Open walnut shelves and toe kicks warm up the space. A white kitchen can be so clinical, but open shelving allows you to bring some personality to the space. The shelves are filled with a mix of older items, gifts and products from a local restaurant supply store.
Short path from sink to dishwasher and storage. The sink and the dishwasher are normally side by side. But having your dish storage right by the dishwasher means you can unload and put away in one easy movement. At first, you might think that open shelves would make a kitchen harder to clean. But if you have them for the dishes you use daily and they are within easy reach of your dishwasher, then it is very simple to quickly empty the dishwasher. This also makes it easy to hand wash an item, dry it and put it right back on the shelf. Put only dishes up here that you use often enough that they won't have the chance to get dusty.
DO: Stage your scene.All pictures benefit from a little staging. There is no need to add new items, just focus on removing things that are unnecessary in the composition. Nothing should feel fake or forced. Good staging is really about removal. Take away big, bulky pieces. Clear away messy piles. Move things that are in the way. These kitchen shelves are pared down, but not so much that they feel sparse. Your space should still feel habitable.
Begin collecting — with a color scheme in mind. I am partial to the natural-hued pieces from Heath Ceramics (some of which are shown here), but there are also many wonderful pieces by small makers and vintage finds to hunt for. Create a display on open shelving, and your ceramics will add to the color palette of your room.5 Questions for Heath's Adam Silverman