Show your stuff
Kitchen designs incorporate open shelves for utility, beauty
Melonee Hurt Special to Nashville Tennessean | USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
There are basically two schools of thought when it comes to open shelving in the kitchen. You either love the aesthetic of it or you can’t imagine having the contents of your kitchen cabinets exposed for everyone to see. h But there’s another group of people in the kitchen organization game: those who rethink open shelving and make it work by reclaiming that space for design inspiration that can also be functional. h Several builders we spoke with said they don’t build open shelving into kitchens because it is a matter of personal preference and that many buyers prefer cabinetry instead. But several designers and homeowners we interviewed have embraced open shelving and love the results.
Evan Millard, principal designer with Modern Remains in Nashville, Tennessee, said he is a big fan of open shelving.
“I think there are some great positives to open shelving,” he said. “It’s more economical than cabinetry, it takes the guesswork out of ‘where are my items?’ and it gives you a way to display some beautiful things.”
Homeowner Andy Davidson has a culinary background and although he doesn’t work full time as a chef anymore, he still cooks a lot at home. When building their home in Columbia, Tennessee, he and wife Brittany wanted to make their kitchen highly functional and utilized a lot of open shelving.
“I definitely wanted open shelving because I have always felt like cabinets can be a waste of money and space,” Brittany Davidson said. “I like to be able to see pretty things.”
One thing that surprised Davidson is aside from the heirloom china pieces they have displayed on their open shelves, there are some other, more unexpected items that look great up there, too.
“We have things up there like our wok and our pasta maker that used to be hidden and now we get to kindof show them off,” she said. “We have cookbooks up there that we didn’t use much because they were tucked away. Now we can access them easily. We also have a little painting up there, some measuring cups and a plant.”
She said she was surprised at how having things
more readily available means they get used more than they would have otherwise.
Open shelving can not only provide a break in a row of cabinetry, but it can also add interest. While wood shelving is a popular option, shelving can be made of metal, glass, marble or a number of other materials, which can really add a kick to your kitchen.
“I don’t think open shelving is a passing trend at all,” Millard said. “Incorporating open shelving within millwork is timeless and will be around for many years to come. I do think a lot of times open shelving can be characterized as casual and sometimes country, but so many different materials can be used to add sophistication.”