Kitchen Remodel: Part 13 — Open Shelves
Instead of upper cabinets, I built two open shelves along the north wall of the kitchen. I used 1.5 inch thick bamboo plywood for the shelves. I wanted the shelves to float like two objects on the wall. I used hidden steel pins set into the studs of the wall to support the shelves.
Check out these strips to hold your SMD light strips in:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=231085296141&globalID=EBAY-AU
What bothers me when I see the height of the upper shelf is the fact that a big part of your LED system seems to be visible from a standard viewing angle. I don't think making it deeper would fix the problem, I would add a bamboo "strip" to hide it at the cost of making the shelves seem much bigger/larger as a downside. Those LED's never stick on their own, but the result is always worth it if you take the time to glue them correctly ! Excuse my technical English, it is not my first language.
+frank howarth My wife and I just binge-watched your entire kitchen remodel. We desperately need the next episode. Please hurry. Yours truly, Dustin & Cara.
Does anyone know what finish Frank used for these shelves? Thanks.
I love these videos. Thanks so much for sharing this process with us!!
I'm curious where you store staples like flour, oil, vinegar, canned goods, rice, cereal, etc. Traditionally those would go in cabinets hidden from they eye. The cabinets are gone and replaced by those floating shelves.
Mr. Howarth I was waiting for you to get the lights ON at the end of the video for a compltee view of the project, but everything was awesome, thanks for sharing!!!
Been following your remodel and was glad to see this portion. We're gonna try ripping out upper cabinets and doing open shelving in our kitchen soon. Really like the idea of not having visible brackets. Would you do the steel pins again if you could do it over again, or some other method for attaching the shelves?
Well done Frank.
Genius as usual.
Did you ever put any edge banding on the cabinets and/or shelfs?
I think a piece of milky plastic or glass panel on the bottom of the shelves would look nice, diffuse the lights a little and cover the wires and everything.
I love the kitchen remodeling and the whole series, but I feel that the open shelves take away a bit from the sophisticated look in that kitchen. If you're happy then that's great. Job well done, though!
I think you should have considered using recessed aluminium led profile. Those come with a nice plastic cover (frosted or clear).
The depth of the aluminium profile if chosen according to the distance between the LEDs to get a nice even "neon" look (especially when using a frosted cover)
Hey Frank, Hafele sells an LED channel with frosted plastic covers that would make the underside of the shelves look cleaner.
… pins are a good way to float a shelf. Where I have used them (going way back) the walls were generally granite. For the 'wiggle room' you mention I sank the pins tight into the shelf, drilled the wall holes about 2mm oversize and set the pins in car body filler — that worked just fine.
OH you added batteries to the clock in the shop around this time I assume; nice one!
your shop is amazing.
I'll be doing something similar over a small coffee bar and was curious about the way you powered the LEDs. Those are 12v strips right? Did you hide the power supply's and I missed it? Great job! Thanks!
if you 45 each side of the led track instead of just widen them it mite work out better cause the lite kinda fans out just a thought, love your video's my dad was good with wood he would hand make everything out of would he won lots of awards
try clear silicone for the list strips sticks to anything as long as you prep it
congratulations to the whole project — you like details — quite impressive….
Maybe some obscured glass over the LED lights to make a more finished look. Milk glass would defuse the light even more and you could put a wider piece.
A tip for finding studs, use a magnet to find the drywall screws.
Great job Frank! Wonderful shelves! We are renovating a small duplex, and I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what I was going to do with the old dark 1980s overhead cabinets. Your floating shelves are the solution! Beautiful!
Question — I love your editing and style in the video, what software did you use to edit the video, add the box diagrams and cup animation? I am looking to build an online presence through my channel, and your editing is fantastic!
Hi, Published back in 201, curious how well your awesome shelves are holding up. Thinking about doing something like this very soob. Thank you for sharing!
Troy
I thoroughly enjoy all your videos Frank. Regarding your issue with the LED strips, these may be a nice upgrade for you to run the strips through. Provides a really nice finished look and you won't be relying on the adhesive backing to hold the strips up anymore.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-strips-and-bars/klus-b1888_k7-micro-alu-series-surface-mount-black-anodized-aluminum-led-profile-housing/2039/2199/?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=base&utm_content=B1888_K7&utm_campaign=GoogleBaseChild&gclid=Cj0KEQiAhZPDBRCz642XqYOCpb8BEiQANUcwT8bvehVMaAV6-a0zHPFYhPUoZB9Dv1fOxO_w1n2uXm8aAvbr8P8HAQ
You should install some sort of plug or terminal on the shelves and then fill the routed channels with an opaque resin
You are the man Frank!!
I think I would've opted for the LEDs to be an uplight rather than a downlight but I love the kitchen, it looks amazing. You'vedonea fantastic job 🙂
Nice, but that steel, LOL is kind of industrial.
why no uppers
Hey two questions: where'd you buy the steel rod and theoretically could you use a wooden dowel for the same purpose?
love your videos they are incredible. your animation is genius. I really admire your patience.
love the bamboo material
my few LED cents
— glue on strips deteriorate over time, causing the strip to fall
— closing led strip without letting heat to escape causes LED to age prematurely
aluminum support with silicon strip works for me
Awesome work! What keeps the shelves from being able to be pulled off?
"Totally open", yes. Suggest you turn your cups and glasses upside down so that they don't collect dust. Building a cupboard would've solved that.
Nice video.