How to save money, create great visual impact, and get efficient kitchen storage at the same time!
Kitchen Cabinets and Shelves Mix Great
One of the hottest new trends in kitchen design is the use of open shelves in-place of traditional upper cabinets. As usual, the use of the word “new” isn’t entirely accurate. Open shelves in kitchens have been around forever. Pretty much because they rock.
10 Easy DIY Shelves {plans and tutorials}
Open Shelves Look Fantastic
When considering open shelves for your kitchen storage, we should dispense with trying to start off with practical reasons. The number one reason to use open shelves in kitchen design is because it looks absolutely amazing!
The availablity of great looking stuff to put on those shelves is a big help. Colorful bowls and pretty dishes combine with ultra sharp looking mixing bowls, giant spoons, and shiny small appliances to make the whole thing look like a resort kitchen.
Oh, and I almost forgot, the whole kitchen looks about twice the size and about ten times as bright and airy. I’m just sayin.
Open Shelves Are Efficient Storage
Let’s face the facts. Upper cabinet storage has never been ideal. First of all, it’s not easy to reach way up there. Shelves don’t fix that, but what they do fix is that you can see what in the world you’re trying to reach. The framework around cabinets makes the storage area darker and it invites the storage technique known as “jamming”.
Open shelves may not be able to be crammed full, but you still have base cabinets for that! They end-up being efficient storage that you can access much easier, and don’t get all cluttered up with jamming.
Open Shelves Are Cheap
I probably should say “dirt cheap” because in reality, compared to cabinetry, there is almost no comparison. I’ll throw a contractor number out there off the top of my head. A six foot long run of upper cabinets in a nice kitchen might run about $1,000.00 with the range being from half that to double that or more.
A 6′ run of open shelving, even nicely done with quality materials, shouldn’t run you more than $500 or so and I’m being conservative. If you do it yourself, you’re looking at $50.00 in materials!
The bottom line is we’re talking cheap, cheap, cheap, compared to regular cabinets.
Is Open Shelving for You?
The biggest concern I’ve heard has been dust and dirt on the dishes. Is that something that worries you? Do these great benefits outweight that concern?
I think when we get around to our kitchen, at least part of the design will include shelving for storage.
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I do love the look and open feel, but I think my dishes would get dusty?
I’ve heard that concern before. I would love to know what everyone else thinks about the open shelves. Especially anyone who has them? Is the dust a big deal?
It might depend on the overall dust level in the house, too. Like do you keep the windows open much? Dogs? Etc.
I have loved the idea of open shelves for a long time but never incorperated it into any of our kitchens because of the dust issue and the idea of it ever looking cluttered. (I have 5 kids so clutter is a mainstay!) However, 2 months ago, we moved into our unfinished cottage and as a “get us by” fix, until we have permenant cabinets, hubs put up shelves for me. The only dishes that have dust (lots of dust!) are the ones that are not consistantly used, as in at least once a week. So, when we get to building our cabinets, we plan to incorperate some open shelves for everyday dishes and because they’re all matching in color, I don’t see clutter being an issue either. Another thing to consider is where you place the open shelves. If they’re near the stove and aren’t being used regularly, they will be coated in grease as well as dust. (Unless, of coarse, you don’t cook on the stove!)
Great post! I LOVE that last kitchen!
.-= Cottage Dreamers´s last blog ..Now that’s a crate idea! =-.
Okay! Cool! Thanks for the feedback on that. I wondered how long it took for dust to accumulate. We use all of our dishes it seems like every day. Working from home and homeschooling, we cook and eat three meals a day here most days. Good thought about the stove too! Anybody else?
Very pretty! There is no renovation happening in my kitchen anytime soon, but open shelves would look great above the fridge (or if I don’t get a skinny hutch to hold the microwave) since we have 9 1/2 foot ceilings! And I’m sure I could find a few things that could sit “out” and look good.
.-= Abbie´s last blog ..I’ve got sunshine … =-.
I am not a fan of open shelving. But, the images are very pretty. We are stay at homer’s, home schoolers, too so we use everything in our house. Open shelving just gets cluttery, at least for us. Great post!
.-= redbpower´s last blog ..Money =-.
So it sounds like the issues are 1) dust and 2) clutter if you want to store more than just dishes.
But it seems to me like the open feel it gives the kitchen is worth SOOO much in terms of spaciousness. I really like a bright kitchen myself and that could have to do with our locale. Some of the nicest kitchens I’ve built professionally were dark with big and beautiful upper cabinets. And those owners packed them full too!
Open shelving works! I’ve had my baker’s rack FULL of dishes, glasses, cups, wine glasses, napkins, placemats ALL in the open for 20 years! Yes, I use these items “almost” every day and even though we live in a log cabin and there is dust…this has NEVER been a problem (I’m also a neatnik…) Now, above a stove..I keep aqua mason jars full of “stuff” and a quick spritz cleans that when I’m wiping the stove. Works for me! Cheers!
You live in a LOG CABIN! How cool is that!?
I’m glad to hear your report that it can work because I love the look! Thanks.
Yup, we have open shelves and love them. But dishes DO GET DUSTY. I only did two sections because I don’t think it’s practical to have all the uppers open. But it’s classy and fun – esp. if you have nice dishes to display. Fun post!
I love it. Here is how I handle it:
How To Have Open Shelving In Your Kitchen Without Daily Staging
I have more posts with my open shelving but I’m too lazy to find them.
.-= melissa @ the inspired room´s last blog ..Sweet, Simple & Crafty Spring Idea from Anthropologie =-.
Cool, more positive reinforcement! Melissa, that post is an awesome post on the subject. Anyone looking to do this should check out that link.
Our kitchen is small and we have uppers on both sides of the sink that are coming down and shelving going up. I just got new colorful fiestaware so I cannot wait to display those colors. Actually the doors are off right now because of how poorly they were designed. Anyhow, I figure since we will be using the dishes daily I won’t need to worry about dust.
.-= Susan´s last blog ..Drop Cloth Curtains =-.
Not sure about this for me since my stuff is ugly. Been married 30 years & need to upgrade. Maybe a few, but not ALL open.