Open Kitchen Cabinets Without Doors - Tips & Inspiration

There’s no doubt about it, kitchen cabinets come in a variety of different and very individual designs. Styles range from ultra-modern to very traditional or even farmhouse. But one unusual idea you may not have considered is kitchen cabinets without doors.

This works best when applied to the upper cabinets, but lower cabinets can also benefit from this look—under a kitchen island, for instance, or around the stove where you need to grab pots and pans quickly. While this look is not for everyone (and requires a certain level of tidiness), here are seven examples of kitchen cabinets without doors that will inspire you to display your best dinnerware.

Think You’re Ready for Doorless Cabinets? Here’s Your Checklist

Let’s be real—open kitchen cabinets aren’t for the faint of heart (or the chronically disorganized). Opaque doors can shield guests from any chaos, and even glass doors help camouflage the clutter behind a reflective sheen. To help you determine if you and your kitchen are prime candidates for the door-free lifestyle, consider:

• Are you naturally tidy? Open shelving demands consistent organization to maintain a visually pleasing kitchen. Keep in mind, you’ll need to dust more frequently as well.

• Are your dishes decorative and coordinated? Everyday mismatched dinnerware might detract from the desired open-shelf look; instead, display items that enhance your kitchen's style.

• Do you have an abundance of kitchen cabinets? Overcrowding of cabinets will undermine any aesthetic goals you may have. With open kitchen cabinets, stacks of bowls and lines of glasses will need wider margins than they would otherwise. 

• Are your countertops mostly empty? Does your countertop currently have a fruit basket, a blender, a coffee machine, a drying rack, a potted plant . . . your counters can display all these items and not look messy because of the solid doors of the cabinets above. However, with open shelving, an already busy countertop will clash with the exposed items above, overwhelming the visual space and creating a sense of constant clutter rather than a stylish display.

• Is your kitchen well-lit? Kitchen cabinet doors do more than hide the shelves’ contents. If painted white or a lighter color, the kitchen cabinets can reflect light to brighten the room. Remove the doors, and the kitchen can feel surprisingly darker unless the space is adequately lit.
• Do you plan on staying in your current home for a long time? When renovating, you are your number one customer. Your happiness is the priority! Still, be aware that doorless cabinets won’t work with every potential future buyer’s preferences. Reconsider choosing open kitchen cabinets if you foresee yourself selling in the nearish future. 

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Ways to Perfect Open Kitchen Cabinets

Open Cabinets With Wallpaper Background

Play Around With Cabinet Sizes

Incorporate Baskets

If you don’t like the idea of bare shelves with your kitchen cabinets without doors, incorporate some baskets to keep everything organized. These will add a touch of country charm and elegance to any kitchen, and it will also make it easy to store multiple small items.

Add a Contrasting Color

Shine a Spotlight

For those who like order, the shelving inside kitchen cabinets without doors can be used to showcase favorite dishes and glassware. Add some lighting to the inside of the cabinets to shine a light on prized possessions and add an eye-catching effect.

Rack It Up

When you do away with kitchen cabinet doors, you can add some interesting elements to your cabinets and change the way you store your crockery. Instead of stacking plates on top of each other, install racks and stash them on their sides for a vaguely British country look. You can also install glass racks and hang your stemware.

There are no set rules when it comes to designing the perfect kitchen for your home. If you want kitchen cabinets without doors, the key to achieving a beautiful and functional look is in displaying your favorite items and keeping shelves tidy. This is a different direction but definitely one you can pull off if you choose the right elements to show off.

Add Some Arches

Coordinate With an Interior Designer to Pull Off Open Cabinets With Style

Embracing doorless kitchen cabinets is a high-risk, high-reward design choice; while they offer a modern, airy aesthetic, they demand impeccable organization and cleaning habits to truly shine. 

Block Renovation can help you achieve this delicate balance. Not only do we pair you with individually evaluated kitchen contractors, but we also offer comprehensive interior design services. Receive one-on-one guidance on whether doorless kitchen cabinets work with your specific space, as well as 2D or 3D renderings to help you visualize your high-reward kitchen before you commit. 

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