I used to think open shelves in a kitchen were just for show

For years, I mocked them as a dust magnet and a way to show off your mismatched plates. Then, last fall, I redid my own kitchen in my 1920s bungalow. I put up a single 6-foot long open shelf above the sink, mostly because I ran out of money for upper cabinets. After living with it for about 4 months, I get it now. Having my everyday bowls and coffee mugs right there, one motion away, has actually sped up my morning routine. The key was committing to only putting nice, matching stuff on it, not just junk. It forces you to keep things tidy and makes a small kitchen feel way more open. Has anyone else had a design feature they hated that turned out to be super useful?

2 comments

2 Comments

alicebarnes9d ago

Forced me to actually wash my nice dishes.

briannguyen9d ago

Yeah, @alicebarnes, that's the only way my good plates ever get clean.