to a shelf based on its width. We’ve also talked about how to properly group items together on a shelf so they work well together and look like purposefully placed, stylish decor and not just clutter. Once you understand those wall shelf concepts, you might be ready to consider what exactly to place on your shelves, and you might be looking for specific ideas for what items to choose when you want to achieve a certain look in a specific room. Today, I thought it would be fun to share a few really simple ideas for shelf styling in the kitchen, using examples from past kitchens that we’ve styled and photographed. Hopefully, you’ll find a bit of inspiration for some easy, attainable kitchen shelf decorating ideas to create a cohesive, beautiful look for your own kitchen shelves.

The following basic concepts will work with large kitchens, or tiny, small-space shelves, as well as with decorating styles ranging from farmhouse or country-kitchen, to a more sleek minimalist look.

All photos and styling below are by Art & Spaces (us). Cabinet makers for each space are as listed below.

Add Height to Kitchen Shelving With Book Stacks

Stacks of two to three beautiful books help to make a collection of a few smaller objects feel cohesive, and they give single larger objects more visual weight. They’re also helpful for adding height and visually breaking up a long run of open shelving. Try placing two books under a small group of items in the same color, a single large bowl, or a decorative cake stand that you want to bring attention to.

Cabinetry and shelving by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.

Try a Pair of Canisters for Your Kitchen Shelving System

A matching pair of canisters, like the modern clear glass canisters seen here, bring an easy, uncluttered feel to any open kitchen shelf surface. Try using a pair of canisters on a shelf with other groupings of kitchen items that are more complex or visually bold to help balance out your overall composition.

Interior design by Erin VanderSluis Design. Cabinetry by Oak Barrel.

More modern kitchen makeover ideas: The Best Built-In Kitchen Storage Ideas for Custom Cabinets

A Pair of Planters Works Surprisingly Well

Another easy styling solution that you might not have considered is to find a pair of ceramic, terracotta, or metal planters or pots that you love and use them to fill a large section of your wall-mounted open shelves. Place a real or faux plant in one, or simply use them as objects to be displayed for their decorative beauty alone.

More room decorating ideas for your kitchen: Kitchen Countertop Decor Ideas for an Instant Upgrade

Use Favorite Cookbooks as Art

We often think of displaying cookbooks lined up on kitchen shelves or in stacks, as mentioned previously, but this is another clever way to display them. When you turn a favorite cookbook or design book so that it faces forward, you allow the front cover to be seen, and it almost looks like a piece of framed artwork. This works particularly well on shallow shelves or ledges or resting on the counter, leaning against the backsplash tiling below a set of open shelves.

Design and cabinetry by IDS CCC

Hang a Print on the Wall Behind

Hanging a print on the wall behind a section of open shelves, either below the shelves or within the decorating area of the shelf, can be an unexpected and striking accent. In the photo above, the print hung on the wall helps to add weight to the bottom of the shelf area and ground the whole display.

More kitchen design ideas for remodeling: The New White Kitchen – Fresh Ideas for Using Classic White Kitchen Cabinets

Display Beautiful Boards

If you have a collection of beautiful cutting boards and charcuterie boards that seldom get used, rather than hiding them away in a cupboard, take them out and use them prominently to decorate your shelves. Layering boards in contrasting colors and wood tones helps to make decorative pieces in a grouping pop and makes collections of everyday items like dishes and culinary tools seem more intentionally used as decorations.

Cabinetry by Oak Barrel Cabinetry.

Pitchers and Glassware are Beautiful and Logical

If you’re looking for the simplest, most straightforward idea for decorating kitchen shelves, displaying your beautiful glassware just makes sense. Not only does a collection of glassware have a quiet, restful decorative effect, it can also provide some much needed light and sparkle on a shelf with a lot of darker, heavier pieces like books, cookware, and large pottery mixing bowls. Try lining up a few matching wine glasses, or pair low glasses with a glass carafe or a pitcher.

Cabinetry and design by Heirlooms Cabinets.

Baskets and Woven Materials Add Texture

Adding storage baskets, wicker trays, bins, and pieces that combine seagrass or rattan with glass can bring a lot of warmth, character, and texture to your open shelves. A medium to large basket can act as a grouping on its own, and smaller woven pieces can be combined with other groupings. Keep in mind that you don’t need to fill every square inch of your shelves just because you have them, and often a little negative space can help bring a sense of balance and elegance.

Candlesticks Add Height and Drama

A beautiful pair of candlesticks is an easy-to-find accessory and creates an eye-catching shelf moment with little effort. Use a heavier pair on their own, or combine a daintier set with a favorite framed picture and a potted plant.