For the past few years, one of the most popular kitchen design trends has been open shelving. With open kitchen shelving, dishes and serving pieces come out from behind closed cabinet doors and are showcased artfully, like items on a bookshelf. It’s a concept that can add both style and practicality to virtually any type of kitchen.

The open kitchen shelving concept offers several functional and aesthetic benefits.

1. Creates an airy look: Open shelving visually opens up your kitchen space to make it appear larger, brighter and more spacious.

2. Convenient: There is no need to rummage through your cabinets and drawers to find a specific item. Open shelving provides quick access to your everyday dishes. You will be able to easily see everything at a glance.

3. Adds style: Cabinetry can cover up attractive wall treatments.  With open shelving, you can show off more of your tiles, paint or other wall coverings.

4. Budget-friendly: Open shelving is generally much more economical than traditional cabinets. Products and installation are less expensive. Save money or allocate your extra dollars to another area of your kitchen remodel.

5. Encourages organization: Everything displayed on an open shelf can be seen, which will provide an incentive to keep your items neat and organized.

6. A collector’s dream: If you have a collection of beautiful dishware, serveware, cutlery or decorative items, open shelving gives you a place to display it. Enjoy viewing your special pieces every day.

7. The perfect fit for non-standard spaces: Shelves can be customized to fit into areas a cabinet can’t, such as odd corners or small spaces around doors.

8. Enhances charm: Open shelving can add charm that cabinets sometimes lack. Whether you prefer a minimalist monochrome collection of dishes, or an eclectic and colorful mix, displaying everything out in the open can make your kitchen look warm and welcoming.

Concerns about open kitchen shelving

Some people are apprehensive about open kitchen shelving because, let’s face it, there are some less-than-attractive cooking and serving items you still need to have within easy reach. There is no rule that says that if you like open shelving that your kitchen has to be entirely cabinet-free. A mixture of cabinets, drawers and open shelving can give your home the style, storage space and functionality you need for preparing food, cooking, dining and entertaining.

Another concern is that dishes may get dusty or covered with grease. One of the benefits of open shelving is that you may find that you use your dishes more often – they will no longer be tucked in the corner of a closed cabinet. While you may have to rinse or wipe the dishes before serving, using the same items frequently will help prevent the accumulation of dust and grime.

Works with all styles

With so many beautiful shelving options to choose from, it is easy to incorporate this trend in your home no matter what your preferred style. Shelving material choices include wood, glass, stainless steel, and more, and the open kitchen shelving concept can work with modern, farmhouse, rustic, traditional and a variety of other designs. If you are ready for a kitchen remodel and want to consider open kitchen shelving, contact the experts at Riverhead Building Supply today.