Design Notes
The kitchen is the center of the home, which means it should be given good consideration when planning its layout. This is especially true when it comes to cabinet design. Closed, glass front, and open shelving are the options available for kitchen cabinets. Open shelving has become a popular choice with homeowners and designers alike due to the elegance and style it brings to the kitchen. Let’s talk about the benefits it can bring to your home and some helpful design tips.
What Is Open Shelving?
Standard kitchens have cabinets with doors, but open shelving eliminates cabinets completely. It can be used in lieu of upper cabinets entirely or pair perfectly with standard cabinets. Open shelving is an option that blends with multiple styles and sizes.
What Are The Benefits Of Open Shelving?
Not only are they a beautiful option in the kitchen, but open shelving comes with several benefits that make it a viable choice when planning your renovation. Some of them include:
- Increased Storage
- Fits awkward layouts
- Small looks bigger
- Easy maintenance
- Budget friendly
Opening shelving increases storage because, while cabinets can store items, they can also tend to be messy and disorganized. Include glass jars and even baskets that will look good on the shelf, keep everything in its place, and give you the needed storage. Sometimes a kitchen layout can be awkward, making it difficult to maximize space, but shelving can help accomplish this goal. They can go in places cabinets cannot, such as above sinks and narrow areas. Open shelving brings an added benefit to smaller spaces because it gives the illusion of being bigger. Closed cabinets can make an area feel cramped, but shelves allow more of the kitchen to be seen, making the area feel larger.
If you need to clean out the cabinets, you know it means taking everything out and wiping the inside and outside of them, but shelves are super easy. Just a simple swipe takes care of it all. Opening shelving is considered budget-friendly since it uses less material, helping you to get the kitchen you need on the budget you set. Learn a few more of the reasons this option brings to you here. The benefits of open shelving are many and can be a great choice for your new kitchen design.
Design Tips For Open Shelving
Open shelving is a unique design style and one that requires different planning than standard cabinets. Careful thought should be applied when designing the layout and shelving. Here are a few things to consider when starting your renovation.
- Varying lengths: By choosing to have shelves of different lengths, you can create visual interest in your kitchen. This also allows the shelves to fit into small or tighter areas of the kitchen and accommodate a variety of items.
- Contrast: Two-toned is a popular design element in kitchens. It can be carried into open shelving by having it painted or stained a contrasting color to the rest of the kitchen.
- Artwork: Open shelving is not only functional but also a great way to add art to your kitchen. Consider using a live edge for the shelf or a bold color.
- Depth: By making them thicker, they can stand out more
- Pairing: Open shelving works well as a complement to standard cabinets or can stand alone in place of upper cabinets altogether.
- Backsplash: Since backsplashes are placed against the wall, it is important to consider what will be there, such as a nice wall color or backsplash that goes from counter to ceiling. The results are always stunning.
Open shelving can add a fresh look to your kitchen and help it stand apart from other designs. Our designers are experienced and able to help you create a layout and design that reflects your style and suits your unique needs. Grab a few more design tips here.
When To Not Have Open Shelving
While it is a popular design trend for many homeowners, there are times when open shelving may not be the best option for your kitchen. Here are a few reasons:
- Everyone can see: Open shelving makes an area feel more airy and allows all your items to be seen. If you have a lot of mismatched dishes or you would prefer for your friends to see every dish you own, you might want to at least limit the open shelves you have. You can always include some floating shelves instead.
- Keeping it clean: When it comes to open shelving, you can’t just stuff it and forget it. This choice requires you to keep things a bit tidier. While boxes and canisters can help, if you don’t want to always have to make sure it looks presentable, you might want to opt out of this choice.
- Clutter: Open shelving makes things accessible, but it also means that there is a tendency to place more than is necessary on a shelf, which can make the space look cluttered.
The decision is up to you; we encourage you to look at inspiration boards, consider your needs in the kitchen, and what will work best for your space.
Since the invention of the light bulb, we have been able to brighten up our homes at any time of day. It has been great to eliminate shadows in areas where there are limited windows or even none at all, and allowed us to achieve more in a 24-hour period. Light fixtures have also developed from being just a practical tool into works of art, giving homeowners the chance to express themselves and add a touch of elegance to any room. Changing out a light fixture can completely alter or transform a room, and with so many sizes and styles, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. As we approach the close of another year, new home lighting trends for 2022 could provide helpful information for selecting your next light fixture that will perfectly illuminate your home.
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Walker Woodworking Is Biophilia Design For You? We love the looks nature inspires, which is why we have multiple products available for you to browse inside our showroom. From unique artwork to furniture pieces, we invite you to visit us and spend time browsing our 5,000 square foot showroom located in charming Uptown Shelby and find the inspiration you’ve been looking for to create the perfect environment in your home.
The world of design draws on multiple elements to create the perfect space for homeowners, a place that represents them and their particular style. Color plays a vital role in the design process, and its effects go beyond just adding a splash to the room. Color can affect our mood, communicate a message, lessen eye strain, and even play a part in remembering certain events. It also has the ability to influence the size of a room with certain colors, causing the area to feel larger, while other shades create a more intimate feel. Color selection can be a fun and rewarding process, plus it provides you with a great way to tell your story. More homeowners are discovering the beauty of contrasting colors, and this choice is gaining popularity in the design world. From two-toned kitchens to opposites in cabinets and tile, contrasting colors can spice up your design and make a stunning statement. Let’s explore more about what contrasting colors are and how they can help you tell your story.
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