Shelves Instead of Cabinets are NOT a Long-term Solution

A better option would be to put in cabinets where the shelves are holding little and taking up a lot of usable space.

Yes. Shelves are definitely cheaper to make than cabinets. They can be easy and fast. But I can’t tell you how many times we’ve put cabinets where homeowners once thought shelves would be better and here’s why. 

You see it on all the home remodel shows, shelves decoratively arranged in a kitchen with plates and glasses, maybe a flowerpot of something green and a bright spot of color in say a tall vase. Looks awesome until... 

Cooking oils mat the accumulating dust onto the plates and glasses that you have to wash before each use. The potted plant and vase get squished together as you run out of room to put more glasses away and maybe a new mug or teacups. Pots stay on the stove because the shelf where you had them is now covered with cookbooks and magazines that you will put away, soon. 

The truth is shelves are just not versatile enough. They’re great for bookcases or decorative nooks, but for our tools and dishes and pots and pans, a cabinet where you can hide and keep these daily items clean is really a must. We’ve seen this over and over, homeowners with pictures of cute shelves in kitchens or bathrooms that can’t be maintained with that kind of order.  

Cabinets are really like a piece of beautiful furniture. The exterior is crafted to perfection, lovely lines that enhance a room, beautiful finishes that bring vibrancy and elegance. Cabinets create a kind of order that can be tucked away. Most items we want to store and keep clean need to be organized rather than displayed. Create a few areas where some of the beautiful dishes and glassware can be displayed. I like to rotate these items to keep the vista fresh and fun. Make life easier for yourself, build cabinets rather than shelves for your daily needs.