Open shelving is one of the quintessential staples we think of when we hear the term farmhouse style. It’s that picture perfect element that we’ve all come to associate with the queen of farmhouse decor herself, Joanna Gaines.
Simply put, open shelving is the epitome of the farmhouse design style. It’s a must-have. And if it’s in the kitchen?.. major farmhouse bonus points!
As we approach one month post “Operation Open Shelving” in our kitchen, I’ve realized a few misconceptions I had about them.
For a year or more I suppressed my desire to have open shelving in our kitchen. I was certain that my opinions about the upkeep of them were actually based on facts. After all, I’m a homemaker and who knows dusting, cleaning and organization better than a housewife? Right?
But I was wrong. Just don’t tell my husband I said that.
In reality, there are several common misconceptions about having and maintaining open shelving in your home. And I stood firmly behind each and every one of them. Until now.
Beautiful decor, as well practical everyday items can be seen on open shelving in any and every room of a farmhouse style home. Living rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, playrooms and of course, kitchens.
To my surprise, and from my experience, the kitchen is probably the most stress free, low maintenance place to implement this design style.
Shocked to hear that?
The reason being.. my family, like most, is constantly grabbing and using plates, bowls, cups, etc. from the kitchen. Multiple items, multiple times each day, by multiple people. More on that in a bit.
When I thought of taking down our upper cabinets my mind jumped around from one “issue” to the next.
But wait. Why wouldn’t I want to showcase water bottles, mismatched plates, glasses, bowls and those coveted plastic superhero cups? They’d be gorgeous on display, obviously.
Okay so here’s the thing. We’ve had the same plate/bowl sets for the entire 13 years we’ve been married. They’re worn, some are chipped on the edges and it was honestly time for new ones a few years ago. Now, I know that prepackaged dinnerware sets can be pricey, and if they’re not then you open the box to find these paper thin “porcelain” plates that feel light as air and break easily. Not ideal for holding up to everyday use, especially with kids at home.
But have you checked out the Better Homes and Gardens dinnerware that you can purchase individually? (No, this isn’t an ad) They’re sturdy plates, bowls and even glasses that you can buy in any quantities your heart desires, for about $2.00 each. And ya’ll, they scream farmhouse style.
Alright, so now what about the cost of shelving and brackets? I know they can be expensive and the prices I’ve seen on some solid wood shelving is.. yikes.
Two words – reclaimed wood.
As one of the undeniably essential elements of farmhouse decor, natural wood adds warmth, style and sustainability to your home decor.
I was lucky enough to find some old 2”x12”s on our land that the original owners used for a raised garden. My husband pressure washed and cut them down to size and I lightly sanded and cleaned them. But if you don’t have immediate access to boards, ask around! I think you’ll be surprised that someone you know probably has unused boards lying around.
And if not, it’s fairly simple to make new wood boards look weathered with a few household items.
Take a hammer, nail, screw, chain link (if available) and start beating up that new board. Lay the nail down in random places on the wood and bang it with the hammer. Do the same with the screw and chain link. It’s fun, trust me. To add that aged color, you can either use stain all over or use a torch to burn the wood in select places. Try running the torch lightly over some of the nail and screw marks.. it looks great! If you go the torched route then once you’ve achieved the look you want, lightly sand the entire board and wipe clean.
As for the brackets, just shop around. There are endless suppliers and styles in every shape, size and price range. But if you were able to get your hands on some reclaimed wood for the shelves then you shouldn’t feel bad to splurge a little more on the brackets you really want.
Now for the misconception we all immediately revert to when we hear “open shelving”.
The dust.
With two young boys, four dogs (2 small and 2 medium sized) and a cat, believe me.. I hear ya. It seems like someone is always running or wrestling around and stirring up dust.
I prepared myself, as best I could, for dusting the shelves and everything on them at least a few times per week.
I’ve yet to do it even once a week.
And no, we’re not eating off of or drinking out of dust covered plates and cups. To my surprise, the dust doesn’t collect like I was so sure it would.
When I unload the dishwasher I rotate those items with the ones still on the shelves. So there aren’t any glasses or plates that are sitting up there not being used for weeks at a time. The freshly cleaned cups go behind the ones already on the shelf and the clean plates and bowls go to the bottom of the stacks. It’s honestly that simple. And everything is easy to see and move around since I’m not trying to cram my hands into a tightly packed cupboard.
So basically, since roughly 85% of what’s stored on our shelves is being used on a regular basis, it’s therefore being cleaned on a regular basis. No dusting required!
Now there will be some things like serving and mixing bowls that, since aren’t always used on a weekly basis, might need to be wiped or rinsed out before using. But if you’re like me then you do that anyway if you’re grabbing something that hasn’t been used in awhile. Even if it’s in a closed cabinet. It only takes a few seconds and, in my opinion, isn’t enough of a hassle to convince me to forego the beauty of this classic farmhouse look.
So my advice? Jump in, headfirst, into whatever design you’re dreaming of. Life is way too short to not take risks and have fun with your home and style!
The Log Farmhouse 