We have open shelves and I love both the look and the practicality. We don't have any problems with grease but, yep, things do get dusty particularly anything you don't use regularly.

Thanks Sammy great feedback. Interesting about the non grease... A good rangehoood should solve the problem I guess.

Personally, I'm not a fan. I know that I have a lot more dishes and mugs to put on the shelves on either side of the range than are on those open shelves in the pic. And when you start piling on the dishes and cups, things can get looking cluttered really quickly if the shelving is open. If it's just for decoration and a few special pieces, fine, but I generally need every square centimetre of shelving space in any kitchen I've ever had!

Thanks jmm1837 I totally hear what your saying. My kitchen is pretty big and we have a scullery as well, all up I have 15 cupboards as well as two banks of deep 3 drawers - so the sacrafice would be justified... Im more concerned about the mess and maintenance factor.

Actually 26 cuboards all up.. so the shelving would sacrafice 6 of them.

Ah yes that would be me ! Good point :-)

I am in love with open shelving at the moment! I recently installed this kitchen with ply shelving. A bit of a risk but it turned out amazing! Styling it up is the tricky part :)

WOW The Styling Edge this kitchen is gorgeous !! And the shelving works very well. Thanks for the feedback and inspiration, I love pottering around with styling and changing things up so leaning towards shelving now :-)

Yeah they are really fun, and you can always change back :) The Ply was very cheap! It cost about $50 to do. And saved me a few hundred in cupboards.

I suspect it's an on-trend thing that will be gone in a couple of years. That looks a lovely kitchen above, but seriously small. Gimme storage and lots of it!!

I suppose the trend with open shelving will be no different than any other trend colours/splasback ect impossible to keep up. Where all different, thank heavens, imagine if all kitchens looked the same. Think about how long you plan to live there. If your going to sell in 2-3 yrs put the shelves in. If your staying for 10 plus then I would consider the cleaning and give shelves a miss. That's just my theory.

I personally think alittle bit of shelving can add interest and warmth to a kitchen that might otherwise look abit sterile (The Styling Edge pic is a great example). Wood shelving adds texture too. How might it look to put shelves on one side of the range hood, but leave cabinets or nothing on the other? Abit like the asymmetrical look in this pic?

Hi Renae, I think if you have a lovely large window splashback as per photo, this would give you enough character and light to put black or white cabinets above without it looking sterile (especially if you will have a view of some nature outside). Wood shelving would also complement any greenery outside and look lovely. Perhaps it comes down to the overall look you are after. Are you keen to keep things looking symmetrical, or do you think an asymmetrical look might work?

Hi Renae, I've just looked at a few images of kitchens with window splashbacks and it seems the bulk of them keep the wall above pretty plain so as not to detract from the window as the main feature. Here's an example with plain white cabinets plus rangehood

Here's an example of dark grey cabinets with a small amount of shelving beside it, but no rangehood:

My only concern with shelves (and/or a shelf and cabinet combo) would be if it got too busy it would compete with your window? What do you think of these for example??

Another idea - plain wood cabinets as per below?

petapea Thank you so much for the comments and research... I have thought long and hard about this .. for days! You know what I agree with you.. Shelving without any bits and bobs on it, above a window looks great, but I have visited a few homes with shelving (without windows) that is actually lived in and not a display home and it does look busy, and cluttered. I have decided to go a polytec black wenge, full height cabinets to the ceiling, sophisticated , warm, and clean. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. There I have jumped over to the dark side.

Hi Renae, I am sure that choice will look amazing, clean lines as you say and black is classic and sophisticated always!! If you want to add warmth with wood you can always add things like a cool wooden chopping block, and of course a kitchen always looks more complete once you get your personalised kitchen items in there (teatowels; fruit bowl; plant; favourite vase with flowers etc). Good on you for making the leap- it is a considered leap! ;-), love to see a pic when it's all done.

Thank you petapea I have already started the hunt for those essential timber accessories to warm up the black space and also researching the right kind of plants or trees to feature outside of the splashback window which will make a big difference to the space, thanks again for your feedback and advice, now I just cannot wait to see it all come together and to post a follow up completion pic ! :-)