Display Your Glassware With Stylish Open Kitchen Cabinets
The open kitchen cabinet trend is taking over modern home design. Homeowners everywhere are swapping out their closed upper cabinets for gorgeous open shelving. Not only does this look provide better visibility and access to your most-used kitchen items, it also creates visual interest and infuses style into your cooking space.
With some clever styling and organizational tips, open face kitchen cabinets can be both beautiful and highly functional. Read on for our favorite ways to embrace this hot new trend!
Style Ideas for Open Shelving
One of the biggest perks of open cabinets is the ability to instantly upgrade your kitchen's aesthetic. Whether you opt for a cohesive look or an eclectic mix, open shelving offers plenty of possibilities to showcase your personal taste.
Mix and Match Cabinetry
Who says all your upper cabinets need to match? Mixing closed cabinets with open shelving creates contrast and infuses the kitchen with character. For example, display your antique glassware collection on open shelves against a colorful glass cabinet front. Or highlight your assortment of vintage plates and platters against the sleek backdrop of a closed wood cabinet. Going for an ultra-modern minimalist look? Floating metal shelves populated with just a few handmade ceramics make a striking statement.
Pops of Color
Painting open shelves in a bold accent color is an easy way to inject personality into your cooking space. Go for a rich teal or golden yellow that ties into your overall kitchen color palette. Vintage glassware and dishes will really pop against a colorful open shelf. For a bit of retro flair, paint just the back panel of the shelf. This allows you to change up the look simply by rotating glassware and tchotchkes to show their backsides.
Rustic Farmhouse Look
The rustic farmhouse style is perfect for open shelving. Floating wood shelves have an organic, handcrafted feel that creates a cozy and inviting kitchen. Fill your shelves with woven baskets holding fruits and vegetables or collections of white ceramic canisters. Neutral colored dishes and glassware look right at home against the wood background. For extra charm, install shelves on old barn wood reclaimed during a home renovation.
Industrial Edge
Exposed pipes and metal contribute an urban edge to open kitchen shelving. Iron brackets and galvanized pipe shelves display your wares, creating an industrial aesthetic. Open shelves keep just the essentials in view - a pair of glass canisters, assorted glass jars full of pasta or grains, rows of gleaming drinking glasses. The minimalist look is clean and understated.
Functionality and Organization
With all their aesthetic appeal, open shelves must also serve a functional purpose in your cooking space. A few organizational tips will keep your belongings tidy and the shelves looking great.
Embrace Visible Storage
The visibility of open shelving means your collections are on full display. Embrace this feature by artfully grouping treasured items. Glass canisters filled with flour and sugar line up in neat rows. Everyday white dishes and colorful Fiestaware create eye-catching patterns. Your antique spoon collection sits attractively fanned out in a ceramic vase. Baskets corral cookbooks and lids while adding natural texture.
Edit Ruthlessly
Only your most beloved possessions deserve a spot on open display. Edit any items you don't use regularly or simply don't bring you joy. This prevents clutter from taking over and leaves breathing room between groupings. To keep your shelves looking fresh, rotate seasonal collections in and out. For instance, in autumn display cans of pumpkin butter and baked goods in woven baskets. Come spring, swap in floral ceramic planters.
Maximize Vertical Space
While open shelves claim horizontal space, you can maximize vertical storage above. Install floating shelves to hold spare glassware and serving platters. Mount a hanging pot rack to keep your cookware visible but out of the way. Place a wall-mounted knife block within reach of the prep area. Spice racks double as artwork when affixed near open shelving. This combination keeps everything essential stored attractively in plain sight.
Task Lighting
Properly illuminating open shelves helps highlight your collections. Under-cabinet lighting casts a glow to attractively display your stemware. Right above the sink, pendant lights illuminate a wall-mounted knife display. Track lighting illuminates open shelves housing cookbooks and ingredients. Well-placed task lighting makes open shelving as gorgeous as it is functional.
Design Tips and Considerations
While undeniably beautiful, open shelving also comes with a few caveats. Keep these design tips in mind before taking the plunge with open cabinets.
Regular Dusting
Open shelving requires more frequent dusting than closed cabinetry. Make sure you have the time to properly maintain these spaces. For items used only occasionally, contain them behind glass cabinet fronts to keep cleaning manageable. Use open shelves to display your everyday-use glassware, dishes, cookbooks, and decor.
Complement Surrounding Rooms
The style of your open shelves should fit the overall aesthetic of adjacent spaces. For example, rustic wood shelves coordinate beautifully with farmhouse dining rooms. Modern glass and metal shelving matches a living area with midcentury furnishings. Maintain harmony by selecting a shelving style that complements the rest of your home.
Negative Space
When styling open shelves, negative space is your friend. Avoid cramming every inch with belongings. Let hardworking shelves breathe! Items clustered together become visual clutter. Allow generous space between grouped collections so the eye appreciates each one individually.
Work Triangle
When incorporating open shelving, don't neglect the kitchen work triangle. This refers to the functional relationship between the sink, stove, fridge, and prep spaces. Make sure shelves enhance but don't impede movement between these key areas. Place open cabinets near prep zones for handy access to ingredients and dishes.
Done right, open kitchen cabinets offer form and function with undeniable style. This trend reveals your beautiful belongings while keeping necessities within arm's reach. Collections become living art. Negative space prevents claustrophobia. And a mix of closed and open storage gives you the best of both worlds.
Displaying your treasured glassware and dishes is just the beginning. Open shelving allows you to unleash your creativity in the heart of your home. So embrace this hot trend and invite guests to explore your cabinets' contents displayed with pride.