Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Shelving and Upper Kitchen Cabinets
To go open-shelved or not to go open-shelved: that is the question. With that in mind, this is quite a difficult decision to make. Both open shelving and upper kitchen cabinets have their advantages – but they also have their disadvantages. It all depends on the look that you are planning to achieve, as well as your level of convenience.
Going for Open Shelving
Adding open shelves on our kitchen walls has become quite a popular trend nowadays, and people prefer it instead of the traditional cabinets. Why, you may ask? Well, because since there will no longer be any doors to those shelves, the kitchen will automatically look bigger. That being said, it gives off the sensation of extra space and you will have enough space to prop your essentials.
Moreover, placing your everyday kitchen items into storage (e.g. plates, cookware, basics, etc.) automatically becomes a much easier process. You do not have to open any doors – which can be very time consuming – particularly when your hands are full.
Furthermore, this type of kitchen furniture allows you to put your fancier items on display. If you have any beautiful plates that you wish to make visible, some ornamental bottles or clear jars – in other words, items that tell a story – you will be able to show them off. This way, they will not be hidden by cabinet doors.
The only issue here is that while it gives off the impression of space, it will also make the space look busier. This is particularly the case if you tend to stash many items on those shelves, and things get fairly crowded. Plus, if the items you placed on the shelves are unattractive or not matching, it can also give the impression of clutter.
One piece of advice is to go for open shelving only if you have aesthetic kitchen items to show off – or only if you tried closed cabinets and it seems like they were not your style.
The Classic Upper Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets have been, are, and will likely still be present in most modern kitchens. Not only do they provide plenty of storage space, but they also offer that clean and refined look, with everything nice and in order – even if everything is a complete mess behind closed doors.
Depending on the style of the cabinet, as well as the hardware that has been used, the cabinets can conform to the more traditional, minimal tastes. This is a great option if what you have in mind is a more cohesive, specific look.
In the end, if your life if fairly busy and you barely have enough time to clean as it is, then a cabinet might hide the clutter happening in them. It can also hide those dishes that you have not had the time yet to place in a straight manner. The kitchen will look nice and tidy – at least for anyone that doesn’t know better.
The only disadvantage to using these kinds of cabinets is that, whether we like it or not, they tend to use quite a lot of space. Depending on the color that you use, they may make the kitchen look darker, smaller – and overall very cramped.
Cabinets can also be fairly expensive in comparison to shelves – so if you are on a relatively tight budget, they might not be a good option for you. Plus, since they have a minimalistic design, they also tend to express no personality – particularly if you weren’t the one to choose them.
However, they can be customized much easier compared to shelves. You can paint on them, accessorize them, or turn them into pieces of art – something that you could not easily do with shelves.
Final Thoughts
Making the choice is not a matter of “which is the better general option,” but of “which is the better general option for me.” Some people – particularly the organized ones with a smaller kitchen – might find a lot of use in open shelves. On the other hand, others with larger kitchens and no time to clean might be better suited for cabinets. It is all a matter of personal preferences, habits, and available space.