What Open Shelving Promises
The appeal is obvious: open shelves read as relaxed and considered, they make a kitchen feel less enclosed, and they force a kind of curated discipline on what you keep visible. In a small kitchen, they can avoid the heaviness of upper cabinets.
Reality Check: The Grease and Dust Problem
Sarah, who installed open shelves in her Mt Eden kitchen during a 2023 renovation, reports that shelves directly above the cooktop are unusable for anything except items used daily. Everything gets a film of grease within a week. Rarely-used serving bowls look beautiful stacked on shelves — but they need wiping every time before use.
Who It Works For
Open shelving works well for homeowners who cook frequently, who have a curated collection of tableware worth displaying, and who are genuinely disciplined about what they keep on them.
The Hybrid Solution
Most designers now recommend the hybrid approach: keep lower and upper cabinets for storage, and replace one section of upper cabinets with open shelves near a window or adjacent to the fridge. You get the aesthetic without committing your entire kitchen to the maintenance burden.