The concept of open shelving has been a staple across all interior design blogs for years now, but it’s still a proven way to refresh and open up your apartment. While this style of storage isn’t for everyone, shelving is a sleek solution for those living in small spaces and seek extra storage that doesn’t look bulky or break the bank.

Tell a Story with Decor

If you’re someone who likes to frequently change up the aesthetic of your kitchen, then open shelving is a great way to have more flexibility with the look and mood of your kitchen. Things like bowls and glassware are much easier and less costly to swap out rather than repainting or even replacing cabinets. Seamlessly transition from neutrals to different color stories with decor rather than home improvement projects. 

Saves Money

Renovating your kitchen on a tight budget? Cabinets can be an expensive ticket item so opting for shelves can be an easy way to cut down renovation expenses. Your priority might be upgrading appliances, installing a backsplash, or getting hardwood flooring. Don’t feel like fancy cabinetry is the only way to enhance your space and get the gram-worthy kitchen of your dreams.  

Endless Possibilities

Traditional cabinetry is usually thought of as a crucial component for kitchen storage, but how many people do you know who’s cabinets are often underutilized? Corners that are hard to reach, faux cabinets wasting space, and shallow shelves that can’t hold your homegoods properly are only some of the obstacles people face when it comes to organization. Freeing yourself from bulky cabinetry and opting for open shelving allows you to design a more flexible storage system that’s customizable for your space. Think of all the areas in your kitchen that are being neglected; open storage can be a far more efficient use of space than bulky overhead cabinetry. 

Show Off Collections

All that special kitchenware that we find at flea markets or heirlooms handed down from previous generations often never see the light of day because they’re hidden out of the way. You don’t need the same quick access to them as your everyday plates and bowls. What a shame you don’t get to gaze upon those items more regularly! With open shelving you can display your collectables on higher or decorative shelves while your basics are easily reachable lower down on the wall. Many open-shelf-doubters claim that this creates a dusting nightmare, but those who have taken the plunge have no regrets. They recommend having a good swiffer session every few weeks on your harder-to-reach shelves but the benefits far outweigh the light dusting requirements. We love the look of house plants interspersed with homeware to breathe some life into your shelving. 

Convenient Entertaining

Having guests over can be stressful for the host, one way to alleviate some of the question bombardment is to have things like glassware and utensils in plain sight. Someone needs a wine opener? You won’t have to send a friend to go digging through all of your cabinets to find it if they can see it in plain sight. Even making dinner with your partner or group of friends will go more smoothly if others can see what they need to grab rather than asking, “Where is your spatula? And “Where do you keep your strainers?” It also makes collaborative clean up go much faster so you can spend more time relaxing and less time people guessing where things go. 

Forces You To Be Organized

Having open shelves also forces you to stay organized! We all have a drawer: the designated pandora’s box of extra buttons, miscellaneous kitchen gadgets, and other “junk” you don’t have a place for. Opening up your storage means a serious kitchen audit. What’s essential? What do you never use? There’s extreme satisfaction in looking at all your kitchenware. Go through your pans, dishes, accessories, gadgets and pare down your collection. Have you fell into the trap of buying too many things with one function that you can swap out for something more multifunctional? Take a trip to your local donation center so someone else can enjoy what’s only collecting dust and not bringing joy to your kitchen.

You Don’t Have to Go All In

Pretty pictures of complete an open shelving kitchen look outstanding on interior decor blogs, but don’t feel intimidated if that doesn’t seem practical for your life. Maybe it’s just that one section of cabinets in your kitchen that’s hard to reach so it goes unused, start there. It can be shocking how big of a difference small changes can make for the overall feel of your space. Great natural light can be hard to come by, consider removing cabinets that surround a window to increase the amount of light, or at least trick the eye into thinking so.  If storage is not currently a concern, you may find that having a few shelves just to display beloved decorative items can add a personal touch or pop of color when refreshing your space. 

Author: Michael Williams. FLATS Chicago

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