Open Storage vs Closed Storage: Which is Better for Your Kitchen?

Wondering whether to opt for open shelves or cabinets for your kitchen? Seek answers in this guide

It’s a question on the lips of many a design maven: open shelves or enclosed cabinets for the kitchen, which shall it be? While open shelving can make for a sleek, sophisticated display, it requires an organised approach to keep it looking presentable. Kitchen cabinets, on the other hand, are safe bets if you have a tendency for clutter, providing a concealed storage haven well out of view. If you’re confused between the two for your upper kitchen storage, this guide should help you decide what’s best for you.

Open storage
Open shelving is all the rage in contemporary kitchen design. However, as an exposed storage system, it requires meticulous organisation and curation. The system is well suited for two types of items: daily-use products (like plates, glasses and bowls) and decorative kitchen curios. In the former case, having your daily wares within easy reach makes great ergonomic sense. And since these items move through a regular use-and-wash cycle, you are saved the hassle of maintaining a separate cleaning routine. In the case of decorative items, however, since these pieces are seldom used, you may have to follow a cleaning and dusting regime as you would with any other display surface.

Pros

• Channels a chic, trendy vibe and makes for a welcome showcase for pretty crockery and china.
• Capable of blending into any decor scheme, from minimalist and contemporary to classic and eclectic.
• Doesn’t require much physical space, making it ideal for small and light-starved kitchens.
• Allows for easy reach and recall of daily-use items, tools and ingredients.

• With a far lower price tag (thanks to fewer materials and easier installation) than enclosed cabinets, open shelving can save you a great deal of money.
• With fewer doors to obstruct light, this system can boost luminosity and make your kitchen feel more expansive.

You can go half and half by opting for a combination of open shelving and cabinets. This will allow you to stash unsightly items behind closed doors and display only the cream of your collection.

 

       CONS

• Items are out in the open, for everyone to see, making it important for you to stay hyper-organised with your visual display (adieu, cracked dishes, chipped bowls and mismatched china).

In the same vein, open shelving is not the best idea if you’re not naturally a neat and tidy person (an open display of multiple things can hamper your aesthetic rather than augment it).

• Heat from appliances can cause dirt and grime in the air to bind to exposed surfaces, including plates, glasses and shelves, especially in Indian kitchens. Therefore, exposed items will require regular cleaning and maintenance (commonly used items may be an exception to this rule as they are used, cleaned and stowed back more frequently).

Tip: To minimise clutter, consider hiding smaller items in baskets and transferring food staples such as rice, dal and dry fruit into glass jars.

Closed storage

Standard upper cabinets offer privacy in kitchen storage, allowing you to maintain a little clutter away from prying eyes

Pros

• Provides ample storage while projecting a clean and composed aesthetic.
• Hardware such as pulls and knobs can be tailored to suit a range of tastes and aesthetics, from contemporary to traditional, minimalist to eclectic.
• Gives plenty of leeway for clutter and disarray.

Cons

• Swallows space and light, making the kitchen appear smaller.
• Cabinets that touch the ceiling are generally more expensive than shelves or wall finishes.
• As closed storage devices, cabinets can channel less of your personality than open shelving.

Tip: If you want to get a feel of open storage without completely committing to exposed shelves, remove the doors of your upper cabinets and see how you feel about the change.

Tell us:
Which one has your vote – open shelves or kitchen cabinets? Tell us in Comments below.