How To Style Open Shelves In A Kitchen
I was super excited to move into our new Airbnb. It is about 500 sq. ft. making it the smallest home we have lived in for more than a 2 month period. It has been perfect for us, but when we moved in I had to do a little rearranging to make the storage situation work for us. The kitchen is super small and does not have a pantry, so I decided to expand our storage around the corner into this cute nook. This is our place for glasses, dishes, and also the drop zone for keys, wallets, and anything else we bring in from the car.
Open shelving can feel daunting because it is all out there, but it can be functional while also stylish. Thankfully our host has lots of cute decor around the house so I incorporated our kitchen items with some more aesthetic pieces. Here are a few tips on how to achieve a great balance for functional, but stylish open shelving in your home:
1) Display Items That Serve a Purpose
For me, I decided to display all the nice looking vessels that we would be using – jars, glass cups, pretty plates, bowls, and mugs. The large black bowl on the lower shelf is definitely the most used, as it is the catch all for our keys, wallets, and facemasks. Having a large container to contain all these items keeps the counter from getting cluttered and we always know where to find our keys!
2) Arrange According to How Often You Will Use Something
The top ledge in our open shelving is pretty hard to reach, so I used this space for only decorative items and to add a splash of greenery. Plates, bowls, and glasses get used every day so I wanted to make sure they were very accessible.
3) Display Art
Art does not always have to be hanging. Take advantage of all the empty space by showing off some of your favorite small or medium pieces.
4) Add Greenery
As you probably already know, I am a sucker for plants. Thankfully our Airbnb host is too and I was able to add lots of faux greenery throughout the shelves. If your shelves get some natural light I would definitely scatter in some live plants as well!
5) Move Things Around
Sometimes it just takes a few times of rearranging to achieve the best look. Move things around until you love it and as you use the space, keep adjusting so that it works for your lifestyle!
Do you travel full time? What do you look for in a long term rental property? We would love to hear about your experiences so leave us a comment!
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