The Classic Kitchen Design Trend That Might Never Go Out Of Style

It can be tempting to chase home decor trends. One minute you're drenched in Pantone's color of the year, the next it all seems so 1970s avocado green. That's why, unless you're blessed with unlimited resources (fun!), it might be better to stick with designs that have stood the test of time. Although they seem a bit flash in the pan, the open shelves gracing everyone's Instagram actually have that classic status. This is according to Home Staging Resource-certified, RESA-Pro member Whitney Vredenburgh, owner of Nested Spaces Home Staging & Design (@nested spaces on Instagram) near Indianapolis, Indiana.

"Open shelving and cabinetry has been around for ages. I don't think it will ever go 'out,'" Vredenburgh says in an exclusive chat with Chowhound. "We recently styled a home with built-ins in [a client's] great room and upstairs hallway and floating shelves in their butler's pantry and kitchen. Open shelving and cabinetry is timeless and it's a great way to display items while also providing a backdrop and focal point." Vredenburgh says that her company then styled said shelves, which is, of course, key in making them look polished and intentional.

The last thing you want is for open shelves to look unfinished. You also don't want to overdo it on the tchotchkes and create clutter, or worse, a garage sale vibe. Whitney Vredenburgh advises mixing a few colors and textures, but keeping the variety to two or three rather than breaking out a kaleidoscopic palette. "For example, the floating shelves in the kitchen have white, touches of green, and wood," she says.

She also repurposed additional natural elements for this particular project: "The client wanted a streamlined, contemporary, and soothing look. So, we kept it simple using marble canisters, wood cutting boards, moss in some unique shaped vases. The open cabinets in the great room have texture from woven boxes, plus black and gold and green." Vredenburgh says that keeping the theme consistent across spaces just makes it feel right, while also having a calming effect. Not everything is suitable for open shelves, however. You might just want to keep your glassware elsewhere to ward off dust, but there are still plenty of creative ways to decorate open shelves. Those who prefer to keep things under wraps have options, too. "There is always the option to have doors instead of keeping the shelving open," Vredenburgh says.