A kitchen design trend that is showing no signs of slowing is that of open shelving. Gone are the days of standard closed upper cabinets. But with any design choice, there are pros and cons of this approach. We also have the tips you’ll need to pull this design off successfully without bringing a disorganized look into your kitchen.
Pros of a Kitchen Without Upper CabinetsRemoving upper cabinets can reduce the claustrophobic, heavy feeling that kitchens with too many cabinets have.
It’s simple: fewer cabinets means less pressure to fill them with stuff. Open shelving is the perfect opportunity to clear-out. Sell, donate or give away items you didn’t know you had and only keep what you actually need and use.
Not having any upper cabinets, especially around any windows or below any skylights can help let more light into the kitchen. This ultimately gives a more bright and airy feel.
Without upper cabinets, you have more room to design an eye-catching backsplash. It can be a new focal point and add visual interest to your kitchen!
Let’s be honest, who can really reach the top of upper cabinets anyways? Open shelving can help you utilize that high space to show off your personality instead. You can showcase artwork, plants and other personal pieces.
Cons of a Kitchen Without Upper CabinetsThe most obvious disadvantage is that open shelving offers less storage real estate. Cabinets often include multiple shallow shelves for functional storage.
With open shelving, you can’t just close the cabinet door to protect everything from dust, dirt and grease. Open shelving will always require more cleaning.
Depending on the size and layout of your kitchen, not having any upper cabinets can leave the room feeling a little sparse and empty.
Design Tips for a Kitchen Without Upper CabinetsIf you’re sold on open shelving, we’re here to help with tips and tricks we’ve seen over the years to add style and storage to your kitchen.
It may seem simple, but make sure to account for plenty of base cabinets with drawers! Think carefully about the type of base cabinets you’re choosing and where they are in relation to your working zones and daily tasks.
The bottom shelf is easily accessible and can hold all the daily use items like bowls and plates, while the higher shelf can be used for more decorative objects.
The contents of your cabinets are likely not uniform. Get creative with grouping items by color, which is more appealing for the eye. It should look like a well-planned display.
In the spirit of maximizing storage space, consider adding rails to hang your pots and pans from. It can add a lot of character to your kitchen and also makes sense functionally. You won’t need to rearrange your entire cupboard every time you’re looking for a specific pan.
A kitchen island can also be a good way to bring in more storage, while also adding an additional prep surface.
There are plenty of items to help you utilize counter space. There’s tiered trays, platter racks and a bottle dryer for mugs, which will all look nice on your counter while bringing much needed functionality.
As we mentioned, open shelving offers the opportunity to have a lot of fun with tiles. You can feature tile up to the ceiling and create a beautiful focal point of your kitchen.
Remember Irish Jones Construction can always guide you through your design options and help you maximize your kitchen based on your taste, style and budget. To schedule your design consultation, call us at (716) 768-4915.
