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 quite popular options for open shelves, which are notable for their external attractiveness and functionality.

Positive and negative features are inherent in similar elements of kitchen furniture. The advantages of open shelves include the following.

• The presence of such furniture brings to the atmosphere of the room additional notes of comfort. That is why kitchen sets with similar filling are in demand.
• Shelves without doors facilitate access to objects, things, and products on them. That talks 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 kitchens. 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 in closed cabinets very often take up a lot of space, but are not used at all in the cooking process.
• Very often, these elements are found in modern versions of furniture, 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 for the operation of the shutters are used.
• Even on small shelves, the main items or products used will be visible, at hand, which eliminates the need to search for the right items.
• It will be possible to use open shelves in the kitchen not only as a functional element of furniture, but also for placing decor items, which is not possible in closed varieties.
• In kitchens cramped by area, choosing this type of furniture can save valuable floor space due to the lack of 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 different cabinets or cases with different decor and functionality. Therefore, they can be attributed to the universal category of furniture for the kitchen.

Among the minuses of open shelves, it is worth noting such moments.

• They stand out for less capacity in comparison with closed versions of wall cabinets.
• If it is necessary to store unattractive or bulky items, shelves of this type will be less functional. For such purposes, it will be more correct to use closed-type options.
• Open shelves will require particular attention to cleanliness. Such elements of the headset will need to be cleaned of dust and other contaminants more often, which may be inconvenient for some owners. This is especially true for elements placed above the stove, where the objects located will be faster covered by spray from the prepared dishes.
• Unattractive dishes cannot be stored on open racks, since their presence will adversely affect the interior of the kitchen.

Open shelves are classified by kitchen furniture manufacturers, taking into account different criteria. This primarily concerns the materials used for the manufacture of products. So, today, shelves of this type are made of:

• a tree;
• 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, as well as ease of maintenance.

According to the type of fastening and configuration, open shelves are such.

The most popular version of open type designs. Their installation is carried out directly to the walls in the room, without the use of additional fasteners or systems. Such shelves can be used at the bottom of the kitchen, in the middle or at the top. Products stand out in their color variety, can be made of different materials, have a different surface texture. Standard shelves are suitable for rooms in any stylistic decision.

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 recesses look stylish and attractive, in addition, they help smooth out architectural flaws, using them to the maximum advantage.

A rather complicated solution for arranging a kitchen, especially in terms of filling the free space. This option will be in demand for spacious rooms.

This option differs from the standard pencil case in that it will not have a back wall and wings. The design is as open and airy as possible.Open shelves in this style stand out for their affordable cost, since the main costs associated with 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 such shelves can be different, depending on the preferences of consumers and the style of the kitchen.

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

The layout and placement of furniture will depend on the size and layout of the kitchen. Also, the placement of open shelves will depend on their functional purpose and 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 a 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 from one or both sides. Placement near cooking surfaces or stoves should be discarded.

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

If the open shelves will act as the main or only designs of the upper tier of the headset, it is recommended that they be mounted on both sides of the stove at the hood level. They can also be placed on both sides 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 hanging hanging cabinets. They can act as a full continuation of the upper tier if you attach an open shelf at the top of the cabinet or at the bottom under the bottom.

Even those shelves that are made of bright materials will need additional decor. Supplement the kitchen can be cookbooks, standing in conjunction with dishes or figurines. They can also be transformed by the presence of decorative dishes, which can be stored together with ordinary utensils. Light white or dark wooden shelves can be decorated with placed vases with fresh or artificial flowers, decorative small towels with a beautiful edge that will partially fall. Candles in candelabra, clocks, boxes, wicker baskets will be appropriate in every kitchen, such additions will make the room more comfortable, in addition, they will add conciseness to the interior. Such an original kitchen will be furnished and decorated with taste.

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