20 Gorgeous Kitchens That Will Inspire You to Embrace Open Shelving

When modern-glam style meets rustic charm, you end up with a kitchen that’s just as welcoming as it is striking. It also helps when the room’s floating wood shelves are dressed to perfection. See the full reveal on the interiors blog Bigger Than The Three of Us.

Handmade black and white tiles inject plenty of character into this spunky kitchen, and also highlight the white floating shelves. The shelves were colour-matched to the walls, allowing all the pretty dishware to take centre stage. Learn how designer Emily Henderson uplifted this space here.

Every home Joanna Gaines designs gives us serious decor envy. Needless to say, this rustic cooking space fitted with elegant open shelving does exactly that.

We’re wild about designer Justina Blakeney’s nature-infused boho kitchen. The reclaimed wood floating shelves are only second to the glossy emerald green backsplash and copper accents. Want more? Check out the rest of the lively space on her popular lifestyle blog, The Jungalow.

Ultra-bright lower cabinets work like a dream when the rest of the kitchen is hushed. These simple white floating shelves showcase blue dishware to subtly reinforce the room’s scheme.

Only true masters of their craft can make a muted, mostly white space stand out against the rest. But Scott McGillivray made it happen thanks to this kitchen’s abundance of open shelving. The black brackets and artful accents on display add tons of character.

At first glance, it’s easy to mistake this colourful cooking space for a charming local bakery. With a large open pantry ideal for storing ingredients and bakeware, this kitchen is a chef’s ultimate happy place.

There’s plenty going on in this eclectic-meets-glam kitchen, yet somehow, it works. Blogger Kimberly Duran of the UK-based interiors blog Swoon Worthy punched up her open shelves with cheeky animal-print wallpaper and luxe gold finishes. See here for the full-scale renovation.

NYC-based interior design firm Threshold Interiors fashioned this bright and modern kitchen. The wooden floating shelves cleverly installed between two cabinets lend a vintage note and keep the space from looking too clinical.

Designer Kristin Cadwallader of the interiors blog Bliss at Home outfitted her kitchen in all things glam. We’re coveting every single piece featured on these shelves… from the charming “love you” mugs to the black and white art prints.

Stuck with a teeny tiny kitchen? Instead of going all out with open shelving, take it from Scott McGillivray and tread lightly. Opt for closed upper cabinets with a built-in display case to show off a few prized pieces.

Design firm Threshold Interiors transformed an old textile warehouse into a striking loft that features reclaimed materials throughout. The genius addition of mirrors placed behind the open shelving helps bounce light around and creates the illusion of more space.

The husband-and-wife team behind the gorgeous photography website We Are The Brauns gave their dated kitchen a much-needed overhaul. The result? A bright and airy space with a stylish black accent wall. The wood shelves were a budget find, as were the IKEA brackets that the couple spray-painted gold. See here for the full reveal!

Short on storage space? Take after this farmhouse chic eating area designed by Bryan Baeumler and opt for open shelves with built-in hooks, perfect for hanging mugs and other kitchen essentials.

This neutral masterpiece spotted on Leave it to Bryan proves how a subdued palette can still stand out. The kitchen’s wide open shelves displaying sculptural dishware offer an artistic touch.

We’re loving the compact open shelves, which reinforce the room’s rustic look without taking away from other statement elements like the navy blue cabinets.

Using the exposed brick as her jumping-off point, designer Danielle Bryk built on this kitchen’s earthy vibe with slender rustic shelves and other nature-inspired accessories.

Everything about this kitchen spells luxury. The same high-end stone was use on the walls, countertops and floating shelves to create a uniform look that calls attention to the leafy green outdoors.

Masters of Flip star Kortney Wilson took advantage of this kitchen’s awkward wall by adding plenty of open shelving. With shapely vases and selective pops of pink, the wall unit doubles as an art installation.

Bright green might not be the first colour that comes to mind when refreshing a space, but if used strategically, it’ll add just the right amount of zing.