Open Shelving

An odd feature in our new kitchen is the overhead cabinets.  The set of upper cabinets between the fridge and stove has an open-shelf part to it that looks almost unintentional, like it was supposed to house a microwave or something similar.  Not to mention, it is positioned much higher than typical overhead cabinets.  Originally I thought about adding this Ikea shelf below the cabinets, but we ended up having more than enough storage space so it seemed unnecessary.

Image from Ikea

At first I was unsure of how I felt about the open shelf, but once we put our dishes up there, it started to grow on me.  Open shelving in kitchens has become in style lately, as seen most recently on the extremely popular DIY blog, Young House Love.  The Petersiks’ highly-documented kitchen renovation includes white shelves supported by heavy brackets (there are a few too many of the bulky brackets, for my taste, however).

Image from Young House Love

Image from La Maison d'Anna G

While I do like open shelving, there’s something to be said for being able to hide the clutter behind cabinet doors.  Ideally I would want a combination of open shelves and cabinets, but in a more controlled manner than what we have now.

Image from Apartment Therapy

Image from designboom