Open Shelving vs. Upper Cabinets: Which Is Right for Your Kitchen?

When planning a kitchen remodel, one of the biggest design decisions you’ll face is how to handle storage above your countertops: open shelving or upper cabinets? Both options have their own benefits and drawbacks and choosing the right one can dramatically affect how your kitchen looks and functions. At Sawyer and the Grove, we believe the best choice depends on your lifestyle, aesthetic preferences, and how you use your space daily. Let’s break it down!

What Is Open Shelving?

Open shelving replaces traditional upper cabinets with open, floating shelves mounted on the wall. Instead of hiding dishes, glasses, and cookware behind doors, everything is out in the open, literally.

Pros of Open Shelving

1. A Light, Airy Feeling - By removing bulky cabinet doors, open shelving opens up your kitchen visually. This is especially beneficial in smaller kitchens or ones without a lot of natural light. Open shelves make the space feel larger and more inviting.

2. Style That’s Personal - Open shelves let you showcase your personality. Display colorful dishes, recipe books, plants, or heirloom glassware. It’s a way to introduce texture, color, and charm into your kitchen design.

3. Easy Access - Open shelves make it simple to grab what you need, no doors, no doors to open when your hands are full of groceries. For people who cook often, this convenience can be a real time-saver.

4. Cost-Effective - In most cases, open shelving is less expensive than installing custom upper cabinets. No doors, no hardware, no complicated hinges, just sturdy shelving.

Cons of Open Shelving

1. Requires Organization - Since everything is on display, open shelves require neatness. Cluttered or mismatched items can easily make your kitchen look chaotic. If clutter isn’t your friend, open shelving may become stressful.

2. Dust and Grease Exposure - Open shelves collect dust and in a kitchen, this can include grease from cooking. You may find yourself wiping shelves and dishes more often than you’d like.

3. Limited Hidden Storage - Not everything you want to store in the kitchen is beautiful or display-worthy. Small appliances, bulky cookware, and pantry staples may still need to be stored elsewhere.

What Are Upper Cabinets?

Upper cabinets are the traditional closed storage units fixed to the kitchen wall above the countertop. They keep your dishes, glasses, and kitchen tools hidden behind doors.

Pros of Upper Cabinets

1. Maximum Concealed Storage - Upper cabinets offer more storage space and keep everything tucked out of sight. This is ideal if your kitchen needs to store a lot of items, especially ones that don’t look great on display.

2. Protection From Dust and Splatter -  With doors that close, cabinets protect your belongings from dust, grease, and other kitchen debris.

3. Variety of Styles and Layouts - Upper cabinets come in countless styles, colors, and finishes, from sleek modern flat panels to classic raised-panel doors. They can easily match your lower cabinets and overall kitchen design.

4. Efficient Use of Vertical Space - Cabinets allow you to build storage all the way up to the ceiling, maximizing every inch of vertical space.

Cons of Upper Cabinets

1. Can Feel Heavy or Closed-In - Traditional cabinets take up visual space. In smaller or darker kitchens, they can make the room feel boxed in or cluttered, especially if the doors are dark colors.

2. Harder to Access - Items in the back of cabinets can be difficult to reach—especially for shorter family members. Lazy Susans, pull-out shelves, and organizers can help, but that adds cost.

3. Often More Expensive - Custom upper cabinets can be pricey—especially if you choose specialty finishes, built-ins, or soft-close hardware.

Which Should You Choose?

There’s no single “right” choice, it comes down to how you use your kitchen and what kind of look you want.

Choose Open Shelving If:

• You love an airy, open, and modern aesthetic.

• You use your dishes and glassware often.

• You’re comfortable keeping things organized.

• Your kitchen is small or doesn’t get a lot of natural light.

Open shelving works especially well in minimalist, farmhouse, Scandinavian, and transitional designs.

Choose Upper Cabinets If:

• You need lots of concealed storage.

• You have many kitchen tools, gadgets, or pantry items.

• You prefer a clean, tidy look without daily styling.

• You have large families or cook frequently.

Upper cabinets are ideal for traditional, contemporary, and classic kitchen styles.

What About Mixing Both?

If you’re torn, you’re not alone. One of the most popular trends is a hybrid approach: upper cabinets flanking the stove or sink, with open shelves in between or on either side. This gives you the best of both worlds, open display space where you want it and hidden storage where you need it.

Your kitchen should be both beautiful and functional. Whether you choose open shelving, upper cabinets, or a mix, let your lifestyle guide your design decisions. At Sawyer and the Grove, we believe thoughtful choices, not trends, create kitchens that stand the test of time.

Ready to design your dream kitchen? Let’s make it happen.