Seriously, what is up with open kitchen shelving?

[Anonymous]

I just do not see the appeal of open kitchen shelves, yet they seem to be a new hot thing in kitchen design. Why? Does everyone else just keep their shit a lot more orderly than I do or have nicer dishes? I expect to see this in tiny apartment kitchens, but it's now all over the design blogs with precisely stacked, white dishes, which seems quite unrealistic to me unless your kitchen is only for show. I don't even much care for glass doors, TBH.

(Also, none of these people have cats who would see open shelving as a great place to lounge? Ours have no interest in our kitchen currently and we've never had to deal with cats trying to get on counters/tables... but I can totally see them considering open shelving to be installed purely for their enjoyment.)

So, does anyone really have this and how do you keep it looking decent? Does it get super dusty around stuff you don't use every day?

[Anonymous]

I don't like them. Who wants dusty dishes? I just had a new house built and stayed away from that design. I think it looks good in magazines but not functional in real life.

[Anonymous]

Blame Joanna Gaines, and normal people agree with you: No one wants open shelving.

[Anonymous]

I agree OP. I can't see it looking good in my house for more than the first day. It's a ridiculous trend.

[Anonymous]

100% agree

[Anonymous]

We have open shelves in our cabin kitchen. It looks rustic and is quite functional. Items on the upper shelves do tend to get greasy and dusty but I just wash them occasionally. The dishes themselves don't get dusty because they are used all the time. We have crackers and cereal in nice glass canisters and it looks great.

[Anonymous]

Agree. There is nothing grosser than that film of dust and grease that gets on any dishware that isn't used frequently. And unless you have the most minimalist, clutter-free, monochromatic plate/glassware arrangement it just looks busy and ticky-tacky (sometimes even if the home magazine spreads).

[Anonymous]

I had them in my first house and they were such a mess.

Everything got so greasy!

I hate when I see them on Hgtv and I know people are just cheaping out when they do it.

[Anonymous]

I had open shelving out of necessity in a small condo-it was awful! While I was able to keep my shelves “curated”, I had to wash a wine glass or bowl every time I wanted to use it because of the dust! I think they are popular because it is cheaper than a cabinet, minimalism is waning and maximalist is back, and they give you an opportunity to show off the wall covering which is sometimes elaborate tile or marble.

[Anonymous]

The open shelving trend is over, rejoice!

[Anonymous]

I think a couple look nice but more than that it's terribly inconvenient.

[Anonymous]

I recently saw Goldie dancing vedio and she had one of those I was a little

[Anonymous]

Agree. I don’t need the world seeing all my wares. Maybe one with glass but the rest of the cabinets are closed!

[Anonymous]

I like open shelving and do not find them cluttered. In addition to everyday dishes, I also like storing our Le Creuset (which are frequently used) there, as well as a bunch of pantry items -- bins of baking ingredients, spices, etc. We also store cookbooks and some liquor and wine on our open shelves.

I think some people find this "messy" because you can see some of our things. But I actually find it tidier because I can see things, and since they are displayed it incentivizes us to keep them organized. Plus it allows us to keep things we use all the time in very handy, obvious places (also nice for guests) without cluttering up the counter.

I do agree you need some cabinets with doors and that you don't want open shelving right near the stove top because of grease. But I think they are actually quite practical and when done right, can look great. It is an easy way to add visual interest to a room that can otherwise just be walls of cabinet fronts. We also do some plants on them which I love.

[Anonymous]

Stupidest trend.