new kitchen: wall units or open shelves?

[mosaica]

Hi!

At some point in the next 12 months or so we'll be getting a new kitchen. I am starting to think about it and really don't want to make any expensive mistakes, so I'll be here a lot with lots of questions?

First one is this: wall storage. I keep changing my mind between wanting wall units that go to the ceiling (as you see in some Ikea displays) or lovely open shelving. I probably don't need that much wall storage as the kitchen is fairly large, so I'm tempted about the open shelving option. It makes kitchen look so airy and lovely. And I don;t think you need to be so tidy if you store things such as white plates and stuff that just stacks up. OR am I deluding myself? On the other hand, I also love the ceiling

I meant the ceiling high units as in a funny kind of way I think they can make a kitchen look airy too, as they draw your eyes up (hope I'm making some sense here, it's too late to be MNing at this time of the night...).

Open shelving looks great, if you can keep it looking great. That means keeping it clean and uncluttered, and not overloaded with stuff.

I think it's beyond me, quite frankly.

I much prefer open shelving, and it never dates.

wall units otherwise you'll always be dusting and keeping tidy shelves and having nice things on display

Love open shelving if only I had the space.