DIY Open Kitchen Shelving With a Fluted Wood Design
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If you have the space, updating your kitchen with open shelving is a great way to blend functionality and style. Open shelving not only provides easy access to your everyday essentials but also creates an airy, spacious feel in your kitchen. I wanted to add my own spin on the open shelving trend by adding a fluted wood detail along the outside edges. I think this detail adds a touch of elegance and texture, making the shelves a standout feature in our kitchen. In this post, I’ll show you how I made my own DIY open kitchen shelving with a fluted wood design.
Here’s the corner of the kitchen we are working with…
Since we changed the layout of the kitchen, we ended up with a lot more wall space than was previously there. This provided a great opportunity to incorporate open shelving without losing a decent chunk of cabinet storage. My vision was to add two, wrap-around corner shelves in this area. I want the shelves to look continuous but building that was going to be tricky so I opted to build four separate shelves and add the fluted wood detail to make them look continuous. If you want to see more before, during and after pictures of the kitchen remodel check out my portfolio and browse the tabs!
Materials Used:
- 1/2 x 6 inch Oak Boards
- Wood Glue
- Nail Gun
- Brad nails
- Stain
- Top Coat
- Bamboo sticks
- Drill
- Ceramic Tile Drill Bit
Assembling the Floating Shelves
After measuring and cutting all of my pieces to size, I assembled the floating shelves using wood glue and brad nails.
Dry Fitting the Shelves
This corner of our kitchen is a little tricky because the walls aren’t square – shocker – and the backsplash goes all the way up to the ceiling. I had to do many dry fitting tests and sanding certain spots down to get all four shelves to fit together without and seams or gaps.
Staining the Shelves
I wanted a stain color to closely match the flooring. A medium, timeless brown color. I ended up going with General Finishes American Oak.
Installing the Shelves
Because I wasn’t thinking ahead, we installed the backsplash without noting where the studs in the walls were. These shelves are going to be attached to 2×4 wood brackets that are attached to the studs. So, I found a fancy stud finder that can detect studs through tile! I guess I’m not the only one who’s had this issue, haha. Although, it would be important to note ahead of time where there may be something other than a 2×4…like a drainage pipe… because it did not know the difference. Ask us how we know, lol.
When you are drilling through tile, it is important to use a drill bit that is made specifically for tile and go slowly in order to avoid cracking the tile.
Add the Fluting Detail
You can buy a roll of pole wrap, which would have been much faster. At the time, however, they were out of stock in my area and it would have been very expensive to ship from elsewhere so I was trying to come up with a more cost effective way to add fluting to these shelves. I ended up using bamboo sticks! As it turns out, you can’t really stain bamboo so I had to paint them with very watered down brown paint in order to achieve the same color as the stained shelves. And, they each took to the paint differently which added some dimension to the fluting and I kind of dig it!
Once I cut and painted them all, I adhered them to the fronts of the shelves using wood glue.
Creating DIY open kitchen shelving with a fluted wood design not only showcases your craftsmanship but also enhances the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. The combination of functionality and style is key, as these shelves not only hold your everyday items but also serve as a visual focal point. The fluted wood adds an elegant detail to this design, making it a unique and personalized addition to your space. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can achieve a similar look and enjoy the satisfaction of transforming your kitchen with a project that is both practical and pretty!
