There’s no denying there’s a definite new trend of having a kitchen without upper cabinets. I’m seeing this look more and more in design magazines, Instagram and Pinterest. As well as having my own clients requesting the look.
In this post, I’ll cover the pros and cons of having a kitchen without upper cabinets, look at what that may look like as well as answer some popular questions about the topic.
Yes, absolutely! In fact, designing a kitchen without upper cabinets (wall cabinets) is becoming a new and popular trend in the world of kitchen design.
Beautiful Kitchen Island Ideas
You may want to design your kitchen without any upper cabinets for a variety of different reasons whether that be for style and aesthetic reasons or for more practical and functional reasons. However, as with everything, there are some pros and cons to this design choice.
Floating or secured with beautiful brackets, adding some open shelves is a great way to get a little bit of extra storage space but keep things light and open.
A relatively new concept and one that’s ‘trending’ at the moment, a countertop ledge is very similar to an open shelf. The key difference is that it is made from the same material as the countertop and will sit on top of a backsplash of the same material.
A Kitchen Without Wall Cabinets? It Can Be Done
Like open shelves, countertop ledges are secured with concealed floating fixtures or with visible brackets. They also vary in depth a little, usually depending on how they are fixed. Some countertop ledges can be quite shallow, so don’t provide as much or as practical storage as an open shelf might.
Including a hanging rail or rod can be a good way to add a little extra storage for those everyday pots and pans as well as introduce a bit of that ‘working kitchen’ vibe.
You could opt for a more traditional hanging rail (like the image below) or go for a more contemporary rail system that has various clip-on storage accessories and solutions. (Image a bit further down)
Kitchen Cabinet Design Essentials
If you don’t need any extra storage and really love that open, light and minimal look then don’t get anything to replace those upper kitchen cabinets. Embrace nothing at all!
You’ll always need at least some storage in your kitchen and if you’re forgoing the upper cabinets it makes your low-level storage and lower cabinets all the more important.
Think carefully about the type of base cabinets you’re using and where they are in relation to your working zones and daily tasks. Drawers can be far more functional than cupboards. Especially for storing dishes, plates and pots and pans that you use on a regular basis.
Good Looking Kitchens In Singapore With No Upper Cabinets
Utilising any full height or taller cabinets is another important way to organise a kitchen when you don’t have any upper cabinets.
A tall larder or pantry cabinet can store an enormous amount of dry goods or kitchenware. It could even house some of your small appliances or built-in appliances that would otherwise live in a wall cabinet. Such as a built-in microwave or coffee machine.
If you’re one of the lucky ones and you have a separate utility room or walk-in pantry near the kitchen then these can be a great way to get more storage close by so you can sacrifice a little in the kitchen itself.
Contemporary Kitchens Without Upper Cabinets
If you want that open look or no wall cabinets but still really need all the storage you can get, moving storage and kitchen items or appliances into a nearby utility room can be a great way to achieve the best of both worlds.
Clean and simple. Open shelving provides some additional storage and a chance to show off your best bowls and wine glasses while keeping the kitchen open, airy and light.
Arguably the trendier and more stylish upgrade to the open shelf. The countertop ledge is the ideal platform to curate that picture-perfect look.
No Upper Cabinets
This more contemporary rail system allows you to clip-in various accessories to hang or store items in your kitchen. It doesn’t provide as many storage or styling options as an open shelf or even a countertop ledge but it can be a good option to store those everyday items within hand reach.
If you’ve got plenty of storage in your kitchen by way of base and tall cabinets, then consider having nothing at all on your walls. With ample amounts of cabinet storage, this striking kitchen creates a real wow factor with its full-height backsplash and cladded cooker hood in matching countertop material.
Whether you feel you need to have upper cabinets in your kitchen will depend on the size and shape of the room, how much storage you feel you need as well as your personal design style preference. Each kitchen and homeowner will be different. (It would be a bit boring if we all did the same thing!)
Windows Instead Of Cabinets
While at first sight, it may seem that not having any upper cabinets in a kitchen is really impractical. It very much depends on your physical ability, lifestyle and aesthetic preferences.
For instance, if you’re a little shorter than average, reaching up to get anything out of upper cabinets can be very difficult. For wheelchair users, it can be impossible. So there may be no benefit in having any upper cabinets.
Perhaps you’re a smaller household. Just yourself or you and your partner and you don’t need loads of storage space in your kitchen. Having wall cabinets just for the sake of it could be unnecessary. You might prefer that lighter, more open look. Why not, it can look lovely!
Small Kitchen Ideas To Transform Your Space
However, for most homeowners and kitchens, upper cabinets make a lot of sense and can be very practical. In terms of functionality, they provide great additional storage, which can be at a comfortable and practical height for many. For those where space and storage are at a premium in the kitchen, wall cabinets become a must-have.
It’s becoming increasingly popular (and practical) to put your dishes in a deep drawer (pan drawer). This makes them more accessible to most people as you won’t need to reach up into an upper cabinet, which may be difficult depending on your height and the height of the cabinets. Especially if the dishes are heavy. Reaching up and lifting them down can be difficult.
It also means you are pulling all the contents out towards you giving you better access to everything. No more moving things out the way to try and get to whatever is stored at the back of the cupboard. Everything is within easy reach.
Good Looking Kitchens In Singapore With No Upper Cabinet, Lifestyle News
You can also store larger dishes, as a drawer will be deeper than a standard wall cabinet. So if you have any big dinner plates you can comfortably fit these into a drawer. As well as this, because there is more room in a drawer, you may even be able to fit more dishes next to one another, rather than stacked on top of one another.
So you avoid having to lift the stack of small plates up in order to get to the larger plates underneath. Which is very common when storing dishes in upper cabinets.
Another popular option for storing dishes when you don’t have any upper cabinets is to use open shelves. This could be floating shelves, more traditional bracket support shelves or even a countertop ledge if it’s deep enough.
Comparing Kitchen Cabinets
Having your dishes on an open shelf gives you the opportunity to show them off and create a beautifully curated Instagram-worthy look!
Just keep in mind that open shelves (especially floating shelves) have a weight limit to them. If you stack lots of heavy dishes on them the shelves are likely going to sag and drop forward which may cause all your lovely dishes to slide off and smash. So don’t overload your open shelves!
While it’s defiantly a growing trend in kitchen design right now, it might not be the best choice for everyone. Before you ditch those wall cabinets completely, think about how you use your space, what you need and what is most practical for you.
Kitchen Remodeling Trends
Michael is a kitchen designer from the UK. He's been designing and project managing new kitchen installations for around 10 years. Before that, he was an electrician and part of a team that fitted kitchens. He created in early 2019 to help give people advice when it comes to getting a new kitchen.
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