Ikea insanity & kitchen shelves

We ventured out to the new (only) Ikea here in Colorado two weekends ago.  The parking was ridiculous.  The crowds were insane.  Quite honestly?  Once we were roaming the aisles, all the hype was baffling.  No need to squabble people, there are enough Ribba frames & slipcovered furniture for all you crazies. 

While I woudn't exactly outfit our entire house in the Ikea aesthetic (some of their stuff seems a bit college dorm-ish--even for a cheapo like myself), we were completely blown away by the abundance of storage solutions.  Hell, those Swedes seriously know how to make the best of small spaces.

We left with three stainless steel shelves (the EKBY MOSSBY in this size) & three sets of their corresponding brackets (the EKBY BJÄRNUM).  They're perfect for above our stove, where we just ripped out half a wall. 

Mr. FC was able to drill all the brackets directly into wall studs. These suckers aren't going anywhere & can hold a max of 22 lbs each. Very sturdy. The shelves themselves are wrapped in stainless steel-looking heavy duty "foil" whereas the brackets really are stainless steel (fyi, the screws are not included with the shelves).


(If you're heading to the grocery store, I'm low on flour & sugar.......)
One day I'll have my dream kitchen, but this is just fine for now.
Our kitchen is freakishly small but, believe it or not, very functional.
This new open shelving makes it even more efficient, so I couldn't be happier.

This is how it looked before..................
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My counters are really always this bare. Counter space is precious in here.
 
 

This surface is flagstone.
Not my first choice, but this is what happens when Freckles Chick compromises with her husband.
He's a geologist. He's partial to rustic surfaces.
Freak.

And a little trip down memory lane............................................
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All in all, we're loving this update to the ol' kitchen.
See more of how it's evolved here (including details on the backsplash, floor tiles, etc).



{ Pssst, have you entered the Shabby Apple dress giveaway yet? }