Should You Use Open Shelves in the Kitchen?
Two designers make their cases for and against using floating kitchen shelves
When it comes to kitchen design, there’s something for everyone. But everything is not for everyone. Take open or floating shelves, for example. Open kitchen shelving has become popular for displaying cherished dishes and accessories, keeping often-used items within easy reach or allowing a stunning backsplash tile to shine through. But not everyone is a fan. Those against open shelves say dust and clutter are major deterrents. So who’s right?
Here, two kitchen designers — Nicole White and Deborah Costa — take opposite sides in the open-shelf debate. Read their arguments and then tell us in the Comments if open shelving is for you.
Here, two kitchen designers — Nicole White and Deborah Costa — take opposite sides in the open-shelf debate. Read their arguments and then tell us in the Comments if open shelving is for you.
How she’s used them: “Recently we worked on a new construction project in Squaw Valley, California [pictured], where the ski slopes and natural setting took center stage in the kitchen.
“To ensure the lofty, uncomplicated feel of the space was emphasized, we opted for floating shelves along the view wall to house simple white tableware. Unmatched cups, bowls, water bottles, et cetera, are all hidden behind cabinet doors elsewhere in the kitchen, but most of the regularly used, coordinated items are in obvious sight of vacationing guests.
“Our client, a restaurateur and master chef, chartered us to incorporate a commercial look and feel to his kitchen. He wanted all of his regularly used items to be readily accessible without opening cabinets and [us to] provide closed storage for the more unattractive kitchen products.
“To accomplish this task, we installed open shelving for dishware, and pot racks for the majority of his cookware. The result allowed him to quickly reach above, or behind, him to grab the tools he needs to prepare and serve a meal while invoking a homey feel to the space. Since we understood he would be cooking, frying and sauteing extensively, we selected a larger-than-required, powerful exhaust fan to ensure significant dust and grime wouldn’t collect on the exposed dishware and cookware.”
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“To ensure the lofty, uncomplicated feel of the space was emphasized, we opted for floating shelves along the view wall to house simple white tableware. Unmatched cups, bowls, water bottles, et cetera, are all hidden behind cabinet doors elsewhere in the kitchen, but most of the regularly used, coordinated items are in obvious sight of vacationing guests.
“Our client, a restaurateur and master chef, chartered us to incorporate a commercial look and feel to his kitchen. He wanted all of his regularly used items to be readily accessible without opening cabinets and [us to] provide closed storage for the more unattractive kitchen products.
“To accomplish this task, we installed open shelving for dishware, and pot racks for the majority of his cookware. The result allowed him to quickly reach above, or behind, him to grab the tools he needs to prepare and serve a meal while invoking a homey feel to the space. Since we understood he would be cooking, frying and sauteing extensively, we selected a larger-than-required, powerful exhaust fan to ensure significant dust and grime wouldn’t collect on the exposed dishware and cookware.”
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On dust: “Dust and grime are an issue on every surface,” Costa says. “Cabinet doors get layered with oils, food and fingerprints that can be difficult to remove without damaging the surface. Open shelving can scratch as a result of sliding dishware on and off, and dust can easily settle on the contents, requiring a quick rinse of the item if not regularly used. Glass-front cabinetry develops a slimy film that creates a foggy appearance. The reality is we live in a dust-prone world, and we must embrace a regular cleaning regimen regardless of how we stow our kitchen items.”
On cost: “Cost has never really come up in this discussion with our design clients,” Costa says. “However, when working on spec homes with builders, model homes or tight budget projects, we will definitely spec open shelving in strategic places to conserve funds and splurge on our must-haves. It’s definitely a cost savings. Important to note, though: When we do spec open shelving in kitchens, we have to ensure there is additional bracing behind the Sheetrock to support the shelving.”
The Best Things to Store on Open Kitchen Shelves
On cost: “Cost has never really come up in this discussion with our design clients,” Costa says. “However, when working on spec homes with builders, model homes or tight budget projects, we will definitely spec open shelving in strategic places to conserve funds and splurge on our must-haves. It’s definitely a cost savings. Important to note, though: When we do spec open shelving in kitchens, we have to ensure there is additional bracing behind the Sheetrock to support the shelving.”
The Best Things to Store on Open Kitchen Shelves
On earthquakes: “Being from the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve lived through many earthquakes and are confident when saying that cabinet doors have not decreased the number of broken dishware,” Costa says. “During strong quakes, doors easily open and shut, cabinets and shelves fall off walls, and items in cabinets and on shelves shift significantly.”
On curious cats: “Pets, and all family members, must be kept in mind when designing any space,” Costa says. “If the family cat likes to climb on bookcases or it’s necessary to secure your liquor supply, for instance, then opting for closed storage is a must.”
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The Case Against Open Shelves in the Kitchen
Arguing against: Nicole White of Nicole White Designs Interiors
Expertise: “I’ve been a designer for 15 years,” White says. “I specialize in full-scale renovations, with dramatic kitchen and bathroom renovations that have earned us much acclaim.”
Why she’s (sometimes) against open shelves: “I’m not the biggest fan of open shelves as a main storage option, but we do relent when clients want them as a design element, and will add a few mostly to display keepsakes and a few bowls or mugs,” White says. “Open shelving has been on trend for years and will likely stick around for many more. But clients who love them inevitably worry they’ll have to be strict about keeping them organized since there’s no cabinet door to hide the mess behind.”
Arguing against: Nicole White of Nicole White Designs Interiors
Expertise: “I’ve been a designer for 15 years,” White says. “I specialize in full-scale renovations, with dramatic kitchen and bathroom renovations that have earned us much acclaim.”
Why she’s (sometimes) against open shelves: “I’m not the biggest fan of open shelves as a main storage option, but we do relent when clients want them as a design element, and will add a few mostly to display keepsakes and a few bowls or mugs,” White says. “Open shelving has been on trend for years and will likely stick around for many more. But clients who love them inevitably worry they’ll have to be strict about keeping them organized since there’s no cabinet door to hide the mess behind.”
On dust: “I’ve never met a vent fan that can completely remove grease, so if an open shelf is anywhere near a hood or cooktop, be prepared for some extra cleaning,” White says. “Ditto on dust. Just no way to avoid that pesky one. Why would you want to clean and dust dishes all the time?”
On cost: “It varies,” White says. “You can find inexpensive but sturdy shelves at big-box retailers that’ll cost less than upper cabinets. But there will always be some clients who prefer to splurge on custom shelves to get exactly what they want, from live-edge wood to leather-wrapped shelves with studs — sky’s the limit. Those prices will typically cost more than cabinets would to cover that wall space.”
On cost: “It varies,” White says. “You can find inexpensive but sturdy shelves at big-box retailers that’ll cost less than upper cabinets. But there will always be some clients who prefer to splurge on custom shelves to get exactly what they want, from live-edge wood to leather-wrapped shelves with studs — sky’s the limit. Those prices will typically cost more than cabinets would to cover that wall space.”
On visual clutter: “It’s a clutter magnet,” White says. “You definitely need to be organized to keep open shelving looking fabulous all year long. Sadly we’ve sometimes seen the open shelves we’ve styled remain untouched out of fear the homeowner can’t style it as well. And that should never be. The point with open shelving is to have quicker access to some everyday coffee mugs and bowls, with a mix of accessories, but the function should trump style here. I even style shelves to look a tad messy because that’s how life will be unless you’re insanely organized.”
Style Your Open Shelving Like a Pro
Style Your Open Shelving Like a Pro
On earthquakes: “Unless you’ve got locking kitchen cabinet doors, I’m not sure it would matter,” White says. “An earthquake isn’t discerning, so I think dishes on an open shelf or inside a cabinet are all going to take a beating. Ditto for those of us in hurricane-prone areas like South Florida.”
On glass-front cabinets: “I love to sprinkle in a few glass cabinets, but 99 percent of our clients want them frosted,” White says. “They get to break up the monotony of having all cabinets while hiding clutter, so that’s always a winning compromise. However, I also avoid putting glass cabinets next to the cooktop and hood because, yes, inevitably it’s a recipe for a grease soiree.”
Your turn: Share your thoughts (and photos) on open shelves in the Comments.
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Your turn: Share your thoughts (and photos) on open shelves in the Comments.
More on Houzz
The Best Things to Store on Open Kitchen Shelves
Design Debate: Is It OK to Hang the TV Over the Fireplace?
Get home design ideas
Find home design professionals
Shop for products for your home
Arguing for: Deborah Costa of Design Alchemy
Expertise: “Design Alchemy is spearheaded by me and my daughter, Kristine Renee,” Costa says. “We have over 30 years’ experience designing residential, commercial and hospitality projects around the world. Our team has seen just about every trend out there, and we are constantly in dialogue with homeowners and past clients to determine what works, and doesn’t work, for their lifestyle.”
Why (and when) she’s for open shelves: “Our clients are either decisively pro or adamantly con on open shelving,” Costa says. “Baby boomers tend to shy away from the concept due to practical issues like dust and lack of uniformity of dishware, while our younger clients completely embrace the idea primarily because it’s a current trend found everywhere on social media or they just want to display their wares. Many of our younger clients have invested considerable funds in decorative tableware and want to show it off, while our older clients have grown up with enclosed cabinetry and prefer to keep cabinet contents hidden.”
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