Open shelving is one of those evergreen features that can dot the i’s and cross the t’s in the kitchen design.
Not only does open shelving aesthetic and functional, but it also provides more space for our room. It’s a brilliant solution for those who struggle with small kitchens and lots of dishes/utensils. Speaking of these two, open shelving provides you with an outstanding opportunity to show off with your porcelain collection, be it plates, mugs, bowls, or other equipment you can consider worth displaying.
I am going to show you the list of 29 fabulous kitchens with open shelving that may inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and incorporate a couple of such items in your own cooking empire.
This kitchen has two types of floors, one of which is wooden, and the other one is mosaic tile with a monochromatic color scheme. The dark hardwood part matches the depth of the concrete island with two metal-and-wood bar stools, while the tiled section pairs particularly well with the color of cabinets, backsplash, and the outstanding set of open shelves that displays a collection of white, glossy dishes.
A Scandinavian kitchen with farmhouse accents. White furniture matches the open shelving and the backsplash. The stainless steel gas cooktop serves as a natural divider between the two prep stations. Actually, the whole set of appliances is made of stainless steel, which gives us the impression of unity in this room. The white island with a marble countertop is a focal point in this area and, like the other pieces of the kitchen’s furniture is painted white. In addition, it accommodates two fancy modern bar chairs with a distinctive red hue.
You can literally feel the warmth of the kitchen thanks to the reclaimed wood furniture incorporated into its layout. The kitchen’s space is very well thought and used; you can tell it by simply looking at all these dishes and cookware accommodated on both the gargantuan set of wooden open shelves and the rack above the stainless steel cooktop. The room is kept in a traditional design, which is underlined by the vintage candle chandelier and brick-like tile flooring.
Another example of a neat kitchen with bright, natural colors. Neutrals make a perfect environment for adding several accent pieces without disturbing the overall peace and harmony of the room. In this case, the accents are embodied in the wicker baskets and the window blinder.
Two sets of open shelves finished with the stainless steel. The shelves are placed symmetrically and are separated by four windows, two of which are decorated with a stained glass work. The background for the open shelving is made of a white, glossy tile backsplash that stays in stark contrast to the steel countertop and metal handles in the white cabinets.
This is a textbook example of how you should mix materials in your kitchen design. There is marble, wood, concrete, stainless steel, and all of them make perfect sense when juxtaposed with one another, let alone the plants (one on the long wooden table and one on the open shelf) that breath life into the kitchen’s space. Marble countertops seem to make one piece with the white tile backsplash. You can see that the open shelving was used not only for plates and other dishes but also for books, presumably ones with recipes.
As I’ve mentioned before, neutral colors give you the ideal opportunity to play with bolder pieces. While several pictures above you could experience the little use of such design conditions, this picture gives us a better insight in playing with accents. For example, we have two industrial pendant lamps with large glossy green lampshades that go very well with the floral arrangements and fruits on the table. On the other hand, there are decorative yellow bowls on the upper shelves of the open shelving system – and every piece is placed in such an order that things couldn’t have gone better.
A contemporary kitchen with hardwood floor, a wooden island with storage, and concrete countertops. The kitchen is illuminated with halogens, and there’s also much natural light in the area, thanks to the almost floor-to-ceiling windows with thick black frames. The open shelving in the back of the kitchen accommodates several sets of various dishes.
This kitchen can strike one’s eyes with a huge dose of eclectism; used-wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, a tile backsplash, dark wood open shelving, a large clock with mismatched digits, they are all here. And yet, despite the appearance of so many different items in one, small place, this kitchen looks so inviting that you immediately start dreaming about grabbing some skillets and create some culinary art.
A small Scandinavian L-shaped kitchen with a gray, monochromatic floor decorated with a bright, striped throw rug. The place saves much space thanks to the wooden open shelving and built-in appliances. The shelves resemble the texture of natural, unfinished wood. Again, the window serves as a natural separator, and its wicker shutter looks like it was one with the open shelving.
Another compact L-shaped kitchen with open shelving to save even more space for your cooking nest. These wooden shelves are attached to the wall with black handles and are also kept in an L-shaped manner to accompany the kitchen’s layout. Wooden accents, along with plant pots, fruits, and floral arrangements, are the reason why there is no need for extra flamboyant features in this kitchen. The basic, simple decor does the trick.
A high-ceiling kitchen with exposed wooden beams to add some Scandinavian/farmhouse touch to the kitchen’s design. The rustic vibe is underlined by the view on the outdoors from the open windows – least to say, it’s breathtaking. The kitchen is L-shaped and accommodates a cubic island with a concrete gray countertop, under which there are three wooden bar stools with a cotton fabric on their seats.
One of many things you can’t deny is that this kitchen looks original. It’s a mix of a traditional and industrial design. Built-in cabinets and open shelving are where the storage is displayed at its fullest. Not only are there dishes, bowls, and some cookware, but there are also pictures and decorative lamps there. So once again, it’s a proof that you can put literally everything on the open shelving, as long as it’s cohesive with your kitchen’s design. Oh, and don’t forget to spend a couple of seconds marveling at this outstanding island with willow-green cabinets and granite surfaces with a grunge theme.
A contemporary one-side galley kitchen with built-in flat cabinets and open shelving. The large wooden table is a simple yet noticeable focal point, to which the owner added four mismatched chairs. The paint of chairs is no coincidence; the red one matches the color of roses, the purple chair accents the colorful glassware on the open shelving, and the wooden ones are an addition to the countertop’s surface.
A contemporary kitchen with a set of hanging open shelving, four pendant lights, modern metal bar stools, and wooden table in the corner. The concrete floor accents the design of walls, and the green is a feature color used for decor (see the glassware on the open shelving, as well as the bowl with apples and the table’s legs.
In most pictures in this gallery, you’ve seen tile backsplashes. How about a wooden one for a change? It gives the room more natural look, especially when combined with the wooden countertop and open shelves that accommodate several sets of colorful plates and cups.
Now we’re on the other bank of the river. It’s a contemporary g-shaped kitchen with glossy countertops, two metal pendant lights, and matching stainless steel appliances. The cabinets, in turn, are made of dark-gray wood to make the room more contrasted and eye-pleasing. Last but not least, wood equals elegance, and this kitchen is no different.
As you can see in this picture, open shelving does not necessarily have to be located in the upper section of a kitchen. In this room, we have some open shelving mixed with flat-wood cabinets. Some space serves utilitarian purposes, while other parts of the room, especially those near the ceiling, accommodate decorative pieces. Although wood is the main theme in this g-shaped kitchen, the concrete countertop’s surface is here to bring some pizzazz to the interior.
A galley kitchen with tall cabinets on the left and open shelving on the right. There is a wine cooler under the metal staircase, should a sudden need for a booze kick in. The cooler is an extension to the steel countertop with a double sink in the center. You can see that the kitchen is a part of an open-floor layout, whose second part consists of a living and dining section. The whole room is illuminated with halogen LED lights to provide the best lighting possible in conjunction with white kitchen cabinets.
A mid-century kitchen with wooden cabinets, steel appliances, table, and two chairs with plait seats. The kitchen may look small at first glance, but the owner of this home took care of maximizing its potential by incorporating the open shelving and built-in amenities into the layout.
Just look at this high-ceiling industrial kitchen! The left wall is devoted to the major storage; then, yu can see a large exposed brick feature wall with the almost full-length open shelving. There is plenty of unused storage under the steel island. The island has also a countertop extension to host four industrial rotary bar stools. Although I could write an epic poem about each of the kitchen’s elements, it is the ceiling with exposed wooden beams and dim skylight that deserves the greatest respect.
A one-sided galley kitchen with steel amenities, concrete countertop, and metal-and-leather bar stools. The kitchen leads to the balcony entrance that limits its space due to the specific layout of the room. Have no fear, though, as you can still accommodate some cookware and dishes here. All you need is a capacious set of open shelving and a pot rack for all the needed cookware. The white backsplash contrasts the concrete countertop. As for the kitchen surfaces, they match the gray color of walls around the balcony entrance. Also, the two patterned throw rugs bring a touch of coziness to the area.
This traditional kitchen uses wood as a framework for the walls’ design, along with the corner open shelving, windows between them, and lower cabinets. The cabinets are broken by the marble sink, which is one of many distinctive elements in this room. Others are the large range hood, the arborescent metal chandelier, and a kitchen island with a wooden frame and granite countertop.
It’s not usual to see a kitchen like this. It’s naturally separated by a dividing wall, next to which stands a small wooden island with two metal bar stools. The reverse side of the dividing wall is decorated with a photo gallery. If you draw your eyes to the right section of this kitchen, you will notice a comfortable sofa. In the central part of the right section, there is a built-in open shelving attached to the backsplash, along with two pairs of built-in lower cabinets. Let’s move on to the area on our left; it’s where all the major storage is located. Again, we have multiple lower and upper cabinets with built-in appliances, such as a wine cooler and two ovens. The kitchen is painted in neutral hues, thanks to which the open shelving and the island can be kept in a dark brown color to bring some nature into the area and to make a slight statement.
Remember the rule of three? Its principle is to keep your accent pieces in threes so that you can have both strong feature items and maintain order in your home. You will immediately notice three open shelves on the range hood’s left, and three on its right. Furthermore, there are three pieces of appliances next to the island. Well, speaking of the island, there is one chair next to the vase with flowers and… three more along its length.
If you are going to incorporate some really impressive items your kitchen, make sure that, for the sake of balance, you should keep other things smaller. As for this kitchen, the fridge, the range, the cooktop and the island are the big players. On the other hand, the open shelving is rather compact and its purpose is to store only the minor equipment on its surface. Pendant lights are layered with halogens to ensure the proper illumination throughout the room, not to mention that they look pretty awesome.
The wood and concrete of the island match the lower cabinets and countertop of the kitchen. Above the sink, you will spot the open shelving with an almost overwhelming number of dishes. What makes this open shelving unique, is the under-cabinet lighting under its surface. The lighting is enhanced by the glossy finishes of both the countertop, backsplash, and range hood. The fact that there are windows in the kitchen’s corner, provides the owner with a clear vision of what’s going on at the food-prep station, not to mention that there’s nothing more energizing than a nice portion of natural light.