Happy Hump Day, everyone! You guys surviving out there? I’m always glad when Wednesday afternoon roles around because that means that I’m done with working at the library until Sunday. That means 3 free days for Erica to catch up on blogging and all the other million things she has to do! Hah.
In my rare time off I like to browse Pinterest (let’s be real, who doesn’t) and home decor catalogs. I’m dreaming about one day doing a kitchen makeover since our current space isn’t exactly the best it could be. I mean, it’s great and functional and big and wayyyyy better than the 70s galley kitchen in our previous apartment, it just never hurts to daydream a little, right?
While perusing Pinterest and the world wide web I discovered a trend I can really get behind – open shelving. Gone are the days of clunky cabinets, friends. Open shelving in your kitchen, bathroom, living room, or bedroom is making a huge leap in popularity, and I’m totally okay with that! I love being able to see what I have, the feeling of openess and largeness it gives a space, and the fact that the shelving being so exposed would inspire me to keep things more orderly!
What Kind of Open Shelving to Use
If you want to add open shelving to your home, the first thing you have to do is decide where you want it to be and how you might implement it. A lot of that depends on budget. If you don’t have the funds to totally tear out your kitchen cabinets, then op for a free-standing shelving unit that you can put in the corner of your kitchen to hold fun drink supplies or glass containers filled with sugar and flour. If you have a weird nook area in your house, consider adding built-ins. For actual shelves that are hung on the walls, it’s also good to decide if you want a “floating” effect or if you want to be able to see the brackets – and there are some pretty awesome decorative brackets out there!
What Material to Use
When adding open shelving, also consider things like the material you want to use(wood, metal, plastic, etc.) and the finish (different stains, brushed metal vs chrome, which color plastic, etc.) Having a rough stained wood evokes a rustic, homey feel, while metal or plastic shelving gives off a more industrial and modern vibe. Pick what works well with the theme of the rest of your house to make it cohesive.
How to Style Open Shelving
I think this last part is the hardest when it comes to open shelving – and that is how to style it and organize it! In the kitchen, it’s easier; simply stack your dishes and arrange your cups in an orderly fashion and you’ve got it! When it comes to other useful spaces like the bathroom and laundry room, keep products you use frequently on the shelving, like laundry detergent, lotion, or towels. Find fun containers to hold detergent, dryer sheets, face wash, lotion, rolled towels, etc. and your display will be that much more put together. In areas like a bedroom or living room, add objects or books that have a lot of meaning and look great. Be sure to vary the height of your objects (a taller vase and a pretty, low, bowl, for example) to keep visual interest high.
And there you have it! What would be your ideal space to use this kind of shelving in?
I LOVE open shelving in the kitchen!! I’m hoping to put some in ours within the next year. Love this post!
Thanks, Leigh Anne! I adore open shelving too – hopefully one day I can demolish my kitchen and put in some of these beauties!