I need ideas for tea/ware storage

[ABx]

So I moved recently, and the kitchen is smaller in the new apartment so I need to figure out something to keep my tea and teaware in/on. The good news is that there's plenty of space in the dining area for some additional furniture without making it cramped. The problem is that I have a lot of tea stuff.

At the last place I had 2 shelves of a kitchen cupboard, approx 30 inches wide, filled with tins. The tins were, however, stacked three high and deep, which wasn't very convenient for anything except what was at the front. I had also put up two shelves that were 36 inches wide and about 14-16 inches deep for my teaware. That was okay except for the location.

I don't care too much about the dimensions as long as I can get at the tea tins without much digging around and I can see about half of the teaware.

I've been thinking of some plain wood shelves, but my concern with that is getting something that will store the tea without having tins buried in the back while still being big enough to hold (and show off) my teaware. Decent looking shelves of this type can also be expensive, but I suspect that this is my best option.

The other things I've thought about are things like credenza or buffet (maybe with hutch), shallow shelves like the kind for CDs and DVDs, and a narrow table like a sofa table (obviously some of these would need to be combined). I just don't want something that's going to take over the dining area and/or get too expensive. Something with drawers for cups and accessories would be nice.

Aesthetically I prefer something more contemporary, plain, or Asian, and not "country kitchen."

The thing is that I don't know furniture very well, so I'm hoping that some of you have some clever ideas

[Trioxin]

I've found some nice reasonably priced shelving units on homedecoratorsoutlet.com. Additionally, I've ordered from them many times without a single problem. Merchandise usually arrives within 2 to three days.

[bi lew chun]

I like this thing.

Drawers for tea tins, two levels for teaware, the lower with good reach-in access, and a cabinet for larger/uglier stuff. Not cheap though.

Edit: I tried to find some kind of credenza/buffet with open, roll-out drawers like those usually installed in kitchen cabinetry, but didn't see anything. I'm guessing they don't exist because the shifting weight wouldn't be practical, but they maximize space something fierce.

[ABx]

I've found some nice reasonably priced shelving units on homedecoratorsoutlet.com. Additionally, I've ordered from them many times without a single problem. Merchandise usually arrives within 2 to three days.

Very cool, thanks! I see a couple things that I like, as well as some other stuff that I'm going to need for the new place as well. I really like THIS as well as the "lowboy" of the same design. I could see either working out, and the prices are great.

I like this thing.

Drawers for tea tins, two levels for teaware, the lower with good reach-in access, and a cabinet for larger/uglier stuff. Not cheap though. Sad

Well it is quite nice

I don't think that the drawers would fit my tea (all stacked together the tins take up a box that's nearly a cubic meter - and that's not counting the puerh, but that's already in the linen closet anyway), but the overall design is inspiring - I could see something with the same basic shape working well, and I think I might have seen something similar elsewhere and overlooked it. When you're looking through page after page of these things it can be easy to glaze over something, so just having this pointed out can help. I've also not heard/seen the term "sideboard" before, so that gives me something else to search for, too.

I've got a couple of places within about a mile of my new place that sell Asian/inspired furniture, so I might have to drop in on those places as well. I'm not confident that they'll have anything for my tea, but who knows

[hobbesoxon]

By God, your linen must smell good.

[Chip]

I don't know if you have a Just Cabinets near you, but we picked up 2 nice 6 shelf dvd/cd shelving units. They are not super deep which allows for a lot of creative and accessible display/functional space. This now makes 3 units. They have had them for a while, so not sure if they still are still in stock. They came in around 5 different styles/colors.

Downside or plus side depending on your point of view, no doors, etc, all open. But really works great for me and looks super.

[ABx]

By God, your linen must smell good.

I don't know if you have a Just Cabinets near you, but we picked up 2 nice 6 shelf dvd/cd shelving units. They are not super deep which allows for a lot of creative and accessible display/functional space. This now makes 3 units. They have had them for a while, so not sure if they still are still in stock. They came in around 5 different styles/colors.

Downside or plus side depending on your point of view, no doors, etc, all open. But really works great for me and looks super.

I was seriously considering that for the same reasons. Is it the same as justcabinets.com? Unfortunately I don't see much there except a small little cabinet with a glass door (I do actually like the idea of something that's open and accessible). If you're talking about what I'm thinking of, what you got is just like a regular basic bookcase but with shallow shelves, right? I've seen those on Amazon for around $30/ea, although I can't always find them. I worry about capacity and stability, but I suspect that my concerns are overblown. I might just have to see if I can find some locally so I can see them in person.

[Chip]

I would think it is the same as justcabinets.com. I will take a look.

This is pretty solid, they had at least 5 styles, some were very stable and some styles were not. I am very confident of this model, so much so, that after a month I thought, why not get another. It has a "solid base" versus the "legged" models which did not instill confidence. It is nice and wide, 24" in the shelf region X 49" tall. The shelves are 6ish inches deep. There are 5 shelves plus a large top.

This is what I went looking for several months ago and as soon as I saw it, I knew this was "it". Since we have deep windowsills, I put one there. The other is on top of a table that butts up against my "tea table."

These match nicely with a cd tower I got for tea/teaware several years ago.

[Chip]

Yeah, same place, but I do not see the shelving units. I imagine they change offerings pretty frequently. Come to think of it, they had to order the 2nd one for me because they were completely out at that location.

[snafu]

I often consider buying one of these:
http://www.greenteadesign.com/reproduct ... binet.html

Might not be the size/shape you're after or in your price range but worth checking out.

I've seen one at this company's showroom - they're solid, beautifully finished, use traditional japanese joinery, made of reclaimed gingko and elm (though not faux antiqued), and you can pick the stain, hardware, and even the door styles. Not cheap but not outrageous for artisan furniture - most comparable pieces I've found in local shops are 3x or 4x the price. Shipping adds a lot to the cost though.

They have other great pieces too, though more expensive. Check out their beautful Maru coffee and dining tables.

[bi lew chun]

Great china cabinet, snafu. I'm a big fan of mixed visibility in pieces like this.

[Intuit]

I did a quick google search and found dozens of them, in oak, dark woods, cherry, etc. Typical price was $40-60. These used to be a very common furniture item, sort of like buffet, except that they were multifunctional (could be used in living or dining or a study setting.

The one I used to have was an elongated semicircle (flat back to go against wall cherry unit. It had 3 (quarter round) shelves on each side, and the center had a top drawer over two large interior shelves with a door.

The term 'credenza' is somewhat vague - it can be a formal desk, a workstation with hutch, or something like this (a buffet-like storage cabinet):

http://www.amazon.com/Chelsea-Credenza- ... B001610P02

Take you time and look around in antique malls/shops. This is the time to find excellent bargains in antique furniture.

[Buzz Fledderjohn]

I often consider buying one of these:
http://www.greenteadesign.com/reproduct ... binet.html

I was just looking at those earlier this week. Nice to get a review from someone who has seen one firsthand.

[beecrofter]

Ikea Stockholm under kitchen /sideboards

comes in black or brown

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90138135

links sometimes work

[ABx]

Yeah, same place, but I do not see the shelving units. I imagine they change offerings pretty frequently. Come to think of it, they had to order the 2nd one for me because they were completely out at that location.

Of course they would be out Any chance you could post a pic of one of yours?

I often consider buying one of these:
http://www.greenteadesign.com/...binet.html

Yikes.. that would definitely be nice, but if I could afford that then I would have a lot more options available to me.

Take you time and look around in antique malls/shops. This is the time to find excellent bargains in antique furniture.

Hehe, I'm definitely in the right part of town for that now - I've probably got 20+ antique shops within bike riding distance of me now (and all in the same few blocks), including places with multiple dealers.

I do really like the idea of some of the buffet type credenzas, I just worry about capacity. Keep in mind that I could fill about 4 36" shelves and still feel that things are too cramped. I have a lot of tea; a lot of it is stuff like yancha and aged wulong that I wanted to be able to keep around for a few years.

Ikea Stockholm under kitchen /sideboards

Oooh, I really like the black one! I might have to look around a bit, but that's definitely a top contender. I could see getting that and then maybe a CD/DVD shelf (like Chip is talking about) for some of the teaware that doesn't fit in that.

Do you know how many shelves it has, or would Ikea sell extra shelves? (I've always avoided Ikea, so I don't know how they operate, though I do know that they sometimes have extra parts for stuff that you can buy separately.)