Iknow it’s tempting. You see those clean, uncluttered open shelves in kitchens with their matching ceramic dishes, beautifully staged glassware, lots of negative space, and you think, “Why not? If my kitchen had open shelving, my belongings would look great, too! Plus, everything would be so easy to reach.”
Uhh, think again. Kitchen cabinets come with doors for a reason. That reason is not everything we own is pretty. In fact, most everything we own,
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Pretty, yes, but practical? Open shelving in kitchens is a popular look on Instagram but may not t the way you live.
especially in the kitchen, looks like a rummage sale.
But, you say, those model homes, those Instagram kitchens, they sure look nice. Yes, they do. And they’re staged. I, too, would like to believe I could live within the con nes of a minimal aesthetic, but let’s be honest. Unless you’re a true minimalist, don’t cook and live alone, press pause before you choose open shelves over upper cabinets.
“Open shelving gives the feeling of an airy space with a minimalist vibe,” said kitchen design expert Jessica Evans, of PriceYourJob.co.uk, a site that helps those across the pond nd cost estimates for home improvements. “Having shelves rather than cabinets allows you to personalize your space and display your pretty dishes, glassware, artwork, plants or knickknacks.”
However, she o ers this he y caution: “Before you ditch your upper cabinets, make sure you have enough lower cabinetry, drawers and pantry space to contain and conceal the cookware, pots and pans, small appliances, food, equipment and utensils that you don’t necessarily want on display.”
In other words, make sure all the stu you really need and use has a home, and think of the open shelving as practical décor. Also think about how you work in your kitchen. You don’t want to end up with an Instagram-worthy kitchen that is impractical to cook in.
When weighing the pros and cons of open shelves vs. wall cabinets, here’s what else to consider:
• Your style. Not all kitchens can pull o the open-shelving look, which is especially at home in rustic, farmhouse, industrial and minimalist kitchens. Open shelves don’t work well in more formal, modern and traditional kitchens. In small kitchens, where upper wall cabinets can close a space in, open shelving can add a feeling of spaciousness and let in more natural light, Evans said.
• Attention to detail. Open shelving is probably not your best look if your dishes are a hodgepodge. If you want the open look, you’ll need to invest in coordinated dishware and display worthy food storage containers. Accept that you will have to be neat and organized or reveal yourself for the
closet slob you are.
• Storage space. While having open shelves instead of upper cabinets can force you to reduce clutter (a plus), you will also have less storage space (a possible minus). Cabinets let you store more, close the door and forget about the mess inside.
• The access. On the plus side, open shelves let you spot items easily and reach in and grab what you want without hassling with a door. However, because shelves are open to the elements, you’ll need to spend more time cleaning dust and grease o the shelves and dishware than you would if items were behind doors.
• The cost. Shelving is less than half the price of cabinetry, so will save you money on your kitchen. If you can discipline yourself to keep the shelves tidy, organized, clean and attractive, you will come out ahead cost-wise. Because shelving is also easier to install, you may save more by installing it yourself.
• Real life. Speaking of discipline, if you have open shelves you’ll have to commit to culling the clutter. In many homes, including mine, more kitchenware tends to come in than go out. We get souvenir mugs. We buy more pretty dishes and, eventually, a display that looked clean and well curated on day one becomes a crowded jumble. If the pantry gets too full, those spacious open shelves are suddenly storing corn akes, glass cleaner and dog food.
• Weight limit. Because of how they’re mounted, wall cabinets can bear more weight than open shelves, which can bow if overloaded. That is not only unattractive, but also unsafe.
• The compromise. If you still want the practical ease, ready access and airy look of open shelves but don’t want to commit to keeping them looking like a showcase, put open shelves in a walk-in pantry or utility room, or maybe install just one feature shelf so you can embrace the look without the pressure.
Marni Jameson is the award-winning author of seven books, including “Rightsize Today to Create Your Best Life Tomorrow,” “What to Do With Everything You Own to Leave the Legacy You Want” and “Downsizing the Family Home.” You may reach her at marni@marnijameson.com.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pending home sales improved 2% in February, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Northeast and West experienced month-over-month losses in transactions — with a larger decrease in the West — while the Midwest and South saw gains, which were greatest in the South. Year-over-year, contract signings dropped in all four U.S. regions, with the Midwest undergoing the greatest reduction.
The Pending Home Sales Index — a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings — grew 2% to 72.0 in February. Year-over-year, pending transactions declined 3.6%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001.
“Despite the modest monthly increase, contract signings remain well below normal historical levels,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “A meaningful decline in mortgage rates would help both demand and supply — demand by boosting a ordability and supply by lessening the power of the mortgage rate lock-in e ect.”
Economic forecast
“Considering the Federal Reserve’s recent forecast for slower economic growth, we expect mortgage rates to slide moderately lower,” said Yun. “But the current high national debt will prevent mortgage rates from falling drastically — and certainly not to the 4% to 5% range seen during President Trump’s rst term.”
NAR forecasts mortgage rates will average 6.4% in 2025 and 6.1% in 2026. The association expects existing-home sales will rise by 6% in 2025 and accelerate another 11% in 2026. The new-home sales market has plentiful inventory and, therefore, NAR anticipates it will rise by 10% in 2025 and another 5% in 2026. It predicts that the national median home price will increase by 3% in 2025 and 4% in 2026.
“Home price growth will moderate due to more supply coming onto the market,” added Yun. “Having income and wages rise faster than home prices are welcome to improve a ordability.”
View NAR’s Nationwide Forecast as of March 2025pdf. (NAR posts the latest quarterly economic forecast online at Research and Statistics under “Latest Housing Indicators.”) Regional breakdown
The Northeast PHSI fell 0.9% from last month to 62.8, down 2.5% from February 2024. The Midwest index inched up 0.7% to 73.3 in February, down 4.7% from the previous year.
The South PHSI jumped 6.2% to 86 in February, down 3.4% from a year ago. The West index contracted by 3% from the prior month to 55.9, down 3.5% from February 2024.
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