My Kitchen Makeover Featuring Live-Edge Floating Shelves

My Kitchen Makeover Featuring Live-Edge Floating Shelves

Update!

If you’re looking for a tutorial on how to install live-edge floating shelves, I put together a detailed one using the wood left over from these shelves: How to Hang Floating Solid Wood Shelves.

I also made a live-edge bench with another piece of the same wood!

A few days ago we finished a major part of our kitchen upgrade when we installed new open shelves to take the place of one of the cabinets. I was really nervous about putting up these shelves, because the floating shelf hardware required lots of exact measurements and drilling, and I was afraid I’d screw up and the shelves would be totally ruined forever. So after I employed my usual helpful tactic of procrastination, eventually we got down to the installation. It was tricky, and we had to solve some problems, but we made it through. And the result is totally worth it!  I really love our new shelves.

The transformation is much more dramatic with a little reminder of the ugliness before, though.
kitchen before
And this is what it looked like after we took down the upper cabinet and painted the other remaining cabinets.
kitchen makeover before
And finally, the after! It doesn’t even look like the same room.

Kitchen makeover featuring white cabinets, and open shelving with live-edge floating shelves. #kitchen #openshelves #DIY #openshelving

I changed my mind about the top plant. The red-leaved peperomia is much better than the green spikey guy I had up there at first.

Kitchen makeover featuring white cabinets, and open shelving with live-edge floating shelves. #kitchen #openshelves #DIY #openshelving

Kitchen makeover featuring white cabinets, and open shelving with live-edge floating shelves. #kitchen #openshelves #DIY #openshelving

 

The wood is live-edge alder that we picked out and had finished at Salvage Works (they were great to work with, and did a wonderful job). To hang these live-edge floating shelves we used these Dolle Strongfix floating shelf brackets. I used three per shelf, attached to studs in the wall, and they seem like they’ll be plenty sturdy. The tricky part was drilling the holes in the walls and the shelves. I had to buy a corded drill (this one by Ridgid), because my cordless one wasn’t up to the task. And even with the powerful drill (Steven compared me to Tim Taylor when I admired its power a little too much), I did make the motor smoke when I drilled too far into the wood without emptying out the wood shavings. We let the motor cool down overnight, got the drill bit unstuck by turning it by hand with pliers, and finished drilling the next morning.

Our kitchen remodel is this close to being done. We’ve painted the walls and cabinets, replaced the hardware, added open shelving, and refinished our floors. So why aren’t we finished? Well, because of a little detail I cropped out. The mouldings, or lack thereof.
Kitchen makeover featuring white cabinets, and floating shelves made from live-edge wood. #kitchen #openshelves #DIY #openshelving
Kitchen makeover featuring white cabinets, and open shelving with live-edge floating shelves. #kitchen #openshelves #DIY #openshelving
Kitchen makeover featuring white cabinets, and open shelving with live-edge floating shelves. #kitchen #openshelves #DIY #openshelving

Of course it’s taking way longer than I expected (#storyofmylife), but I’m excited that I’m so close to being finished!

Kitchen Makeover: White cabinets, and floating, live-edge wood shelves
Kitchen makeover featuring floating, live-edge wood shelves
Kitchen makeover featuring floating, live-edge wood shelves
Kitchen makeover featuring floating, live-edge wood shelves
Kitchen makeover featuring floating, live-edge wood shelves

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3 thoughts on “My Kitchen Makeover Featuring Live-Edge Floating Shelves

  1. Wow absolutely amazing transformation. You did a great job. Good luck with the baseboards.

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