Kitchen corbels. You’ve probably seen them in those lovely huge traditional kitchens in the glossy magazines. But what exactly are they, and do you need some in your kitchen?

In this post, I’ll explain what a kitchen corbel is and what they are used for. As well as answer some commonly asked questions around the topic.

Let’s get into it!

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What Are Kitchen Corbels?

Kitchen corbels are a type of decorative bracket often found in traditional kitchen design. They are available in many shapes, sizes and materials and can be load-bearing or not, depending on the design and function.

The back of a corbel is designed to fit against a wall or cabinet, while the top is a rest for an object. Usually a countertop or other cabinetry. While similar to a standard L-bracket they are much more decorative and have a 3D structure to them.

The word ‘Corbel’ comes from the Latin corbellus or corvus, meaning ‘Raven’ which makes reference to its triangular beak-like appearance.

While there are many different styles of corbels, including more contemporary and less ornate looking, they a most commonly installed as part of a more traditionally styled kitchen.

Where Do You Put Kitchen Corbels?

Kitchen corbels can be placed in a number of locations as part of your kitchen design. This can be for decorative or supportive reasons. You will most commonly find them installed in the following locations:

Kitchen Islands – Corbels are usually located at the ends or back of a kitchen island where the countertop overhangs the edge to allow for seating. Corbels located here will often have some load-bearing capacity to support the countertop depending on the size of the overhang.

Cooker Hoods – Usually much more decorative and not load-bearing, you will often see corbels installed underneath canopy cooker hood cabinets. This helps to give a more traditional or substantial feel and weight to the cooker hood and can be a great way to create a striking focal point in the kitchen.

Wall Cabinets – Not as common these days, and usually reserved for very traditionally styled kitchens. You can install corbels on the underside of wall cabinets to give them a more decorative look. This can be at either end of a run of wall cabinets or, if the wall cabinet is on its own, on either side of a single cabinet. These are usually not load-bearing.

Shelves – Corbels can be used to support shelving when you want a more decorative finish than a simple L-bracket. They can be used to help tie the look of the cabinetry together, especially if you are using them in other locations within your kitchen.

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Are Corbels Load Bearing?

Kitchen corbels can be load-bearing, especially if they are installed to help support any countertop overhang or shelving. However, in most instances of modern kitchen design, corbels are simply a decorative element with little to no load-bearing capacity.

How Many Corbels Do I Need?

You don’t need to have any corbels in your kitchen. However, if you would like to add some corbels into your design then you would typically include them as pairs. Whether that is one pair on either side of your cooker hood or two pairs on either side at the ends of your kitchen island. The number of corbels needed will ultimately depend on the kitchen design and where you intend to have them.

What’s The Difference Between Brackets And Corbels?

Corbels are a type of bracket. However, they are usually much more ornate and in some instances are just decorative and not load-bearing. Corbels are also often made from and finished in the same material and colour as the rest of the kitchen cabinetry. Brackets on the other hand are usually much simpler in appearance and are designed to be load-bearing.

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Final Thoughts…

There you have it. Everything you need to know about kitchen corbels and whether you need them in your kitchen.

While not essential for any kitchen, corbels can be a nice touch if you want a more traditional look or want to create a more eye-catching and substantial looking focal point in your kitchen.

What do you think? Will you add some corbels to your next kitchen project?

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