The term ‘cubby’ traditionally refers to a boxed-off area of a shelf used by school children to store their belongings, for example, or used for sorting mail in post offices. Nowadays, cubbies have gone trendy; kitchen cubbies are basically small shelving units with or without the “box” effect. Like groovy open cupboards, they are display units that decorate your kitchen and show off your personal tastes while keeping essential kitchen items, as well as more personal treasures, in order. There are many ways to decorate your kitchen space, and cool use of open shelving just adds to the list.
Hunt for cubbies or shelving units at vintage fairs and markets. Recycled industrial shelving that’s been saved for posterity from old warehouses, mills or offices is ideal to reuse in your kitchen.
This elegant corner shelving unit displays fine china in a period Georgian home — way back in the 18th century, they were displaying crockery to great effect on small, neat shelves. We just took the idea and ran with it into the 21st century.
This Victorian butler’s pantry is a fine example of savvy — and attractive — kitchen storage. Mugs hang on hooks along the shelf and areas are cordoned off with baskets to store more stuff. Every inch of space is used to pretty — and practical — effect.
These modern-day kitchen cubbies just ping with color. Treasured knickknacks and glassware are displayed together with useful items and fun ornaments. It’s a kitchen setting that’s fit for a president!
This small standing shelving unit will fit into a narrow kitchen space, and it packs a pretty punch both display-wise and in the amount of kitchen gear it can pack away.
This wall-standing dish rack is effectively a series of tiny, narrow cubbies for hanging plates, and you can also stack up mugs, cups, etc. It’s a great and elegant way to get things out of the way and onto the wall.
Someone has ingeniously hammered a piece of timber onto a kitchen wall, then stacked it one shelf higher with bits of sawn-off wood balanced on each side. This provides a rustic, boho appeal — and gives you lots of extra storage space. The elongated “cubby” is a basic yet shabby chic kitchen storage solution.
You can use all areas of your kitchen to display and store your stuff. Whether free-standing, hung on walls or tucked away in well-organized cupboards, kitchen shelves and cubbies just got groovier.