You may already have plenty of storage space for dishes, pots, pans, cutlery, and most of your baking supplies and perishable food items, but what’s a kitchen without a few good cookbooks? Books are one of those things that just don’t exactly seem like they belong in regular kitchen cupboards or drawers. And if you have more than a few, that can quickly become a problem. Here are a few ideas that might inspire you to make a brand new space for your cookbook collection!

Floating Shelves

For just a small cookbook collection, you can consider adding a floating shelf somewhere around your cupboards. Look for unused space and see if there’s an area that could fit a small shelf. For example, this shelf from Beneath My Heart makes use of the small bit of space directly underneath one cupboard.

Here’s another great example from Eat Well 101 that adds three floating shelves as opposed to cupboards — great for storing the microwave, a few accessories, and of course your cookbooks!

On the other hand, you could take a different approach by making use of any space right above your sink — especially if there’s a window that doesn’t go all the way up to the ceiling! Check out this great tutorial from Sew Woodsy.

Another shelving example from Lindsay Stephenson puts one directly above the sink, but in a way that complements that half-sized cabinets above it and the full-sized ones on each size.

Creative Shelving Ideas

Who says you need actual shelves to make storage room for all your cookbooks? If you have a bit of wall space to work with, but not enough for real shelves, you still have a couple of alternative options to take advantage of. Check out these cool metal basket shelves from The Kitchn.

If you’re proud to show off your cookbook collection, you can put them on display using these fun bookstore-style shelves featured on Decorating Ideas 1.

No unused space for shelves? Did you forget to look up? As long as you don’t have cupboards that reach all the way up to your ceiling, chances are you could line the perimeter of your kitchen with a simple long shelf at the very top — like this example from Apartment Therapy.

Narrow but Functional

Take a look around your kitchen and make a note of any super narrow spaces between appliances or cabinets. It could be the perfect place for your new cookbook shelving space! Again featured on the Kitchn, this first example takes a small space between the refrigerator and cabinetry for three narrow shelves.

Alternatively, if you plan to renovate your kitchen, you could make sure your new narrow cookbook shelf is built right into the cabinetry, kind of like this example from The Vintique Object.

Built into the Counters

Speaking of kitchen renovating, you have to consider working a shelving area into your counters if possible! It’s perhaps one of the best ways to really maximize space. And the best part is that you don’t need huge counters to do it. This little shelving nook featured on BHG shows how you can get so much extra cookbook (and accessory) space just by turning the end of your counter into a storage area.

You can make them as tall or as small as you want. This example from Home Bunch demonstrates how you can mix and match your shelves for bigger books and smaller food items or accessories.

Have a look at this cool little wooden shelving unit from Contemporist that was built into a kitchen island, but looks as if you could pull it out and put it anywhere on its own!

If your kitchen island or counters include cupboards and drawers, and putting shelves in at the end (on the side) isn’t an option, then why not swap out a small space to make room for shelving? This elegant looking island featured on Home Bunch did just that.

If you have the space for it (and a lot of cookbooks), then you can create this incredible library-inspired shelving look by using one large side of your kitchen island. It’s amazing how this example from HGTV doubles as basically a full bookcase and an island!

An Alternative for the Built-in Counter Shelves

Not everyone has the budget, time, or necessity for a big kitchen renovation, but if you love that counter cookbook storage idea, you can still sort of recreate it! All you need is a small shelving unit that you can place against one side of your kitchen counter or island. This mini metal storage rack from the Kitchn is the perfect solution.