Creating these window shelves for my plants has been one of my easiest and most affordable projects yet.

When I started planning my new kitchen, I knew one thing for sure: I didn’t want an all-white space. I chose white upper cabinets and warm wood cabinets on the bottom to add contrast and character. On paper, it felt like the perfect balance. Once the cabinets were installed, though, something felt off. The transition between the white uppers and wood lowers felt a little disconnected, and the space needed a way to visually tie the two together. That’s when I realized I needed to bring some of that wood tone upward. The solution? Simple wood shelving. Open shelves helped carry the warmth of the lower cabinets up toward the uppers, creating a more cohesive and intentional look. Even better, the shelves were incredibly budget-friendly. I found shelf hardware on Amazon for under $10, which allowed me to turn the space between my cabinets into functional, stylish wood shelving on a budget. The result completely transformed my kitchen and made the design feel balanced and finished. Scroll down to see the before and after.

Before

After

Once I got the hardware, I was lucky enough to find pre-cut wood stair risers from Lowes that fit the space perfectly (48”x7.5”) so all I had to do was use my drill to install these shelf pegs and place the wood shelves on top.