Installing Open Shelves Around the Hood
Now that the hood cover is built, it was time to install open shelves around it. We had originally considered building true floating shelves—there are lots of good tutorials out there—but after reviewing our inspiration photos we decided brackets would be a better fit for our space. There were two practical reasons: brackets felt safer for anchoring into tile and they offered a look we liked.
If you’re worried about dust and grease on open shelves, we researched that too. The consensus we found was that with a strong range hood and regularly used dishes on display, open shelves are manageable. Items that are rarely used tend to collect dust whether they’re in cabinets or on open shelves, so rotating and using pieces frequently helps keep them clean.
We liked the bracket option, and heard Home Depot had affordable choices, so I sent Sherry a photo of the styles I found and she picked the one she liked best. We landed on a simple, strong bracket design and bought a dozen of them along with 12″ framing lumber for the shelves. Several readers had mentioned that 12″ framing boards plus brackets worked well in their kitchens, and we’d previously used similar lumber successfully for other projects in the house.
One issue cropped up: our dinner plates are 12″ and the labeled 12″ framing lumber is actually closer to 11.25″ in depth, so plates would overhang. Rather than buying new dinnerware, we chose to add 1×2 trim to the exposed ends of the shelves. That would increase the usable depth slightly and hide the rough ends of the framing boards, giving a finished look.
Adding the trim solved the depth problem and provided a clean edge for paint to adhere to. We used wood glue and finish nails to attach the trim and later filled the thin seam between the trim and the shelf board with wood filler so the joint would disappear under primer and paint.
Our total materials cost for the shelving was roughly $116 for brackets, $15 for the main shelf boards, and $10 for the 1×2 trim pieces—about $141 altogether. That’s less than buying several upper cabinets and gave us the equivalent storage of roughly three cabinets. We felt comfortable spending a bit more on shelving because we had saved elsewhere on the kitchen project.
With materials ready, we measured and marked stud locations. We used a weighted thread hung from marks on the ceiling to locate studs, the same method we used previously when hanging the range hood. The studs lined up well for even bracket spacing, except for one end where the hood already occupied the stud. There we planned to use heavy-duty anchors set into the tile.
We cut the shelf boards to size, accounting for the 1×2 trim so the finished shelf lengths match across all shelves. Some shelves only needed trim on the front edge, while others required trim on exposed sides. Once trimmed and filled, the differences would be invisible under paint, and the final result would look consistent and intentional.
To help determine bracket placement we taped up 1×2 scrap pieces as temporary placeholders for the shelf tops. The brackets we chose have two metal hooks on the back, so I used a simple paper-template method to transfer hole locations to the tile without guessing. I taped a strip of paper to the bracket, punctured two holes at the hook positions, pressed the template to the tile and removed the bracket to mark the drill points.
Repeating that process for a dozen brackets was tedious, but it made drilling and anchoring much faster and more accurate. After installing the anchors and screws we test-hung one bracket to confirm the screw depth and the overall feel. Everything held securely, which was a relief.
Before hanging the finished shelves we decided to prime and paint them first to avoid taping off tile and risking paint on the grout. We used the same cabinet color for a cohesive look and plan to apply two coats of paint after priming. We’re also priming and painting the hood so everything will look crisp and coordinated when installed.
Once the paint has cured, installation will be quick: mount the brackets, set the shelves, and secure them to the brackets and wall where possible. We expect to share after photos soon. In the meantime, we’re glad we chose a practical bracket system, solved the depth issue with simple trim, and kept the finished look clean and intentional—ready to display the dishes we use every day.