Out in The Open: Transparent Kitchen Storage

Open shelving is a look that’s gaining popularity in the residential kitchen.

Professional chefs will tell you it’s the best way to ensure you have the ingredients, utensils and cookware right at your fingertips. When you are right in the middle of meal preparation, you don’t need the extra steps of opening drawers or cabinet doors.
For the home cook, it may be a matter of convenience, extra storage or a way to display those beautiful vases, plates or teacups that just shouldn’t be hidden away.

As you begin planning the design for your new kitchen, think about the role that open shelving can play. There is absolutely a way to incorporate it into any style of kitchen - the more formal traditional, timeless transitional, and even avant-garde contemporary. Think of your shelving units as an accessory in the sense that you can choose materials, color and textures that will add interest to the room, as well as storage. Stained wood, painted wood, marble, stone, chrome and stainless can be utilized to create very different vibes.

Determine how you want to use open shelving as part of your dream kitchen. Maybe it will serve several purposes.

Hang them high and build them low to add easily accessible storage. Under-counter shelves may keep cooking pots and pans on hand, while a shelf above the cooktop can hold the cooking oils and condiments. A variation on above-the-counter is a rail system with attachments that can hold bread, condiments and more, out of the way but right at hand.

Make your kitchen island do double duty as a handy place to keep wines, cookbooks or serving dishes.

Build in vertical open shelves next to ovens for trays and pans.

Use floor-to-ceiling shelving to add drama, save space (with narrow shelves) and hold everything from staples like pasta and sugar to everyday plates and bowls.

Add a shelf above a desk to keep files and other supplies for your kitchen workspace.

Last but not least, shelves provide a showcase for collectibles, pieces of art and other items that highlight the personality of the residents.

Show off your style, increase storage space, or help your home top chefs become more efficient. Well designed open shelving can do it all.