Books
11 Clever Ways to Store Your Many, Many Cookbooks
Because "stacks on the floor" isn't sustainable.
Here’s a cautionary tale: Until very recently, I used to keep my (ahem, not small) cookbook collection lined up between two baskets of produce. One fateful day, the weight of all those books pushed the basket off the shelf, sending onions rolling everywhere. I recovered my cookbooks, but the onions were goners.
Like any small apartment dweller in a bind, I turned to the only place I knew for new cookbook storage ideas: Pinterest. And, wow. People have thought of every way to stash their recipe collections. If you’re anything like me—save your onions while you still can!—you might want to borrow one of these 11 unique ideas, too:
For smaller subsets of cookbooks (like, just the cookie ones), you can keep them organized and available with the help of a stylish open-faced box or basket. This cute (and ideally, distressed!) vessel is the perfect size to line up a row of books, with sides that are short enough to show the titles—even a clementine box or similar upcycled item would work. Or, consider the same arrangement with a wire basket instead, if your home has more of an industrial aesthetic.
Make sure to bookmark this idea if you’re planning a kitchen renovation sometime in the future—it’s the perfect way to keep cookbooks accessible, but also out of the way. This kitchen island has two open shelves at its end where you can line up your favorite volumes—there’s room for smaller kitchen appliances, too. If the stone on your counter has enough overhang, you could even just install deep floating shelves below it.
If you have modular cabinets in your kitchen, you may have a few inches of “dead space” where the units don’t perfectly fit the wall. When this happens, most people just use a filler panel to cover the empty strip between the cabinets and the wall. But why do that when you could install cookbook cubbies in the spaces instead? This is truly a brilliant way to maximize storage in your kitchen.
A lot of cookbooks have beautiful cover art, which makes them lovely display pieces for your kitchen. Picture shelves are the perfect size to hold cookbooks flush (like these cute ones!). This arrangement of two rows of books is amazing, but you could customize your own display to fit your kitchen, whether it’s one long shelf or several small, staggered ones.
5. Hidden Drawer
If you have more cookbooks than you know what to do with, you might need to use this sneaky storage hack. This kitchen bench has a hidden drawer on the end—tiny house–style—making it a clever spot to stash those cookbooks you don’t use every day, but still want to have close by.
This is a fairly conventional storage method, but it’s still incredibly sweet. You can keep your cookbooks standing straight with the help of fun bookends that make a statement. This works especially well if you have open shelving in your kitchen, and the bright colors add a pop of interest to an otherwise neutral display.
First of all, can we take a moment to appreciate this impeccably organized pantry? Those glass jars are stunning! However, the crowning glory of this room has to be the rainbow of cookbooks on the upper shelf. Color-coordinating your collection is a great way to make it visually appealing without spending any extra money.
If you have an empty wall in your kitchen, consider, installing a counter-height bookcase and topping it with the same stone for a seamless look. This particular design even features little cubbies where you can stash awkward-shaped dishes that don’t fit in the cupboards.
If you’re short on space, this vertical solution might be the one for you. Here, a simple high shelf is used to create a small cookbook display—though we’d probably want to use bookends to ensure nothing comes tumbling down. You can even put a few hooks underneath it for hanging your prettiest aprons.
This sweet arrangement is actually sitting right on top of the fridge. Use a caddy to house cookbooks atop this often-underused space, and you can brighten up your kitchen by including a vase of flowers or other bright decoration up there, too. Just make sure you have a step stool on hand for when you need to get them down.
Think: plate rack, but for books. Help make the most of every inch of your kitchen with recessed racks in the short, exposed ends of the counters. Add a bar across each cubby to ensure your cookbooks don’t take a spill.
Written by: Camryn Rabideau
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27 Comments
I installed the entire thing with shelves and removed the hanging bars. Works like a charm except still not enough room to store everything. All of the walk in closets throughout the house have 12 ft ceilings, so my closet off of the master has shelves installed above the racks to house more. The only problem is needing a step ladder to access them.
Then we had a carpenter build floor to ceiling bookcases in 2 rooms on the 2nd floor (not all cookbooks).
Then, small bookcases in dining room and a small office near the kitchen and near the computer... And then, the floor, with a teapot as a bookend. With over 500 cookbooks, amost all loved, only a few had to hide in shelves in the garage.
We're at the age when we should be cutting back, but the urge to read and cook from more books is still strong.
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