How to style open shelving in your kitchen

Open shelving units in the kitchen come in an endless amount of materials and styles. Choose from timber, metal, stone, laminate and glass to suit your needs and the style of your kitchen.

Don’t be afraid to mix up styles. Timber shelves can counterbalance a slick contemporary kitchen, while glass shelves add a clean modern element to a rustic space.

The way they are affixed to the walls will also have an impact on the overall look of the kitchen space. Floating shelves work well to create a sleek look, while metal brackets can create an industrial or mid-century vibe.

The latest open shelving kitchen trends include converting a shelving space into a dedicated coffee bar or an open drinks cabinet. Having a specific space for these creates a sense of ritual around the experience of preparing drinks. Plus, it allows you to show off your gorgeous coffee machine and mugs, or beautiful stemware and favourite tipple.

Simply install a couple of shelves on the wall within a nook in the kitchen to create a bespoke space for drinks preparation.

It can be challenging to make a corner space in the kitchen useful, but corner open shelving is one of the easiest ways to make the most of this space.

Simple, triangular-shaped corner units can be installed on the wall to house items you would like to make a feature of, such as a vase or artwork. Alternatively, run open shelving units down the wall and around the corner to create a seamless look.

Open shelving is not limited to the walls above your bench; it can be cleverly incorporated into a kitchen island or under-bench space.

It’s a great way to store things you use every day, such as cookbooks or jars of spices or dried legumes, and it looks good to boot.