Old-house Kitchen Shelving

In the kitchen designed by Steve Marchetti, wooden shelves float against the white-tile wall—a modern, minimalist look that emphasizes the pottery collection. Open shelves have always made sense in the kitchen and pantry, keeping items visible and in reach. These are classic designs.

So Victorian: a fancy wood shelf is supported by chamfered braces; note the gallery around the perimeter.

Open shelves return at the corner and rest on triangular brackets in a preserved 1830s pantry.

In a Victorian Revival kitchen,
each ornamental pine shelf also has pegs on the backer board.

An original built-in hutch in the keeping room of a 1797 house in Maine now serves as the butler’s pantry. Open shelves are joined to decoratively cut end pieces, with a simple box cabinet below.

Stacked shelves on shaped wooden brackets are a staple. Rounded edges lend a finished look.

Architect Sandra Vitzthum found inspiration in a drawing by household-scientist Catherine Beecher.

Decorative iron brackets support a single wood shelf in a large Victorian kitchen.