Kitchen open shelving

[Really222]

Hi
I am planning our new kitchen, very excited as the one that is there has been there for about 23 years and is in a real state.

It’s going to be Ikea units at base level, and open shelves above worktop level.

I have looked at lots of examples of open shelves online, but it’s difficult to choose. I am currently thinking this design, but painted.

Just curious about your open shelves, what style they are and what they are made of, and if you are happy you went for them instead of kitchen units.

If you felt like attaching a photo of your shelves, then I would be very grateful .

Do you enjoy dusting?

Are you good at keeping everything in its place? Are others in your home? Open shelves look good when clean, dust free and uncluttered, they look terrible when used like the inside of a kitchen cupboard.

Hope you install a really good extractor fan too. Otherwise they don't just be dusty, but sticky too.

Not hugely, but we have had the unit everywhere look for so long that I really want a change. They will be mainly for things that get used a lot, so hopefully it won’t be too bad.

I don’t hugely enjoy dusting I meant.

The extractor fan I am looking at is relatively cheap so not sure how powerful it is compared to others.

We are going to try and use the base level drawers very efficiently and tbh there is a lot of stuff in our current units that never gets used or looked at.

I have cubby holes and they work well because they give an illusion of order. Also, the additional verticals mean you can lean stuff against them like chopping boards etc. Mine are quite deep and away from the main cooking area and haven’t noticed them getting sticky or that dusty actually.

dusty and sticky. I'm so glad to have cupboards again.

Consider whether you want anything in place of wall units. Our kitchen is an L shape and we have one wall cupboard alongside a full height unit on one run only. The other side has no wall units or shelves. I'm so glad we didn't listen to the mantra "you can never have too many cupboards"

www.kellyelko.com/open-kitchen-shelving-styling/

This kind of thing.

We had these, but suited our kitchen which was very traditional. Things did get sticky without an extractor fan. Our new place has a more modern kitchen and open shelving like your first pic, and nothing is ever sticky as we have positioned them further away from the hob and have decent fan now.

We've got open shelves but because it's stuff we use all the time - plates, mugs etc there's no time for it to gather dust.

We used scaffold planks and brackets.

Very happy with them - dh refuses to close cupboard doors, look for things or put stuff away correctly so having things in the open makes my life easier. Plus, they're so cheap that I can replace them with cupboards if I ever change my mind

We have a couple of open shelves built them out of scaffold planks the builders left!

I really like them but I guess they aren't everyone's cup of tea!

Your kitchen is stunning and so are your shelves @elizabethreallyisnotmissing

Well... I haven't looked at mine since I put them up about a year ago 🤫 but I made them from scaffolding boards the builders left here. They look just like I wanted them to. More dust than stickyness but I don't deep fry, that might make a difference.

Elizabeth.... forgetful builders can leave some useful stuff behind it seems. :-)

Yes what a lovely kitchen elizabeth!

Thanks for all the suggestions and comments.

Yes I can totally see the appeal of having nothing on the walls at all soulrider!

I have open shelves made from scaffold boards. The brackets are the Ebay, the boards I bought for £1 a foot and sanded and waxed them myself.

I like them but my favourite are boxed in shelves

Don't do it.
Sticky and dusty and you'll never be done cleaning.

My friend has them and says never get sticky or dusty....they do....

I've had mine for 4 years and now getting rid. I'm pretty good at interior styling and it drove me mad that they ended up having any old shite shoved on them. I started out with an ordered approach but day to day they look a mess. And dusty and little sticky.....

I hate mine, always cleaning them, yes they do get dirty/sticky, wish I had the cash to change them

No don't do it. Sticky, dusty, messy and attracts all manner of clutter and tat. Maybe go for clear glass fronted units if you want something a bit different and want some way to display your wares?

We're getting some. But I love the look so I'll deal with the cleaning. These pics are awesome please keep them coming. I particularly love the mustard pot plants. I love kitsch and rubbish, looking forward to having another place to hoard display it.

We had units on the top before and in our small kitchen it felt so cluttered.