My kitchen in Brooklyn, New York, is actually an entryway. When the apartment was remodeled, the kitchen was obviously an afterthought; it’s smashed between the bathroom and the front door. Forget counter space! We don’t have any. What we do have with is 15 or so inches of backsplash height to work and a tight budget. That’s where Ikea’s Grundtal Series comes in handy.
Back in 2008 we wrote about Open Rail Storage Systems on Remodelista, and the budget system that continues to endure six years later is the Grundtal Series, which comes in a classic brushed stainless steel finish and includes everything from the rail-and-S-hook system to a hanging dish drainer and magnetic knife rack. Given its price (the most expensive component is $26.99), it is remarkably appealing. Here we’ve rounded up 10 kitchens that use the Grundtal series in creative ways; it looks so good, you wouldn’t guess it came from a big-box store.
![a grundtal kitchen rail connected together creates one long rail across this ma 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/stadshem-scandinavian-kitchen-remodelista-1-733x549.jpg)
![the portland, oregon, kitchen of john and jen vitale profiled on freunde v 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fields/Freunde-Von-Freunden-JohnJen-Vitale-remodelista-733x489.jpg)
![rails and s hooks are stocked with japanese brushes, sieves, and linens. styled 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fields/anzu-new-york-grill-net-with-handle-remodelista-3-733x733.jpg)
![making use of unused space, the architects installed a grundtal rail over the k 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fields/Bell-Street-Kitchen-by-Hearth-Studio-2-733x488.jpg)
![a single 3\1.5 inch rail is mounted onto the backsplash in a swedish kitchen fr 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fields/stadshem-kitchen-sweden-remodelista-733x549.jpg)
![a full grundtal setup at table on ten cafe consists of wall shelves, dish drain 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/table-on-ten-kitchen-shelving-733x933.jpg)
![a grundtal rail hangs on the underside of a shelf in a brooklyn kitchen from&#x 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fields/Trollhagenco-theschoolhouse-kitchen-remodel-Remodelista-1-733x977.jpg)
![a long grundtal rail and hanging grundtal shelf in a barcelona kitchen by 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/fields/Alemanys-5-by-Anna-Noguera-in-Spain-02-733x561.jpg)
![grundtal rails in two sizes in a compact kitchen by amin taha from steal t 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/amin-taha-spruce-apartment-london-kitchen-1-768x513.jpg)
For more Ikea-related stories, explore our past posts:
- Domestic Dispatches: What I Love (and Hate) About Ikea
- Ikea Upgrade: The Semi-Handmade Kitchen Remodel
- Superfront: An Instant Upgrade for Ikea Cabinets
- Steal This Look: Guest Cottage Kitchenette by Ikea
- Bemz: Instant Ikea Upgrade
- Trend Alert: 13 Kitchens with Utensil Rails
Finally, get more ideas on how to improve your kitchen storage and organization in our Remodeling 101 Guide: Kitchen Storage & Organization.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on September 17, 2014.
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation