A corner kitchen cabinet is great to adjust your kitchen design to the space and to make it feel integrated. Even though most kitchens use them, corner kitchen layouts bring unique challenges.

How to make use of this dead corner and optimize the wasted space is something that many homeowners have to deal with. You can optimize this dead corner space with pull-out drawers or a lazy susan, yet there are many ways to maximize the functionality of your corner kitchen.

In the list below, you can find my favorite corner cabinet ideas that will help you decide on the planning of your next kitchen remodel. Even though it’s the more expensive option, it’s usually better to get help from a professional kitchen company to plan and install a corner cabinet layout.

Open shelving as the corner cabinet

In this kitchen with light oak kitchen cabinets, the corner kitchen cabinet is created by merging tall cupboards together with the lower cabinets in front of the window. It’s hard to say whether the underside of the open shelves is accessible for extra storage space, yet the layout looks very elegant.

The countertop continues into the open shelves and the illusion of a bigger kitchen is created by making the blind corner cabinet an open one.

via Nordiska Kök

A blind corner is accentuated by a lighter countertop and cabinet underside

The cabinetry in this beautiful red kitchen with a kitchen island is built in a corner layout. The corner of the room also contains a module that hides the pipes, meaning the blind corner created by the cabinets meeting can’t be used for storage.

The blind kitchen corner can be observed in both the bottom and upper cabinets, providing a lot of storage capacity. By picking out the countertops and the bottom cover of the upper cabinets in a lighter color, the corner kitchen cabinets get framed in a unique and stylish way.

via &Schufl

A white kitchen with corner cabinets and open shelving between two windows

The off-white kitchen cabinets fit the corner space in this beautiful kitchen with white walls and two windows perfectly, allowing for the upper part to be free of cabinets.

Photographed by Lisa Wikstrand, styled by Helen Sturesson and Johanna Wikstrand Moresco for Kulladal

Corner cabinet ideas with tall storage modules

In this kitchen with dark wood kitchen cabinets, the area above the blind corner cabinet is used for a glass cabinet combined with the extension of the countertop.

via Himlekök

In this kitchen with blue cabinets, the area in the blind corner is used for an open cabinet for the Kitchen Aid and cookbooks. The lower part contains a drawer that can be opened on top of the countertop.

via Himlekök

A corner kitchen cabinet underneath a niche cooking spot

The small countertop space in the corner of this kitchen is covered by the hood and upper cabinets, resulting in a cozy niche corner for cooking.

via &Schufl

Floating shelves follow the corner design of the kitchen

A beautiful floating shelf set follows the corner kitchen cabinets and draws attention to the corner space, while also allowing a spot for displaying ceramics.

via Nordiska Kök

A compact corner kitchen with wood shelves

The corner solution of this compact L-shaped kitchen allows access to all cabinets on the bottom, leaving the upper area free for a beautiful set of wood shelves with an integrated peg rail.

Photographed by Lisa Wikstrand, styled by Helen Sturesson for Kulladal

A minimal white kitchen with elegant corner kitchen cabinets

This minimal kitchen setup includes a beautiful corner cabinet which can be optimized by the use of a lazy susan. The elegant upper cabinetry is only used on one wall, resulting in a light kitchen style.

via Nordiska Kök

Optimized counter space on top of the corner cabinets

In this U-shaped dark green kitchen, the counters on the two corner cabinets are enhanced with shelves that almost don’t take away countertop space. The bottom cabinets pair up drawers with corner cabinets that could hold a lazy susan each to store lesser-used appliances.

Photographed by Erika Weiland/Apelöga, styled by Johanna Wikstrand Moresco for Kulladal

The illusion of a corner layout

By painting the walls in the same paint color as the tall cupboards, the illusion of a corner kitchen is created.

via Nordiska Kök

Open storage space in a blind corner cabinet

Rather than working with lazy susans or pull-out drawers, the blind corner cabinet in this kitchen is used for open shelving, which is an easy and effective solution to utilize as much space as possible for kitchen storage.

While you have to keep these open shelves clutter-free to maintain a minimal look, they also offer easy access to your pots and pans while cooking. The floating shelf on top of the tile backsplash is great for adding glasses.

Photographed by Adam Haglund, styled by Helen Sturesson for Kulladal

A corner kitchen cabinet with a window seat

The blue kitchen cabinets in this modern space are continued over into a window seat in a corner plan. even though you need to sacrifice storage space in one of the lower cabinets, the window seat has drawers as well to hide away clutter.

via &Schufl

A modern kitchen that makes use of window sill space

When you need to install a kitchen around a window, it always comes with a few challenges. The corner of this kitchen also includes the window frame, allowing the countertop to take over the window sill and thus creating more floor space in the kitchen plan.

via Nordiska Kök

A shaker kitchen with great use of storage in the blind corner

This shaker kitchen cabinetry takes organization to the next level and includes ample storage opportunity from floor to ceiling. The kitchen storage in the corner is filled with two cabinets (one of them is a great candidate for a lazy susan) on the bottom and a narrow cupboard on top which includes two small drawers and cabinets.

Photographed by Lisa Wikstrand, styled by Helen Sturesson for Kulladal

An outside corner cabinet to expand the kitchen into the living room

This galley kitchen is expanded into the living room by wrapping the open shelving and the countertop around the corner wall. This results in a small breakfast bar, combined with open shelving and it connects the kitchen with the other rooms of the interior.

via &Schufl

An empty upper area above the corner cabinets for a lighter look

In this minimal kitchen with push-to-open cabinets and a fresh white marble countertop, the upper cabinets are hung up above the stovetop but don’t continue all the way toward the corner.

Corner cabinets tend to make the kitchen look more crowded, so keeping the area above the corner cabinet free of upper cabinetry ensures a minimal and modern look.

via Nordiska Kök

A narrow pull-out drawer next to the kitchen sink

This beautiful shaker kitchen with sage green kitchen cabinets combines a corner cabinet with a lazy susan with a narrow pull-out drawer in the available space next to the kitchen sink to optimize otherwise wasted space.

Narrow pull-out drawers like this one are great for storing spices or cutting boards and they allow you to fill up gaps in your kitchen plan. In this example, it wouldn’t be aesthetically pleasing to place the farmhouse sink right next to the corner cabinet, so a narrow drawer offers a perfect yet functional gap filler in this case.

Photographed by Lisa Wikstrand, styled by Helen Sturesson for Kulladal

Two separate kitchen modules meet each other in a corner

Even though this spacious kitchen with green kitchen cabinets looks like it was made with a kitchen corner cabinet at first glance, it’s actually two entirely different kitchen modules placed together.

The blind corner is filled by a fake wall, which is covered with black marble that is also used on the backsplash. While this is an effective solution to plan out your kitchen cabinets, you would need to replace the corner storage space with a wall.

via &Schufl

A blind corner to expand countertop space in the kitchen

In this beautiful, minimal kitchen with white kitchen cabinets, an impressive marble countertop, and black hardware the corner layout seems to be purely aesthetic. Even though the kitchen corner isn’t optimized for storage, an additional countertop area is created, which is pretty useful as well.

via Nordiska Kök

A wider corner set up to allow for extra counter space

The corner area next to the window is expanded slightly before going over into tall cupboards that reach the doorway. This allows for more counterspace and it opens up the space next to the window visually. The open shelves that connect the wall with the tall cupboards are ideal for displaying pretty kitchen ceramics.

via Nordiska Kök

Open corner storage next to three glass cabinets with drawers

This impressive kitchen includes three tall glass cupboards with drawers at the bottom that go over into lower cabinets by the window. The countertop continues into the open shelving above the corner storage, which allows for easy access to most used ceramics and glasses.

via Nordiska Kök

Closed cabinets rest on top of lower kitchen corner cabinets

In this kitchen with grey kitchen cabinets the tall cupboards at the back wall are all used for closed storage, including the ones that sit on top of the blind corner on each side of this galley kitchen.

Most kitchen cabinet ideas on the list will keep the area on top of the kitchen corner open, yet in this example, cabinet doors are applied to the corner as well. Keep in mind that you would either have to keep the counter space clear so you are able to open those cabinets, or store unused or barely used kitchen items in those cabinets.

via Nordiska Kök

An open corner cabinet as part of a wall of tall cupboards

This kitchen with pink kitchen cabinets has an impressive wall of tall cupboards from which the lower cabinets containing the sink seem to be extruded.

Since the kitchen island provides the kitchen with ample countertop space, the entire wall can be used for storage and the bottom half of the blind corner can be closed off. The upper area contains closed shelving which would be perfect for placing a coffee corner for example.

via &Schufl

A corner kitchen cabinet with a lazy susan

This beautiful corner shaker kitchen with upper cabinets reaching the ceiling and corner cabinets on the bottom makes use of drawers on the one side and a cabinet door with a lazy susan behind it on the other side. Lazy susans are great to maximize storage space in a corner cabinet as they allow you to get access to the blind corner and use it for storage.

The sage-green cabinets paired with the same sage-green wall color work well for this corner layout.

Photographed by Lisa Wikstrand, styled by Helen Sturesson for Kulladal

A kitchen corner cabinet with a roller door

Rather than providing the corner cupboard with cabinet doors like the other ones, a roller door was applied to the top part of the corner cabinet. The stone countertop continues inside the cabinet turning it into an extension of the kitchen when it’s open and a closed corner storage when the roller is down.

The top area of the cupboard makes a perfect wine cabinet and the blind corner underneath is not used for storage.

via Himlekök

Open shelving fills a corner space next to the kitchen window

This kitchen combines lower sink cabinets in front of the large window, with tall cupboards on both sides. By adding open shelves to the corner space, the layout of the kitchen stays light and you create easy access to plates and glasses in this spot.

via Himlekök

Upper cabinets on each wall leaving the corner section open

via Nordiska Kök

A lower module comes out onto high cupboards

In this beautiful greige kitchen with beige walls, the wall opposite the windows is filled with high cupboards, creating a practical and space-saving corner layout with the lower module that contains the sink and stove.

Styled by Yngfalk interior, photographed by Mia Borgelin for Historiska Hem

Floating kitchen shelves are a great option to add additional storage space to your kitchen walls, without the layout and design of the kitchen feeling too heavy. Especially in small spaces, sometimes the combination of both upper cabinets and lower ones can be a bit too heavy for a room layout. However, by replacing some or all of the upper cabinetry with floating shelves, the look becomes light and airy.

Installing shelves can be a great way to add a spot for displaying a few pretty kitchen objects, depending on the weight capacity and shelf placement. The most important factor when styling your floating shelves is to work with different materials, sizes, and heights so you end up with an interesting look for your kitchen that looks balanced and not too crowded. Play around with it a little to find the right look for your kitchen space.

Floating kitchen shelves can be planned when you design your kitchen and most kitchen companies will have a few models in their catalog. However, you can use any floating shelves (just pay attention to a few factors like weight capacity, dimensions, and stain sensitivity) or even go the DIY route in your kitchen.

A combination of upper cabinetry with a floating shelf placement

If you want to achieve a lighter kitchen look, yet you do need upper cabinetry for storing away food or kitchen appliances, creating an upper layout that consists of a combination of cabinets and floating kitchen shelves might be just the right balance you are looking for.

In this beautiful kitchen, both the floating kitchen shelves and the upper cabinetry are white, resulting in a lighter effect that contrasts with the dark wood cabinets at the bottom of the kitchen. The floating shelf starts above the stone backsplash and the thickness of the shelf is the same as the thickness of the cabinet edge right next to it.

via Nordiska Kök

A minimal white kitchen with a full-length floating shelf

In the kitchen in my previous apartment, minimal white cabinetry paired up nicely with a white countertop, brass hardware, white walls, and a full-length white floating shelf with an integrated LED strip that functioned as overhead lighting.

I loved the floating shelf for styling and since the combination of lower cabinets and tall cupboards provided more than enough closed storage space, I could use the floating kitchen shelves solely for displaying pretty kitchen items, one of my prints, or even taller items like a vase with flowers.

White floating kitchen shelves with a classic look

This beautiful classy kitchen with blue cabinets is finished off with a white farmhouse sink, white countertops, and matching white floating shelves mounted on the wall above the sink which allows everything to be within reach while you cook or wash the dishes.

The white brackets of the open shelving enhance the amazing classy look of the kitchen and they are also used to mount the brass rail that spreads along the entire shelf length. The shelf itself is used for details, small artwork, and plants, which complement the elegant wall lamps that hang right above it.

The brass rail matches the brass of the faucets and kitchen hardware for a cohesive look.

via DeVol kitchens

Marble floating kitchen shelves in a corner layout

The floating kitchen shelves in this beautiful kitchen with sage green kitchen cabinets are constructed out of the same material as the backsplash. The installation of the shelves is done on two walls, resulting in a corner layout on the first shelf with the rail hanging below it.

The combination of the floating shelves with the rails creates a great kitchen section for keeping glasses, dry goods, and utensils. The top shelf is used for pretty accessories to decorate the space, while the bottom one is more functional.

via Kvänum

Floating kitchen shelves made out of the same marble as the backsplash

The different kitchen materials in this kitchen complement each other in such a perfect way. The impressive marble backsplash is also used as the material for the large floating kitchen shelves, which ties the look together and provides the kitchen with an ideal spot to display a selection of glasses and accessories.

The floating shelf fits the exact dimensions of the kitchen module, making it fit perfectly inside the niche space created by the two tall cupboards on each side.

This would be a great idea for a high-end bathroom as well, to make floating shelves out of the same material as the marble used for the shower wall.

via Nordiska Kök

A wood wall shelf in the same material as the kitchen cabinets

I think this is one of the best wood shelf ideas on the list, as the wood of the floating shelf matches the light oak wood of the kitchen cabinets in this small studio kitchen. The small open shelving has a standing edge on the back and on the sides and fits perfectly underneath the sloped A-line roof.

via Nordiska Kök

Floating kitchen shelves in front of a window

This is one of the more unique floating shelves on the list, as the floating shelf is mounted in front of a kitchen window, making it an ideal spot for plants as they get so much sunlight there. The floating shelf has a bar on the bottom for hanging kitchen utensils and a kitchen towel, which comes in handy right next to the kitchen sink.

Keep in mind that in Scandinavia (where this kitchen is located), often windows open towards the outside. If your windows open inwards like in most other European countries, this would only be an option if you don’t plan to open this window.

via Kvänum

Tin floating kitchen shelves next to the stove hood

The elaborate stove hood design in this kitchen is quite prominent with its intricate detailing on the bottom that would make it challenging to fit cabinets next to it on the wall. Floating kitchen shelves on each side of the hood add elegance to the setting and make the black material of the countertops come back against the white kitchen wall.

The combination of the olive green kitchen cabinets with the black in the kitchen shelves and countertops and the white walls make for a powerful and unique palette that is enhanced by the subtle brass hardware.

via DeVol kitchens

Walnut floating kitchen shelves in a corner kitchen layout

This beautiful kitchen with walnut cabinetry and grey marble countertops was kept empty on the top walls, with the exception of the beautiful walnut floating kitchen shelves that are mounted in a corner layout following the kitchen floor plan.

The bottom shelf stops right where the sink module starts, while the upper floating shelf stops right before that, resulting in an asymmetrical layout that adds an elegant playfulness to the setting. The combination of porcelain pieces on the shelves creates an elegant style that enhances the beautiful kitchen decor.

via Nordiska Kök

A white floating kitchen shelf right underneath the sloped ceiling

This beautiful sage green kitchen with a stainless steel countertop and a tall cupboard that fits right underneath the sloped roof has been fitted with a white floating shelf that spreads over the entire kitchen wall.

The white wall shelf blends in with the wall and is mounted in between the widow and the sloped ceiling, utilizing this otherwise lost wall space for a selection of bottles and decor items.

via Cupboard and Goods

A tin white floating shelf above the kitchen sink

A tin floating shelf spreads over the kitchen sink of this beautiful shaker kitchen with off-white kitchen cabinets. The height of the shelf has the same dimensions as the side panels of the kitchen design, which ties the room together.

via Nordiska Kök

Floating kitchen shelves wrapped around the tiled kitchen wall

The room design and kitchen layout are unique, to say the least. The kitchen wraps around a corned layout in the floor plan and combines grey and walnut cabinet fronts with vertical subway tiles on the wall. The real focal point in the room design however, are the tin black floating kitchen shelves that follow the angles of the wall and provide a place for hanging utensils or displaying ceramics, a cutting board, artwork, and a pretty salt and pepper grinder set.

via Marbodal

Tin floating kitchen shelves for aesthetic purposes enhance a room design

A simple and elegant walnut wall shelf fills the soft beige wall above the walnut kitchen module. The lines of the frame in between the kitchen doors have the same thickness as the wall shelf, which makes the design very elegant and streamlined. Even though the weight capacity of these types of tin floating kitchen shelves is on the lower end, they are great for adding a few accessories to the room design.

via Nordiska Kök

Tin blue floating kitchen shelves contrast against a white tile wall

The material of the kitchen itself is brought back on top with tin blue floating kitchen shelves spreading over the entire kitchen worktop. Two black wall lamps are mounted above the wall shelves, while the white tiles on the wall provide the room with the perfect backsplash for the dark blue and black accents on the shelf and lamps.

via Ballingslöv

A tin floating shelf enhances this minimal shaker kitchen look

Tin floating kitchen shelves are great for filling an empty wall above the kitchen counter and they can be fitted with overhead LED lighting that can be hidden inside the floating shelves for a subtle effect. In this beautiful yet minimal shaker kitchen, the floating shelf is the perfect spot for a plant right next to the window, enhancing the otherwise minimal kitchen design with a few carefully selected accessories.

Open shelves are great to style and re-style time and time again to change the look and overall appearance of your room. Changing out the accessories and varying the color palette by making small changes on your wall shelves is one of the easiest ways to update your kitchen look.

via Nordiska Kök

Marble floating kitchen shelves fill the area underneath the sloped ceiling

This beautiful attic kitchen with white doors and grey marble countertops is fitted with a marble wall and two floating kitchen shelves that are made to fit the area underneath the sloped ceiling. The corners of the shelf are cut to fit the angle of the ceiling for an exact fit that needs to be done by a professional.

These floating kitchen shelves provide an ideal spot for wine glasses and a few beautiful ceramic pieces that fit the color palette of the kitchen.

via Nordiska Kök

Wall-to-wall floating kitchen shelves with closed storage on top

The upper area of this beautiful kitchen with black cabinets consists of wall-to-wall floating kitchen shelves on top of which the closed storage is mounted for an elegant effect. While the shelves are hung up to the closed storage above the sink, the other side is fitted with extra brackets to attach everything firmly to the wall.

The open shelves prove to be very helpful above a sink or stove to keep things within easy reach.

via Ballingslöv

Stone floating kitchen shelves installed with stone brackets

The beige natural stone that is used for the countertops and the backsplash in this beautiful kitchen is also used for the gorgeous floating kitchen shelves that are fitted with brackets made out of the same material for a luxurious effect in the kitchen design.

The combination of the black tones in the ceramics and the art print add a beautiful contrast to the otherwise natural color palette of this setting.

via Nordiska Kök

Walnut floating kitchen shelves connect two tall cupboards together

The niche space in between the two tall cupboards on each side is fitted with an impressive green marble backsplash that fills the entire wall above the kitchen sink. The floating kitchen shelves above the sink are made out of the same material as the rest of the kitchen cabinetry and provide the kitchen with a unique place to display elegant kitchen accessories against the beautiful backdrop of green marble.

via Nordiska Kök

A marble floating kitchen shelf attached with brass brackets

In this beautiful shaker kitchen with marble countertops and brass hardware, a floating shelf made out of the same material as the countertops is mounted between the two taller cupboards on each side.

The brass brackets match the brass material in the hardware, faucets, and elegant wall lamps for a cohesive look that ties this classic kitchen design together in an elegant way.

When placing floating kitchen shelves above a stove, like in this example, pay attention to the depth of the shelf design and make sure to keep enough distance.

via DeVol kitchens