We’ve mentioned the idea of a backsplash that runs from counter to ceiling combined with open shelving and a range hood a few times, so here’s the full explanation: we plan to create a striking accent wall of tile that stretches from the countertop to the ceiling, with open shelves and a range hood incorporated. We love the Sarah Richardson kitchen for its tile choice. While white subway tile is lovely, we’re leaning toward a slightly warmer or less stark option since our cabinets will be white and we don’t want the entire room to feel washed out.
Before you ask, here are the questions we expect you to have:
- What type of tile will you use?
- What kind of range hood are you planning?
- What color will the shelves be?
- Will the shelves be floating or supported with brackets?
- Won’t open shelves collect dust and grease?
Short answers first, followed by more detail:
- Undecided.
- Undecided.
- Probably white to match the cabinets, but not finalized.
- Leaning toward floating shelves for a cleaner look.
- We checked with friends who have open shelves above their stoves and the general consensus was: no, not a significant problem. Here’s why.
We won’t be replacing every upper cabinet with open shelving. The plan includes plenty of base cabinets and some closed upper cabinets to hide items that aren’t display-worthy. For the single eight-foot wall where we want a range hood, open shelves, and tile from counter to ceiling, we did some practical research before deciding. We know two couples who have that exact setup and they both love it. When we asked whether grease or steam became a problem, they both gave the same practical reply: they use a real range hood.
Modern range hoods are far more effective at capturing steam and grease than the over-the-range microwaves many people used in the past. If you run the hood when you cook, it should capture most of the airborne grease and steam so it doesn’t drift and settle on nearby cabinets or shelves.
About dust: our friends didn’t see it as a major issue. One couple explained that items kept on open shelves are used frequently — dishes are put away and used again often — so they don’t sit long enough to get dusty. The other couple said they prefer the look so much that occasional dusting is a minor trade-off; they wipe items down every few weeks and appreciate the lighter, more open feel and easy access to commonly used things.
We also read a helpful post from someone who lives with open shelving and summed it up well: even in dustier climates, everyday use prevents items from accumulating dust. If something does gather a little dust, a quick rinse before use solves the problem.
We also asked readers who have open shelving what they thought, and here are some of their responses:
- “We installed open shelving last September and I don’t regret it one bit. I dust about once a month and actually enjoy it. I’m even planning a third row of shelves because I have so much pretty stuff to display!” – Betsie
- “We have three cats and open shelving. No problems.” – Caroline
- “Open shelving shows off your dishes and helps you keep only what you need.” – Carrie
- “I only have open shelving in the kitchen and love it. It doesn’t get as dusty or greasy as you might expect. I display nice kitchen items and keep less attractive things tucked away.” – Debe
- “My rarely used items in closed cabinets are actually the ones that get dustiest. So cabinets aren’t a guaranteed defense against dust.”
At this point the post might sound a bit like an infomercial — picture me overenthusiastically demoing a miracle cleaning cloth — but the goal isn’t to convince everyone to adopt open shelving. We’re simply sharing the reasons behind our choices as part of our DIY diary. If open shelving isn’t your thing, that’s fine. We know some people dislike it, and we’ll be honest if we ever regret our choices.
Ultimately we decided a mix of open shelving and closed upper cabinets fits our needs: open shelves where we want to display frequently used or decorative pieces, and closed cabinets for hidden storage. We promise to report back honestly — if we start to dislike the shelves after a month or a year, we’ll tell you and show any changes we make. And once we finalize our backsplash tile and the range hood selection, we’ll share those details too.
Pssssst — This morning I’m posting over on BabyCenter about how our house is adapting with Clara, including lots of added toy storage for blocks, books, balls, and more…