Kitchen Guides
Open Storage vs Closed Storage: Which is Better for Your Kitchen?
Wondering whether to opt for open shelves or cabinets for your kitchen? Seek answers in this guide
It’s a question on the lips of many a design maven: open shelves or enclosed cabinets for the kitchen, which shall it be? While open shelving can make for a sleek, sophisticated display, it requires an organised approach to keep it looking presentable. Kitchen cabinets, on the other hand, are safe bets if you have a tendency for clutter, providing a concealed storage haven well out of view. If you’re confused between the two for your upper kitchen storage, this guide should help you decide what’s best for you.
Pros
- Channels a chic, trendy vibe and makes for a welcome showcase for pretty crockery and china.
- Capable of blending into any decor scheme, from minimalist and contemporary to classic and eclectic.
- Doesn’t require much physical space, making it ideal for small and light-starved kitchens.
- Allows for easy reach and recall of daily-use items, tools and ingredients.
- With a far lower price tag (thanks to fewer materials and easier installation) than enclosed cabinets, open shelving can save you a great deal of money.
- With fewer doors to obstruct light, this system can boost luminosity and make your kitchen feel more expansive.
- You can go half and half by opting for a combination of open shelving and cabinets. This will allow you to stash unsightly items behind closed doors and display only the cream of your collection.
Cons
- Items are out in the open, for everyone to see, making it important for you to stay hyper-organised with your visual display (adieu, cracked dishes, chipped bowls and mismatched china).
- In the same vein, open shelving is not the best idea if you’re not naturally a neat and tidy person (an open display of multiple things can hamper your aesthetic rather than augment it).
- Heat from appliances can cause dirt and grime in the air to bind to exposed surfaces, including plates, glasses and shelves, especially in Indian kitchens. Therefore, exposed items will require regular cleaning and maintenance (commonly used items may be an exception to this rule as they are used, cleaned and stowed back more frequently).
Closed storage
Standard upper cabinets offer privacy in kitchen storage, allowing you to maintain a little clutter away from prying eyes.
Pros
Standard upper cabinets offer privacy in kitchen storage, allowing you to maintain a little clutter away from prying eyes.
Pros
- Provides ample storage while projecting a clean and composed aesthetic.
- Hardware such as pulls and knobs can be tailored to suit a range of tastes and aesthetics, from contemporary to traditional, minimalist to eclectic.
- Gives plenty of leeway for clutter and disarray.
Cons
- Swallows space and light, making the kitchen appear smaller.
- Cabinets that touch the ceiling are generally more expensive than shelves or wall finishes.
- As closed storage devices, cabinets can channel less of your personality than open shelving.
Other options
Shallow cabinets
A great way to balance the benefits of open and closed storage is to go for shallow upper cabinets. While standard cabinets measure about 12 inches deep, consider trimming the depth of yours to 10 inches or less. Shallow cabinets are perfect for single-row storage.
Shallow cabinets
A great way to balance the benefits of open and closed storage is to go for shallow upper cabinets. While standard cabinets measure about 12 inches deep, consider trimming the depth of yours to 10 inches or less. Shallow cabinets are perfect for single-row storage.
Floating cabinets
If you’ve got your heart set on upper cabinets but crave visual space, consider floating uppers. A compact module of upper cabinets will not only cost you less, but also give you a sleek yet generous storage solution.
If you’ve got your heart set on upper cabinets but crave visual space, consider floating uppers. A compact module of upper cabinets will not only cost you less, but also give you a sleek yet generous storage solution.
Frosted glass doors
Frosted glass doors straddle the line between open and closed storage, giving you the best of both worlds. These are an economical way to upgrade your existing storage. Simply replace your cabinet doors with frosted glass for a stylish look that gives you maximum bang for your buck.
Tip: Place pretty dishes and glasses towards the front of your shelf and your more mundane items towards the back.
Frosted glass doors straddle the line between open and closed storage, giving you the best of both worlds. These are an economical way to upgrade your existing storage. Simply replace your cabinet doors with frosted glass for a stylish look that gives you maximum bang for your buck.
Tip: Place pretty dishes and glasses towards the front of your shelf and your more mundane items towards the back.
High cabinets
The traditional rule book suggests that upper cabinets should ideally be placed 18 inches above the counter. However, by maintaining a greater distance, of 21 to 24 inches or more, you can visually open up your kitchen. While this system provides less easy-access storage space, it is suited for storing occasional-use items such as expensive porcelain, china and other crockery.
The traditional rule book suggests that upper cabinets should ideally be placed 18 inches above the counter. However, by maintaining a greater distance, of 21 to 24 inches or more, you can visually open up your kitchen. While this system provides less easy-access storage space, it is suited for storing occasional-use items such as expensive porcelain, china and other crockery.
Simple floating shelf
A single floating shelf can be an unfussy addition to your wall, offering the perfect platform for curated essentials and ingredients. Consider installing a shelf against your backsplash and spruce it up with undermount lighting to round off your aesthetic.
A single floating shelf can be an unfussy addition to your wall, offering the perfect platform for curated essentials and ingredients. Consider installing a shelf against your backsplash and spruce it up with undermount lighting to round off your aesthetic.
No upper cabinets
If you’re one for minimalism, why not go all the way and rule out upper storage altogether? Instead, opt for clean, uncluttered walls that unlock precious channels of negative space. You’ll be left with a brighter, airier kitchen, with a spare wall to accommodate artwork, statement lighting, a beautiful backsplash or nothing at all. Of course, by eliminating upper cabinets completely, you may be left with insufficient storage space, so it’s best to decide beforehand whether your lower cabinets alone will suffice for storage.
If you’re one for minimalism, why not go all the way and rule out upper storage altogether? Instead, opt for clean, uncluttered walls that unlock precious channels of negative space. You’ll be left with a brighter, airier kitchen, with a spare wall to accommodate artwork, statement lighting, a beautiful backsplash or nothing at all. Of course, by eliminating upper cabinets completely, you may be left with insufficient storage space, so it’s best to decide beforehand whether your lower cabinets alone will suffice for storage.
The final verdict
There are no rules when it comes to kitchen storage. The best storage system is one that’s tailored to your layout, needs and requirements. If you’re torn between storage systems, mix and match a little of each to build a scheme that speaks to you.
There are no rules when it comes to kitchen storage. The best storage system is one that’s tailored to your layout, needs and requirements. If you’re torn between storage systems, mix and match a little of each to build a scheme that speaks to you.
Read more:
5 Mistakes to Avoid While Designing Your Modular Kitchen
How to Design an Ergonomic Kitchen
Tell us:
Which one has your vote – open shelves or kitchen cabinets? Tell us in Comments below.
5 Mistakes to Avoid While Designing Your Modular Kitchen
How to Design an Ergonomic Kitchen
Tell us:
Which one has your vote – open shelves or kitchen cabinets? Tell us in Comments below.
Open shelving is all the rage in contemporary kitchen design. However, as an exposed storage system, it requires meticulous organisation and curation. The system is well suited for two types of items: daily-use products (like plates, glasses and bowls) and decorative kitchen curios. In the former case, having your daily wares within easy reach makes great ergonomic sense. And since these items move through a regular use-and-wash cycle, you are saved the hassle of maintaining a separate cleaning routine. In the case of decorative items, however, since these pieces are seldom used, you may have to follow a cleaning and dusting regime as you would with any other display surface.
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