GLASS CABINETS VS OPEN SHELVES—WHICH ACTUALLY STAYS CLEANER?

“But honestly, I find open shelves to be a bigger headache in most homes. Dust and grease settle on everything, and unless you’re pulling dishes down and wiping the shelves every week, it builds up fast.”

I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve seen the opposite in a lot of new builds. Open shelves can work if you’re realistic about what’s on them. If you just keep your daily-use stuff out (stuff that’s moving constantly), dust isn’t really an issue. It’s when people try to display fancy glassware or things they barely touch that it gets gross.

Glass cabinets look great at first, but in high-traffic kitchens, those fingerprints and streaks are a constant battle. And if you’ve got soft water or kids with sticky hands... forget it. You’re cleaning them all the time. At least with open shelves, there’s nothing between you and your dishes—no hardware to break or hinges to adjust down the line.

Honestly, I think both options are higher maintenance than people expect, but if you keep it simple and don’t overfill open shelves, they can be just as manageable as glass fronts—maybe even easier for some folks. Just depends how you use your kitchen day-to-day.