I get the appeal of mixing open and closed, but having lived in a 1920s house for decades, I’ll stick to closed cabinets. I tried a single open shelf once—looked great for about a week, then the dust and cat hair took over. Even with your tip of keeping shelves away from the stove, it’s just not practical for older homes where drafts and creaky windows mean dust is a constant.
“I actually find myself keeping things tidier when they’re out in the open...maybe because I see them all the time?”
For me, seeing everything out just makes the kitchen feel cluttered, no matter how neat I try to be. Maybe it’s just the old house vibe, but I’d rather hide the chaos behind solid doors and keep my sanity.
Totally get where you’re coming from—old houses have their own rules, right? I love the look of open shelves, but in my place, they’d just be a dust magnet. Closed cabinets = less cleaning and more peace of mind. Sometimes “out of sight, out of mind” is a blessing.
I hear you on the dust thing—my last apartment had open shelves and I swear I spent more time wiping them down than actually cooking. But I keep seeing these dreamy Pinterest kitchens with all the pretty dishes out, and it’s so tempting. Part of me thinks I’d keep them organized, but then reality hits... cereal boxes and mismatched mugs everywhere. Maybe a mix of both is the sweet spot? Hidden chaos, but a little display for the “nice” stuff.
cereal boxes and mismatched mugs everywhere. Maybe a mix of both is the sweet spot?
Had the same Pinterest dream, tried it in my last reno. Looked great for about a week, then the “hidden chaos” took over—random mugs, kids’ plastic cups, you name it. I ended up putting glass doors on half the shelves just to keep the dust and clutter under control. That mix is honestly the only way I’ve found to keep things looking decent without losing my mind.
Tried the all-open shelving thing in my last place—looked amazing in photos, but in real life? Not so much. Here’s what actually worked for me:
- Open shelves for stuff I use daily (plates, bowls, a couple mugs). Less dust, since they’re always moving through the wash.
- Glass doors on the rest. Keeps the random stuff—travel mugs, kids’ sippy cups, that weird souvenir shot glass collection—out of sight but still visible enough to find.
- Used bamboo organizers inside the cabinets. Helps corral the chaos and makes it easy to keep track of what’s actually in there.
Honestly, I think the “mix” is the only way to stay sane unless you live alone and never cook. Open shelves are great for aesthetics but not so much for practicality if you’ve got a busy kitchen. And I swear, no matter how hard you try, cereal boxes multiply behind closed doors...
