Tips for Styling Open Kitchen Shelving

Open shelving in the kitchen has been popular for a couple years now and although it may look great looking through pinterest photos, it is sometimes harder to achieve in real life. That being said, we have put some tips together to help you get that stylish open shelving look you were going for:

Repetition

The biggest mistake in styling open shelving, is looking overly cluttered. The trick in avoiding a cluttered mess is repetition. Repeating elements in either finish or in the items themselves helps narrow down the amount of items on your shelves and gives a more uniform, less cluttered look. Try pulling the color of your cabinets into items on your shelves or using clear glass to create a minimal look.

Vary Your Heights

Have you ever seen those displays where it row after row of the same thing? Talk about boring! Your shelves are a feature, so make it that way by varying the heights of your items and adding some interest. You can also layer dishes and other items to add depth to your shelves and give it that extra umph!

Incorporate Art & Unique Pieces

Let’s be honest, open shelves are mainly for aesthetic reasons. So create that feature by changing things up and adding art pieces or other interesting pieces to showcase and create an interesting display. Adding art also helps with layering and adds an extra dimension to your shelves.

Balance the Essentials

Although we love the open shelf look, open shelving is not always the most practical thing in your kitchen. The trick is balancing useful vs. aesthetic. While you may not want to display your mismatched and chipped dishes, here are some items that are great to include in your open shelving display without sacrificing the look: cookbooks, spices, dishes. That being said, you have to remember not to overdo it. Maintain a decluttered look but only putting out your favourites and your most used, everyday items, while putting your less-used items away from prying eyes.