I have always liked the way open shelving looks in kitchens, although I’ve been afraid to have it in my home because I know it can easily look messy. When we moved into our third home, it had open shelving in the kitchen. It took me a while, but I learned how to make it work. Believe it or not…it’s really starting to grow on me!
Based on my experience, here are a few tips I have for open shelving in the kitchen:
1. Pick two or three colors and stick with them.
I chose black, white, and blue as my colors. I do have a few different shades of each, but I spread them out across the shelves so they don’t clash. I recommend picking colors that aren’t too bright or overwhelming. The items on the shelves will be seen, but you don’t want them to take away from the rest of the kitchen.
2. Have a few items or shelves that are just meant to be decorative.
My top shelves are decorative, for the most part. They are not easy to reach, so I decided to make them look nice instead of useful. Open shelving is a great place to store a nice set of glasses or dishes that look great but aren’t often used. It’s like the modern day china cabinet!
3. Less is more.
Don’t feel like you have to fill every space on your shelves. Open shelving can easily look cluttered, which will make the entire kitchen look cluttered.
I highly recommend only having a few sets of glasses and dishes out. That brings me to my next point…
4. Stick with matching sets of dishes and glasses.
A set of glasses or dishes that are all the same will give your shelving a more cohesive look. If you have bowls that match a set of coffee cups, place them on separate shelves to tie the shelving together.
5. Change it up until you find something you like.
Chances are, you’re not going to like your open shelving arrangements the first time around. I shuffled my plates and cups for the first few weeks until I found what worked and looked best.
I wish you luck with your open shelving! Have fun with it…it’s a great way to show your personality!
