Rethink Your Kitchen Storage with These Open Cabinet Ideas
If your kitchen feels cramped or cluttered, open cabinets can make a world of difference. Trading some upper cabinets for open shelving instantly brightens up the space and creates a lighter, airier aesthetic. It also enables you to display treasured dishware or rustic cooking tools that usually stay hidden away behind closed doors.
But open kitchen cabinets aren't just about looks. They also make items easier to access on a daily basis. No more rummaging to find the right pan or plate. Simply reach up to the right shelf and grab what you need. This accessibility can make cooking and cleaning up quicker and more seamless.
Gets the Light In
One of the biggest perks of open shelving is that it enables more natural light to filter throughout your kitchen. Rather than blocking light, glass-fronted cabinets and exposed shelves allow illumination to bounce around the whole room.
Large Window Installations
Start by adding larger windows along one or more walls to draw ample sunlight into your kitchen. Position them above the sink or stove to make cleaning and cooking easier. Opt for glass that offers insulation against cold and heat.
Glass Cabinet Doors
Install floor-to-ceiling glass cabinet doors along another wall or island. The see-through panels reflect light without obstructing views or making the kitchen feel overly compartmentalized. For privacy, frosted glass is an option.
Mirrors and Glass Tiles
Strategically hung mirrors and glass mosaic backsplash tiles amplify ambient lighting. They also make small kitchens appear more spacious. Just avoid placing them directly across from windows or they could create uncomfortable glares.
Pendant Lighting
Hanging glass pendant lights also enable light to filter through while defining the kitchen's work zones. Opt for clear rather than colored glass shades to maximize illumination. Using several exposed-bulb pendants keeps the space feeling open rather than overly heavy.
Easy Access and Display
Open shelving also enables you to access items more readily while displaying beloved dishware and accents. This keeps frequently-used items within arm's reach while creating a warmer, more personal aesthetic.
Glass Fronts
Glass-fronted cabinets spotlight collectibles like heirloom china or colored glassware. The see-through panels make contents visible without exposing them to dust and grease. Use interior lighting to really make them sparkle.
Staggered Shelving
Stagger the height and depth of open shelves to enable easy access to everything. Place larger platters and dishes on lower shelves while displaying smaller saucers and ramekins up higher. Customize shelves to fit the scale of what you're storing.
Accent Lighting
Use strips of under-cabinet lighting or directional spotlights to selectively illuminate shelves. Risers, stands, and floating glass shelves also display treasured pieces while preventing fade-inducing direct light exposure.
Rustic Farmhouse Style
The warm, eclectic look of rustic farmhouse fits beautifully with open shelving. Mixing natural materials like wood and stone with industrial touches creates irresistible contrast in a kitchen.
Exposed Brick
Start by exposing original brick behind the shelves to add colorful texture. Its visual weight and earthy qualities beautifully balance the airiness of open storage. Or install new brick facades for a similar vibe.
Wood Shelving
Rough-hewn wood plank shelves add organic contrast next to sleek cabinets and stainless steel. Opt for wider planks and vary the stain colors to prevent overly heavy uniformity. Mix with painted cabinets for a lighter look.
Blackened Accents
Wrought iron brackets, blackened steel handles, and matte black hardware add an industrial edge that heightens the rustic look. Contrast them with copper pots, butcher block islands, and oversized farmhouse sinks to prevent harshness.
Soft and Subtle Curves
Fluid lines and arcs create softness to balance sharp corners and hard surfaces like stone or steel. Gentle curves on islands, sinks, faucets, and lighting fixtures keep an open kitchen relaxing and inviting.
Rounded Edges
Slightly rounding the corner edges on countertops, quartz islands, and peninsulas helps soften an open kitchen's hard surfaces. The curved lines catch light beautifully and feel comfortable underhand.
Arc Faucets
An arc kitchen faucet with a gracefully curved neck echoes the rounds shapes found elsewhere in the space. Especially next to a rectangular sink, its subtler lines provide quiet contrast.
Fluid Pendants
Hanging blown-glass pendant lights with softly rounded shapes in place of upper cabinets creates fluidity up high. Their translucent glow casts a relaxing aura over the entire kitchen.
Islands and Bars
Islands with seating enable casual gathering, dining and chatting while keeping the workflow open. Even small or narrow islands define the kitchen's boundaries in an attractive, multipurpose way.
Long and Narrow
A long, narrow island provides ample prep space and seating while occupying minimal floor space. Keeping it around 25-inches deep enables easy movement around it.
Compact Islands
Even small, compact islands around 3-feet square provide ample storage and a perfect spot for quick meals. Top with contrasting materials like butcher block or concrete.
Mixed Island Styles
Place one large storage island next to a smaller open shelving island to get the best of both worlds. Use the same base cabinetry but vary the countertop finishes for cohesion.
Materials and Finishes
Creative mixing of materials like wood, metal, glass, and stone adds appealing contrast and textures. Matching the finishes ties the look together into a cohesive whole.
Natural Wood Shelves
Juxtapose golden wood plank open shelving with crisp white cabinets for the quintessential rustic-contemporary mix. Opt for wire mesh cabinet backs to enhance airflow and visibility.
Metallic Mixing
Incorporate metal elements throughout with matte black hardware, brass pendant lights, graphite granite, and hammered copper backsplash. Varying the metal sheens adds depth.
Honed Stone
Honed soapstone countertops or concrete islands contrast beautifully with glass backsplashes and open shelving. Match other elements to the gray-green stone for unity.
Painted Cabinets
Open shelves pop even more brilliantly against brightly colored cabinet bases. Painting the lower cabinets, uppers, or both infuses personality into the kitchen.
Ombre Effects
Using a light, medium and deep shade of a single color, paint lower cabinets the deepest hue, uppers the medium color, and exposed shelves the lightest for a seamless ombre effect.
Colorblocked Cabinets
Colorblock your cabinetry by painting the bottom ones an intense shade like navy blue while keeping uppers and shelves a light neutral like soft sage green. The bold color grounds the space.
Green on Bottom
Deep green on base cabinets pops brightly against light walls and open shelves. Contrast it with brass hardware and vintage-style lighting. The dark color beautifully grounds the lighter elements.
Maximize Vertical Storage
While they display contents attractively, open shelves don't offer much storage or hide clutter. Maximize vertical storage space using walls, inside cabinet doors, and narrow toe-kick spaces.
Floor-to-Ceiling Units
Install floor-to-ceiling cabinet units with adjustable shelves under the window or in the corner to maximize storage without eating up floor space. Use glass fronts to maintain lightness.
Hanging Rails
Screw S-hook rails right underneath upper cabinets to hang oft-used pans and utensils. Keep them lightweight to prevent straining the cabinet fronts.
Spice Storage
Make use of narrow toe-kick space under the lower cabinets or islands for pull-out spice racks to keep essentials hidden but accessible.
Trading out some upper cabinets for open shelving expands your kitchen's aesthetic possibilities while increasing storage access and display abilities. And the lighter, brighter appearance makes small, formerly closed-in kitchens feel more spacious and inviting. Rethink your kitchen's storage solutions with these inspiring open cabinet ideas.