Wait until the shelves are in to determine what to do about the backsplash. Personally, I would hate to have everything exposed and having to wipe the dust off every time I retrieved an item, but it may work for you if you're super organized and have lots of pretty stuff you cook/serve with.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/style-your-open-kitchen-shelving-like-a-pro-stsetivw-vs~19403895

Had some open shelving in our old house, installed by the previous (original) owners. Hated them. Got dusty and grimy. Couldn’t wait to get rid of them, which we did when we redid the kitchen. Would never have them again!

First, you have a lovely kitchen. I'd think it's perfect as is.

A few things to think about. . . .

- How dusty do the tops of upper cabinets get? Here's an experiment to try: Clean the tops of ALL the uppers you want to take down real well. Then check for dust accumulation every week for a month. That should give you an idea of how dusty your open shelves may get. Depending upon the season and air flow from open windows and forced air heat / AC systems, dust build up can vary from cabinet top to cabinet top.

- Does the window you want to enlarge have a decent view? I ask because it already looks like your kitchen gets lots of light. So, if the view isn't great and you don't need more light, then I'd think hard if it were really worth the expense of installing a new header and ripping into existing siding. Also, take a close look from the outside. Will such a large window disrupt the scale of things on that side of the house.

- I lived in apartment with open shelving for about a decade. The heat was electric so there was no forced air heating / AC to stir things up. They got pretty dusty. It wasn't too bad for things that got used and washed daily. The real pain was for those things used less often - you'd have to wash it just to use it. I was happy when I bought a house with cabinets.

- The crown next to the wall ovens and the tall pantry cabinet will need to be redone. You may need to purchase some additional crown for that. You maybe able to salvage some pieces long enough from you're taking down.

- You mentioned the backsplash. Tiling the entirety of the walls seems the best solution. My concern would be matching your existing tile - color can vary from tile lot to tile lot. Is your particular tile even still available. Plus with open shelving, and full tile on two walls going to the ceiling you may find the kitchen much noisier. Overall, the kitchen may start to sound, look and feel more like a commercial kitchen.

This photo had me think - are you going to have a color anywhere on the walls? then might impact decision.

Here's a kitchen with white all the way up on two walls . . .

So hated the open shelving. I seldom even sauté things but the dust and occasional gummy stuff still collected. Ugg. May look trendy but not practical. Use glass fronted cabinets with lighting added as a substitute if you want to showcase some of your things.

Another:

Photo-idea - does your home have modern-type color-blocking? this contrast is kind of nice, and it's bit like your design.... idea cabs around stove, and smaller shelves around the window..

https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-open-kitchen-contemporary-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~44772

Lower window over a sink, and could keep some sun out of the room if it's hot there. Mix in Ikea type idk?

Personally, I think if you want open shelving, go for it! Obviously you both really like the look and have given it a lot of thought. Also, I assume you are fully aware of the dust factor and are willing to deal with it as a trade off for the aesthetics. You already have a beautiful kitchen, but I think open shelving will add some visual interest to the white/light gray color palette.

In regards to the window, Missenigma brought up some really good points. I just want to add that as “drawn” it makes your sink off-center. To center your sink you would also need to extend the window further to the right, which would then impact/reduce any open shelving in that corner.

In regards to the tile, I would leave it as is until you get the shelves up. How you space your shelves may impact the tile height.

Keep us posted!

If shelves stored frequently used items, like here, could be washed and stored many times / you wash shelves good when needed. I wouldn't want dining collectibles there. ;-)

Another vote for open shelving. I have it, and I have found it's a fraction of the work that so many claim. I cook for real for my family 7 days a week.

Everdebz, your photos are depressing LOL... so many kitchens... so little time. I love the first one especially.

To the OP, you have a beautiful foundation there. Expand those windows, take down those uppers, put in the shelving, and enjoy the space. When I installed open shelving, I took into consideration inventory and storage and it worked. And I agree that backsplash can wait until everything else is done. I made a last-minute decision to extend my backsplash after seeing how the cabinets and shelving were placed after installation and I'm glad I did.

Why not something like Julianne Hough's upper kitchen cabinets? Not sure how they were installed.

Another vote for open shelving. I have had it for years and absolutely love it. I have never had any issues keeping it clean and I am usually confused by all the posts about how dusty and grimy they get. Honestly, cleaning the indentation on my lower and few upper shaker cabinets is a bigger pain. :)

@Feathers11

If you get a chance. would you please post some photos of your space. I'd love to see a real working kitchen with open shelving. It's hard to get a feel for what an actual working kitchen would look like since all that shows up online are carefully curated and styled Instagram ready pictures.

If there is an unseen pantry, the large, tall cabinet to the left of the sink should easily hold all your dishes, glassware, serving pieces and casserole dishes. The other lower cabinetry is sufficient for cookware. It’s a pretty kitchen.

It's funny, no one complains about dust on their open shelves, yet if someone doesn't take their cabinets to the ceiling, everyone chimes in with how dusty they'll get. Hmmm.

Anyway, keeping them clean is not the issue. The fact that it's one more thing to clean is. The open shelves on my built in living room bookcases don't get grimy, but they do get dusty and needs to be dusted. Funny thing though, no dust collects in the cabinets beneath them.

Open shelving is fine. But it is more work if one is fastidious about keeping a clean kitchen. They will and do collect dust, as does everything in your house: baseboards, windowsills, end tables, coffee tables, fireplace mantels, upholstery, floors, collectibles on display, picture frames . . . and on and on . . . dust never sleeps.

Do it

IF

This is your forever and ever home

OR

You don't care if you end up selling the house for less money than what you paid for it.

I put glass in my cabinet doors and I love it.

>>>Following>>>>

@ Feathers11

Thanks for posting. You have a very lovely kitchen. What are your counters, leathered Via Lactea? Soapstone?

So you already have these nice cabinets and you're wanting to tear all of them out and replace or just the ones you X'd?

I'd do a test run for open shelves by removing the doors off the cabinets immediately to the right and the left of the cooktop. Arrange them how you would if they were totally open. Then live life a month or so and see what happens with dust, grease, etc. It won't be a 100% representation as those cabinets will still have sides but it'll give you some clue as to whether you like the openness or not.

Personally, I'd enlarge the window, remove the two uppers from that wall and have a run of uppers from the corner toward the cooktop on its left side. Then you could replace the cabinet to the right of the cooktop with open shelves. That gives you the best of both.

I would leave the kitchen alone. It's perfect. The only thing missing are trends that will be out in 6 months. This is funny coming from me, but i'm pretty sure the following is a list of things you won't be able to give away in a year:

1:. Open shelving in kitchens
2. Barn doors inside homes
3. Big giant clocks
4. Signs that say "farmhouse"
5. Hard as a rock counter stools with metal foot rests that hurt your feet.
6. Shiplap that shows black lines in between the boards.
7. Barnboard feature walls.

Just sayin.

Amen, cluedin!!!

I’ve had open shelves and as they were used constantly, they never had a chance to get dirty, but the kitchens they were in were really tiny spaces, and there was no existing storage before we put them in. I find my cutlery drawer gets more gunk in it than the few open shelves I’ve got now. I did not know it was trendy, we were using open shelves over 20 years ago because we had no $$s and it worked/works for how I cook.

We fitted open shelves at our last-but-one house (see below) and had no issues... although we only kept storage jars on them and our range was on the opposite wall. Please excuse the quality of the pics and the unfinished tile - these were the best ones I could find :)

Whatever you decide, it's a pretty kitchen!

What Cluedin said! And actually, I might even say a year is generous. The barn door trend is already on its way out. And, I’d add chicken wire to the list.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/should-you-use-open-shelves-in-the-kitchen-stsetivw-vs~117069313

OP, do what makes you happy and want to spend time in your kitchen.

I got rid of all my upper cabinets except for one with glass doors where I keep by glassware. Used SS shelves from IKEA.

Gen H ..Love your Kitchen