Decide What You Do and Don't Need - Open shelving can replace a furniture item in your home to increase space. What pieces of furniture could you do without? What kind of storage does it provide? Can it be replaced with open shelving? These are all questions only you can answer as you look at your space.
Think of Your Walls as Vertical Storage - Think higher rather than low. For instance, when using open shelving in place of say, a buffet in a dining room, the shelving can create storage on the wall without taking up floor space by adding more furniture pieces.
Form and Function - When you are adding some open shelving be practical, but also keep it beautiful. Like the example above, if you are using shelving in a dining room, having glassware or dishes will be functional in the space. Putting like colors or styles together will help make it beautiful.
Keep it Clean - Having open shelving does leave all it's storage items out in the open and they can collect dust. Make sure you keep things looking nice so you and your guests can enjoy it for years to come.
This blog was inspired by the article Open Up by Margie Monin Dombrowski and Sara Davis in the Romantic Homes September 2017 Issue.
