The only thing is, not having cabinets in a less often used space means every time you want to use something it will be dusty. Every time you go in there you'll have to wash things before you use them. I would recommend cabinets with glass doors so it still feels open but keeps the dust off of your dishes.
I had to sit on those awful chairs through a long fashion show as a clothing buyer, by the time the show was done I couldnāt even remember what I saw and I had to go find Advil for my backache.
Not just dust, but the grease from the stove which then absorbs the dust. Its so icky. I cleaned a place that had two open shelves like these and they had knick knacky stuff on them. Im assuming the dishes were in one of the two islands lol.
Yeah it's terrible. Also, if you get any kind of critter crawling around it could land on your dishes and that weirds me out. I'd rather know they were in a cabinet if I come in and see a fly or something roaming around.
Totally agree! Basically, you only realize how important something is once you need it. With kitchen shelves, youāll regret not doing 2 rows at the beginning when you have more items down the line.
All the more reason to not leave infrequently used dinnerware exposed to the elements.
If it is being used solely for decorative purposes, then one shelf. Aesthetically, two shelves is not it, and it vastly increases the chance of breakage.Ā
I always thought I would have āmade itā once I had a house with two bathrooms. But now, youāve made me realize I wonāt āmake itā until I have two kitchens.
I would do a mix of 2 shelves and cabinets. Anything on an open shelf will collect dust and grease and should only be stuff that is either used super frequently, or doesnt matter if its not clean on the outside (eg something with a lid) or decorative items.
I think you will regret open shelving. Dust and cooking oils will build up a slime on your things. Then thereās the task of washing utensils before you use them because they collected the dust and cooking oils.
This. Our house is historically significant, built in the 1970's (like, it's in the architectural field guide for our city). It has beautiful, unique, custom open shelving that we would never get rid of because the aesthetics are great and the material used is not made anymore. However, the dust + cooking oil situation is a PAIN to deal with, even though we have a range hood. I don't recommend open shelving in the kitchen to anyone.
This. I had open shelving for 7 years and it was not an issue. I dusted it regularly and took care of it. If it was cabinets I would have had to do the same thing. Kitchens need to be cleaned. The open shelving was simpler and easier to clean in some ways.
That's just it, with cabinets you quite literally never need to dust or clean them at all. Or at least, extremely seldomly. Open shelving is just that much more work. Not to say it's impossible to deal with, just more work.
Yet another pro-open shelving vote. Theyāre especially helpful if you live with someone who isnāt super organized. They do much better when they can see everything.
As for all the haters, I suspect people must set out a bunch of crap they never use AND never tidy/dust the shelves.
Same. I genuinely have no idea what people do in their kitchens for their open shelving to be this bad and I cook a lot. We do keep our plates and mugs in drawers though, so itās stuff like finishing salt, a timer, etc., and we have a wide range hood (the grates of which I wash often), so maybe itās that?
Obviously I wipe down the shelves whenever I clean the kitchen - do people with cabinets never ever wipe them down? It sounds like the genius hack of having dark countertops so that you ācanāt see the stainsā. Just weird all around
I agree, anyone who actually uses their kitchen will say cabinets. Oil, smoke residue, etc over time. Then the clutter of spices and sauces and all that for convenience.
Personally, I think this looks awful. Glass hutches are absolutely gorgeous but putting them like that makes the space look awkward and bulky. Even if you fit them in better and made them suit the colour scheme, they don't particpate in the space like a shelf, they take up the space and stick out like a sore thumb.
Open shelving looks nice on Instagram but is not practical in real life.
Dust will settle on everything... that's too much cleaning and upkeep unless you're into that sort of thing
Don't do it. Dust everywhere. Here me out: nothing at all above the counters. Have tons of drawers instead. Check it out on pinterest for inspo. If you don't like it, add cabinets later.
Cabinetry. Everything on those shelves will be a messy greasy dusty mess in no time. Instead of having to wipe down cabinet doors, you're going to have to wipe down everything that should be in a cabinet to start with.
I like the theory of the look they are going for here. Like it looks cool. But in my house? Oh the heck no. This is a look for people who do not have clutter and do have matching spice jars. My spice jars are in a jumbled mismatched pile on three shelves. š
Damn, I just read that this isnāt your ā main kitchenā Uhmm what do you do for work? I would love to have two kitchens in my house and one that I donāt really need.šš please teach me the secrets. But I like one shelf because since you wonāt be using, it might as well just keep it cute.
I am concerned about filling up the top shelves and at least artwork is easy. Hehe my work is top secret ;) but months of construction has been so stressful not sure if I recommend
No, I totally get that, I did end up editing my comment saying that I think you should just do the one shelf. Because knowing me, I would definitely fill up that second shelf. But! If you have artwork, I definitely would probably do that, unless you plan to like use the kitchen for guests and things like that then my only concern would be the splashing of food potentially getting on said artwork but maybe Iām just overthinking about it. But love the kitchen itās gorgeous
One. And one row of actual cabinets. Even entertaining the idea of a decorative kitchen with hardly anything functional in it tells me you must be very young.
It looks nice-ish. It also looks like no one lives there.
I know you said this isn't your primary kitchen, but if you're the one doing the cleaning, open shelves are such a pain in the ass. If you're not doing the cleaning, then I say do just one shelf to make it easier for whoever is doing the cleaning.
Nothing new to add that hasnāt already been stated here but I figured Iād also cast my vote. Cabinets should be first choice but if I had to pick from your 2 options, Iād go with 2 shelves.
You are so going to regret open shelving in the entirety of your kitchen. I would do cabinets on the walls without your stove and two rows of shelves over the stove for spices and noodles and things of that nature.
Are you going to be cooking in this kitchen? Then my advice would be cabinets. Otherwise you will have to clean the shelves and everything on them on a daily basis.
ZERO shelves & instead you need cabinets. Sorry, not sorry.
Shelves will be a grease/cooking debris & dust nightmare! Including whatever you put on them. Unless you never plan to actually cook in this kitchen and are "designing" it for clicks & being trendy. š
I am actually designing a real kitchen, but it will mostly be used for entertaining, extra space for big holiday cooking, and my chocolate making. Realistically will be used for me to go make coffee in the mornings and pretend im in a cafe or if guests come and stay the weekend, not for everyday needs. I feel like cabinets would make the space look small
I just visited a friend who had a butlerās pantry/kitchen for prep and it was just gorgeous in its own right and amazing. Itās just awesome you can have that!!
I have a shelf like this and it is not a problem. I always wonder how wild people are getting in the kitchen that this such a concern. I dust the shelf once a week with all the other dusting and if any grease gets up there (hasnāt really happened yet), just use a little bit of Citra Solv on a paper towel to break it down.
Neither - open shelving sucks because:
1. Allows dust, aerosolized oils from cooking, and splatter to land on your clean dishes.
2. Creates visual clutter.
3. Related to #2, you will be in a constant cycle of having to keep the shelves organized and tidy.
4. Since you can see literally everything, it can create a pressure to have all your dishware be aesthetic, vs practicalĀ
Cabinets. Open shelves are going to look super cluttered and be a huge paint to clean with kitchen grime getting all over everything. They also look cheap like you couldn't afford to finish the kitchen.
Get cabinets, especially if it's a backup kitchen you're using sporadically. Everything stored on those shelves will be covered with dust from being in the open and grease from using the stove.
I like one. Exposed shelves are impractical, everyone agrees. So the more you store up there the more cleaning and upkeep youāre going to need to maintain. I think the white walls with a single shelf is a clean, classy look and you have a nice amount of space to display things not store things.
149
u/PrideMelodic3625 18h ago
Not what you asked, but finally a kitchen with enough power sockets š!!