DIY A Beautiful Kitchen Countertop Cabinet With Glass Doors For Ample Storage

Countertop cabinets are a wonderful solution to the problem of crowded kitchens, leveraging the empty vertical space above a countertop into pantry or dishware storage. When they're done right, they can be beautiful aesthetic additions as well. So if you're desperate to create some additional storage in your kitchen with a decorative flair, and you don't mind sacrificing a little counter space, get your tools out and build yourself a creative DIY pantry to expand your kitchen storage: a countertop cabinet.

Your design will likely be dictated in large part by the space you have available. You may want your cabinet to sit flush with your countertop, but if you have deep counters, perhaps leaving some counter space in front of the cabinet is the way forward. Be sure to consider any existing outlets that may be covered by your project and whether you need to cut a hole to preserve the power source and effectively utilize that space.

Additionally, before you begin constructing your cabinet, consider any modifications that will customize the utility. Perhaps you'd prefer a drawer in place of the lower shelf, or you'd rather skip the shelves at the bottom of your cabinet and allow that space to be used to store small appliances. Maybe you'd prefer sliding doors or a unique covering for the glass. Your creativity and needs are the only limits. Once you have your basic plan in mind, you can begin your design.

To build the cabinet, start by determining your dimensions. Standard cabinet depths are between 21 and 24 inches, and the depth of your countertop may help determine where you want to land in that range. Next, measure and cut your wood pieces for the top, back, sides, and shelves. Then use a shelf pin jig to create perfectly placed holes inside the cabinet sides to support the shelves and allow for adjusting the height as necessary. And of course, if you want to cut any holes for existing outlets, this is the time.

With all the pieces ready, connect the sides, back, and top of the cabinet with wood glue and screws. Locate the studs in the wall behind (and beside, if appropriate) the place where your cabinet will sit, and then position your cabinet on the counter and mount it to the studs. Sand and paint the cabinet and shelves, and set the shelves in place.

Create the glass doors by constructing a wood frame, and then use a router to create a groove on one side of the frame to hold the glass. Paint the door frames and add the hinges. Then, mount the glass using retainer clips, and finish the doors with a bead of clear silicone around the edge of the glass. Add any hardware and hang the doors. Of course, you could skip traditional glass-paneled cabinets and try trendy metal grates instead. Or give your glass kitchen cabinets a cozy modern upgrade with wallpaper. Whatever your design, you'll have a lovely addition to your kitchen.