Now that we have removed the kitchen cabinets, we’ve been trying to plan how the new kitchen will look. I keep trying to make the mood board, but the software is acting up. So I’m going through all of my inspiration photos on Pinterest. I’ve noticed that there are basically two ways people design kitchens with open shelves. One is very preppy, very shiny and crisp-looking. That way is lovely, but it is just not me.
Like this pretty one, and Young House Love’s old kitchen:
I prefer something a little more rustic and natural-feeling, like these:
Most of the my inspiration photos also had black window sashes. Which I love, and have already done in the living room. But it will be a little trickier in the kitchen since the windows there are vinyl instead of wood. I’ll let you know how that goes.
We were thinking of painting the walls light blue, but we’re going to go with the same warm white that’s in the living room. We also decided to stain the wood shelves instead of painting them and we’re going with black metal brackets.
It’s harder than I thought it would be to pinpoint exactly what makes the styles so much different. What do you think it is that makes the bottom two look more rustic and the first more preppy?
The colour and style of the dishes impacts on the look, lots brights and modern shapes don’t usually lend themselves to a rustic look and feel (unless very well balanced). White shelves would still fit the rustic look, just make sure the shelves aren’t high gloss or too sharp cornered and you should be fine.
Good points, Katharine, thank you. Good thing all of my dishes are white! 🙂
I had to stop for a while before commenting, what a tricky question you placed at the end.
I too think the colours of the dishes make the first kitchen modern, the other two have more rustic items on the shelves. The tab also makes a small difference and I’m inclined to say that the shade of the metal on the handles of the cabinets on the first picture does not either give a rustic feel.
Good catch with the handles! It’s so hard to believe that such little details can make such a big difference.
I love Pinterest for that exact reason… you can really begin to spot what really speaks to you and what doesn’t. So excited for where you are headed with your kitchen. I’m sure the final results will be beautiful.
Thanks Danielle! Sure hope it will be… I wish the results could come as quickly as the demolition went.
I’ll probably have open shelves in my kitchen later and I’m having the same hard time as you making decisions: to paint or not and if yes, what colour? What brackets? What to put or not on the shelves???
I’m sure we’ll keep making a lot of the same decisions since you own my dream fisherman’s cottage. 🙂