Why no top cabinets in kitchens ? - Page 3

Marsha2003 · ‎03-12-2010

@froggy wrote:
@Marsha2003 wrote:
@froggy I am short, so I love my lower cabinets with pull-out drawers. In fact, I wish they were finished drawers on the front rather than cabinet doors. Everything you wrote in your post applies to my kitchen. I have to get the step ladder out to reach anything but the bottom shelf of my upper cabinets.

I would never have open upper shelves because I couldn't reach them anyway, so what would be the point?
@Marsha2003I do keep a little two step stepstool when I have to get things that are too high. In fact, about 4 months ago I was on the top step, thought I was on the bottom step, and stepped down into thin air. I went over like a tree being chopped down, landed on the point of my elbow and broke my collarbone. Ouch! Good thing I don't have to reach the top shelves all the time!

@froggy Oh, my! I'm so sorry that happened. I've missed that last step on a three step ladder two or three times, but luckily, I didn't fall. Whatever muscle is on the inside of one's thigh protested mightily, though.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

Honestly, I don't like it and never have, but in my experience, it came from long ago, in kitchens of people in poverty and in vacation cabins.

Back in the day, they were seen in places people weren't able to invest a lot of money and needed a place to put their stuff, but couldn't afford cabinets.

Somehow 'the lack of' was turned into 'the have to have'.

Go figure.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

@DiAnne I just had an ephany! Ha! Maybe you and I painting the walls white is a good sign because that would mean neither of us would want to move back in since we both like colors! Ha!

It's just boring!

Tigriss · ‎03-12-2010

@DiAnne wrote:
My neighbor just redid her kitchen and there are no upper cabinets or shelves. They put large windows in that opened up the view of the lake and on one wall there is cupboard that go floor to ceiling and that is where the dishes, etc. are.

Another friend of mine did a similar thing in her kitchen. She took out all her top cabinets and put in metal shelves that hold all her dishes and large bins of different flours, sugars, etc. It resembles a restaurant kitchen which is what she wanted.

My kitchen is too small to do either one.

I would love to see the one with the windows to view the lake. I have always wanted to get rid of my upper cabinets to open the space more with open shelving and/or windows. I'd love a circular designed kitchen with a wall of windows as the upper part of the circular kitchen looking out onto a beautiful garden or lake/river/ocean. You would have a beautiful view while you cook! A pantry and closet to store the dishes and all would keep the "grease" from getting onto the dishes. I don't fry much or use much oils, so I don't have those going into the air. The idea is that you have the dishes that you actually use versus 12 casserole dishes and junk that just takes up space and you've forgot you had them.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Tigriss wrote:
@DiAnne wrote:
My neighbor just redid her kitchen and there are no upper cabinets or shelves. They put large windows in that opened up the view of the lake and on one wall there is cupboard that go floor to ceiling and that is where the dishes, etc. are.

Another friend of mine did a similar thing in her kitchen. She took out all her top cabinets and put in metal shelves that hold all her dishes and large bins of different flours, sugars, etc. It resembles a restaurant kitchen which is what she wanted.

My kitchen is too small to do either one.
I would love to see the one with the windows to view the lake. I have always wanted to get rid of my upper cabinets to open the space more with open shelving and/or windows. I'd love a circular designed kitchen with a wall of windows as the upper part of the circular kitchen looking out onto a beautiful garden or lake/river/ocean. You would have a beautiful view while you cook! A pantry and closet to store the dishes and all would keep the "grease" from getting onto the dishes. I don't fry much or use much oils, so I don't have those going into the air. The idea is that you have the dishes that you actually use versus 12 casserole dishes and junk that just takes up space and you've forgot you had them.

I just did a total and extensive purge of my kitchen cabinets and I do not have anything in there that is not used. I have a 6ft wide pantry but I store our food in there and there is no room for anything else. My kitchen is 20 x 12 and I use every bit of it and every cabinet.I love having such a large kitchen - my former home the kitchen was 10 x 10 so I had things stored in the basement & I had to run up & down the stairs a lot.I wouldn't even consider replacing my cabinets with shelves.

ID2 · ‎06-25-2012

To the OP's original post...I surely don't have "greasy dust" in my kitchen! But then again, I don't deep fry...never have. I don't like the look of open shelving in a kitchen but not because of grease and dirt.

"Pure Michigan"

Nataliesgramma · ‎03-28-2015

I have space above my kitchen cabinets to display crocks and my tureens......I don't fry food in grease....but I do cook every day and that stuff gets dirty and needs cleaning often

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

I wonder if it's because of the scenes out the windows and openess of the loft look. Hang down cupboards would be in the way. I've been watching, off and on, homes that people are building themselves. They don't even have whole rooms, but large slabs of concrete that separates areas of rooms. I'd have trouble with that. Then there's the ones who have great scenery and absolutely no curtains, drapes or window covers. It all would take a lot to get use to. I also, think they buy a lot of property so no one can live that close to them.

Regal Bee · ‎07-20-2017

I hardly consider open shelving a stupid idea....they do this in Europe on a fairly common basis.

I think the Farmhouse style of decorating has a lot to do with this trend.

I, personally, do not have a greasy kitchen and would love to have some open shelving. I never fry anything in my kitchen. If we want fried food, we go out.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

My cousin has one of those frames that you put over your island and hang your pots & pans on. She loves it - thinks it looks cool. Meanwhile I've seen her take a pot down from there, put it on the stove and toss food in it to cook - but I can actually see dirt all over the outside of that pot or pan & I think OMG doesn't she think she should wash that? Fortunately we have never eaten at her place. We'd stop over on a holiday like Christmas and stay only briefly, then move on and eat elsewhere.