Remember when everyone dismantled the closed cabinets and opted for floating shelves, whether you agree with the trend or sit quietly knowing that the trend too will pass and the moment has come for us all to reckoning. Those who have chosen to move away from closed kitchen cabinetry in favor of unfettered sightlines and easy dishwasher unloading in record time are now realizing that we may prefer more privacy for our kitchen appliances. To share their thoughts on the pros and cons of the once-popular cabinet choice, Louisa Roberts Boss of Neat Method NYC and Meg Markland of Neat by Meg explored this polarizing topic.
Features May Be Limited
While it’s true that floating shelving was once all the rage, many homeowners now want their kitchens to have more features. Not only do we need to put beautiful dishes and platters, but we also need to put everyday items like water bottles, children’s cutlery, and even our quirky collection of coffee mugs.
“I think floating shelves sound great in theory, but the reality is that they don’t function as well as closed cabinets,” Maklan said. “No one wants their notched ‘My Favorite Dad’ coffee mug to be on display all the time.”
Still, if you still prefer the style of floating shelves, there are ways to solve these storage challenges, and that is to take advantage of other enclosed storage areas in your kitchen and pantry. Drawers, undercabinets, and nearby closets can all help you achieve your floating shelf goals without sacrificing your collection of exotic mugs.
They Are Designed with Aesthetics in Mind
When it comes to floating shelves, one thing is undeniable: appearance matters. Add to that their “take and go” appeal, and you get years of polarizing results. There was a pile of plates next to the stove that made dinner a breeze. And remove the dishwasher? well, it’s never been easier. But what about things we also want to have storage containers, water bottles, etc., front and center, so that they can be easily accessed at any time? This is where things get tricky.
“With closed cabinets, we can really place kitchen items based on the angle of function, without thinking about aesthetic impacts,” Roberts said. “For example, if a homeowner wants to use a reusable water bottle near the refrigerator, we can choose to use closed cabinets to achieve this instead of using open shelves.”
Markland points out that an aesthetic-oriented storage system in the kitchen is hard to overcome because it does narrow down the options you have for placing your items, although those who lead a minimalist lifestyle or tend to focus more on form than function can certainly find something they like. Pair with floating shelves.
They Can Create Balance
While there’s a lot to be said about the appeal of closed cabinets, a mix of open and closed shelving options can provide a more balanced look. Roberts says adding floating shelves to the kitchen can break up bulky cabinetry and add another layer of interest. Open shelves can be used to add extra color or materials to the kitchen, which would otherwise be difficult to do without making the space feel too unstable. Natural wood floating shelves can complement painted cabinetry, while open shelves can showcase the backsplash and make it extend from the countertop to the ceiling as the main style point.
They Are Not Designed to Organize Materials
Especially when it comes to organization, closed cabinets are hard to beat. Markland points out that the storage materials that many of us use to store various (but often used) clutter items is another open shelf conundrum. “If you want to do a little more decluttering and simplification on an open shelf, then all the items are not going to look great on an open shelf,” Makran said.”
But for closed cabinets, you can go all out with color-coding systems, bins, baskets, etc. “We can put Yeti’s lid and straw in the trash, we can add a cabinet riser for extra storage, and we can use a water bottle holder to store water bottles,” she explains. The organizational advantages of closed cabinets don’t need to be aesthetically pleasing, which means you can let your orderly tendencies take center stage.
They Work in Small Spaces
When square footage becomes a commodity, upper cabinetry can make an already small kitchen feel more enclosed. “In smaller kitchens, sometimes there isn’t enough room for full-depth upper cabinetry, so it’s more convenient to add open shelves or wall shelves to increase storage space. “It’s more helpful than closed shelves,” Roberts explains. Floating shelving not only increases storage space where there’s no room for more traditional cabinetry, but they can also help embrace the charm of a smaller kitchen, whether it’s by passing on cottage-like details, displaying beautiful collectibles, or even giving your space breathing room to avoid the use of bulky upper cabinetry.
They Need Restraint
If you’re not good at organizing, hate dusting, and have trouble keeping things tidy, then an open shelf might not be for you. Floating shelves naturally collect more dust, so you’ll have to add these ledges and their contents to your weekly cleaning schedule.
And, while it is true that a more organic display is appealing (e.g., a collection of dishes of various colors, mismatched cutlery, etc.), open shelves must have a certain level of restriction in order to give a sense of command. “My advice is to just place one or two sets of cutlery or glassware so that the materials and colors on display are consistent,” Roberts said. Also, mix items that don’t change as often as everyday items, such as mixing bowls, recipes, frames or canvases, plants, vases, or jars.”
Other Floating Rack Considerations
Roberts says that while open kitchen shelves are indeed popular, homeowners are currently gravitating towards simpler, more practical approaches, which means the return of closed cabinetry. For those looking to combine the style of open shelving with the functionality of the upper cabinets, Markran recommends incorporating some upper cabinets with glass panels. “This will allow you to display some of your favorite cutlery/glassware while still being able to hide items you don’t want to display in a closed upper cabinet,” Makran said.
For those worried that closed cabinets will soon be replaced by other popular storage solutions, Roberts says it’s all about classics. “Open shelving is a trend, but no matter what popular design ideas, classics will always find their way back home.”