Wednesday, April 13, 2011

So I was thinking

I have a large amount of space between the top of my kitchen cabinets and my ceiling.  I want to do something interesting up there.  Right now it's just a haphazard storage space for serving pieces I don't use every day.  I saw this space:



I love the layers created using only white and glass.  Simple.  Love it.


Done with a little color :  

above three via www.littleredshop.blogspot.com

I also like this idea:  Plates!

urbangraceinteriors.typepad.com

This is one of those ideas that looks great to me but I can't picture doing it myself.  I wish I was that person b/c it looks cool....but I am not.  Bummer.

Anyway.  As I was looking up inspirational photos for kitchen cabinets and I, of course, saw a bunch of the below style and here are a few things I have been wondering about kitchens with open shelves.

kitchenbuilding.com

I think it's so clean and crisp but....what does it look like when its picture isn't being taken?!  It can't be that great looking.  I mean, half or more of my dishes are always dirty/in the dishwasher/being used.  Also....kid's plates?  Not cute to display...not mine anyway.  That is my first concern with open shelves in a kitchen.  

kitchenbuilding.com

Second concern...that is a lot of pressure to have cute dishes.  I would feel pressure to get rid of everything I own (not everything) to get all beautiful matching dishes.  My coffee cup collection...it's a collection not a set....would have to go.  PRESSURE.

remodelingguy.net


Third concern...how would this type of kitchen affect resale value?  I wouldn't say this style is happening enough to not be considered a trend.  I think it would make the house less appealing to the majority of home buyers because installing kitchen cabinets is not cheap!  Right?  Risky.  If we took out cabinets to do shelves I imagine I would feel inclined to store the cabinets in my basement to sell with the house.  

 What do you think about open shelves in a kitchen?

3 comments:

  1. I think open shelves can be pretty, but I find that things stored outside cabinets get dirty with a charming combination of cooking residue and dust. Also, open shelves are not very practical or safe here in San Francisco (but perhaps a good excuse to replace all your dishes periodically).

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  2. We have open shelves in our kitchen, and while it's convenient and makes it incredibly easy to find things, it does look a little hap-hazard (doesn't help that we have NO cabinets in our kitchen - so all dishes, pots, and pantry stuff are in the open). If all my dishes matched, and it wasn't a 100 year old kitchen, it might look better. I love some of the photos you posted, I just know my kitchen would never look like that, no matter how hard I tried :) Open shelves force you to be a lot tidier because you can't hide things behind the cabinet doors (I do agree you should keep the cabinets if you chose to go with shelves for re-sale purposes)

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  3. LOVE open shelving...but only if there was enough other hidden storage space to hide the ugly stuff. I go through my dishes fast enought that nothing would have a chance to get dusty.

    Since we can't afford to remodel our kitchen anytime soon, I though about pulling off a couple doors to see how i liked feeling "exposed". Then you can throw them back on if you sell it!

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