Maybe you’ve got kitchen envy from all the gorgeous open shelving photos you see in your feed daily or have been wanting open shelving for some time. But you’re not a hundred percent that you can make open shelving work in your kitchen. If you’re looking to incorporate open shelves in your kitchen, here are solid tips and tricks for styling practical and Instagram-worthy open shelving.
Look for Harmonious or Contrasting Color Connections
Take a step back and check out what colors are already in your kitchen. Do you see a thread of specific colors anywhere? The hues of fruits, plants, veggies, cups, and even cookbook spines could all be a part of your open shelving’s color palette. You can also go along with your kitchen’s color scheme.
Create Stations
Consider common kitchen tasks such as making coffee, blending smoothies, or baking, when thinking of what to put on your open shelving and group items to create separate working stations. Besides being convenient, think of the visual appeal these stations could provide as well.
Also, consider which items you use every day and place them on the bottom shelves. This is an excellent spot for your favorites mugs and cups, everyday bowls and plates, and wine glasses. Just take care not to overdo it because no one really uses 18 wine glasses or mugs all day.
Choose What You Want to Display
Ideally, your kitchen will have closed cabinets and open shelving, so you can keep eyesores inside the cabinets. Keep this in mind when selecting items to display on the open shelves. Consider displaying matching glassware and dishes or items with coordinating or contrasting colors.
Put away one-offs that stick out, part souvenir or free mugs, items with dangling electrical cords, and kitchen tools you don’t regularly. These items must go inside drawers, cupboards, and cabinets, not on display.
Consider Aesthetically Pleasing Storage Containers
It’s convenient to place your regularly used dry goods on open shelving. On the other hand, commercial packaging doesn’t look good and usually look messy. Tidy stuff up and keep your dry goods fresh for longer by getting rid of their original packaging and decanting them into airtight and durable storage containers.
Even seemingly plain-looking rice, flour, and oats could look somewhat artsy in glass containers lining your shelves. You can also do this for your hatch red chile powder, basil, turmeric, and other herbs and spices you use frequently.
Think Vertical
Make your arrangements visually appealing by piling and stacking small items. Saucers and teacups look more interesting when arranged in tipsy stacks instead of or straight columns. You can likewise consider stacking bowls on top of plates, utensils in a beautiful vase or jar, and smaller platters atop bigger platters.
Now that you’ve got your open shelving styling right, you have to keep it uniform and clean. When you see your shelves looking crowded, remove some things and remember that every item you place on the shelves must serve a purpose, whether for functional or aesthetic reasons, or both.
