Types and features of placing open shelves in the kitchen

The interiors of modern kitchens are equipped with different components of furniture sets. Among the available variety, it is worth highlighting the rather popular options for open shelves, which are notable for their visual appeal and functionality.

Such elements of kitchen furniture have positive and negative features. The advantages of open shelves include the following.

• The presence of such furniture brings additional notes of comfort to the atmosphere of the room. That is why kitchen sets with such filling are in demand.
• Shelves without doors make it easier to access the objects, things, products on them. Which speaks about their functionality.
• The design of the kitchen with lower and upper open shelves allows you to visually expand the area of ​​the room, which will be relevant for small-sized kitchens. The installation of such elements will not burden the space.
• Thanks to the placement of open shelves in the kitchen, it will be possible to avoid storing unnecessary things in everyday life, which very often take up a lot of space in closed cabinets, and are not used at all in the cooking process.
• Very often, similar elements are found in modern furniture options, which allows you to equip the kitchen, adhering to the latest fashion trends.
• The cost of such shelves will be lower than products for the manufacture of which a large number of materials and components are used for the operation of the doors.
• Even on small shelves, the main things or products used will be visible and close at hand, which will eliminate the need to search for the necessary items.
• Open shelves can be used in the kitchen not only as a functional piece of furniture, but also for placing decor items, which is not possible in closed varieties.
• In kitchens with limited area, choosing this option of furniture, you can save useful meters of space due to the absence of the need for installation with the calculation of the area that will be used to open the doors.
• Shelves without doors can be harmoniously combined with cabinets or pencil cases of different decor and functionality. Therefore, they can be classified as a versatile kitchen furniture category.

Among the disadvantages of open shelves are such points.

• They stand out in less spaciousness in comparison with closed wall cabinet options.
• If you need to store unattractive or bulky items, shelves of this type will be less functional. For such purposes, it would be more correct to use closed-type options.
• Open shelves will require special attention to cleanliness. Such elements of the headset will need to be cleaned of dust and other dirt more often, which may be inconvenient for some owners. This is especially true for elements placed above the stove, where the placed objects will be more quickly covered with splashes from the cooking dishes.
• Unattractive dishes cannot be stored on open shelves, since their presence will negatively affect the interior of the kitchen.

Open shelves are classified by kitchen furniture manufacturers based on different criteria. First of all, this concerns the materials used for the manufacture of products. So, today shelves of this type are made from:

• wood;
• glass;
• metal;
• plastic;
• MDF;
• Chipboard.

Wooden products belong to the category of the most expensive products, however, in terms of operation, such options are not always practical. Glass products stand out for their presentability and ease of care.

According to the mounting option and configuration, open shelves are as follows.

The most popular option for open-type structures. Their installation is carried out directly to the walls in the room, without the use of additional fasteners or systems. These shelves can be used at the bottom of the kitchen unit, in the middle or at the top. Products are distinguished by a variety of colors, can be made from different materials, and have a different surface texture. Standard shelves are suitable for rooms in any stylistic solution.

Most often, this option is chosen for rooms with a non-standard or complex layout. This applies to kitchens with niches and other designs. Built-in open shelves in the recessed areas look stylish and attractive, and help to smooth out architectural imperfections, making the most of them.

Quite a difficult solution for arranging a kitchen room, especially from the point of view of filling the free area. This option will be in demand for spacious rooms.

This option differs from a standard pencil case in that it will not have a back wall and sashes. The design is as open and airy as possible.Open shelves in this style stand out for their affordable cost, since the main costs related to fastening systems and facades, in this case, will not be relevant for the manufacturer. A positive feature of such furniture is the possibility of using structures for stationary placement on the floor or by means of fastening, as the upper tier of the headset. The sizes of these shelves can be different, depending on the preferences of consumers and the style of the kitchen.

Decisions regarding the appropriateness of open shelves directly depend on the material used to make the furniture. As for wooden options, they will be appropriate in classic interiors, as well as in rustic styles - Provence, country, Scandinavian, etc. Metal shelves are usually used in high-tech, loft or fusion kitchens.

The layout and placement of furniture will depend on the area and layout of the kitchen. Also, the placement of open shelves will depend on their functional purpose and the personal preferences of the owner of the kitchen. As for the elements on which it is planned to store decor items, it is best to use several small elements placed in the corner or in the area of ​​the window opening. Also, for storing decorative items, you can fix an open shelf above the entrance to the kitchen on one or both sides. Placement near hobs or stoves should be discarded.

In the case of storage on open surfaces of dishes, spices and other frequently used items necessary for daily use, placement options should be based on the convenience of their access for a person without unnecessary movements. Therefore, most often, such structures will be located in the area of ​​a working kitchen apron or a dining area. The height of the attachment is selected individually according to the height of the hostess and other family members.

If open shelves will act as the main or the only structures of the upper tier of the headset, then it is recommended to fix them on both sides of the slab at the level of the hood. They can also be placed on either side of the kitchen sink. If the sink is near the window, the installation of shelves on both sides at different heights will make the interior of the room interesting and functional. Shallow shelves can be combined with wall-mounted blind cabinets of the suspended type. They can act as a full-fledged continuation of the upper tier if you attach an open shelf at the top of the cabinet or below under the bottom.

Even those shelves that are made of bright materials will need additional decor. You can complement the decoration of the kitchen with cookbooks, standing together with dishes or figurines. It will also be possible to transform them by the presence of decorative utensils, which can be stored together with ordinary utensils. Light white or dark wooden shelves can be decorated with placed vases with natural or artificial flowers, decorative small towels with a beautiful edge that will partially fall off. Candles in candelabra, clocks, boxes, wicker baskets will be appropriate in every kitchen, such additions will make the room more comfortable, in addition, will add laconicism to the interior. Such an original kitchen will be tastefully furnished and decorated.

You can find out about the advantages and disadvantages of open shelves in the kitchen by watching the video below.