I agree about disliking open shelves. Think about what you will use them for and what can fit on the shelves with the depth you have. If you want them somewhere, I'd put them just on the right side of the window, and leave the left side bare. There won't be enough space on the left for anything functional and short shelves will just look crowded.

i think left of window i'd order a cabinet same width and height as shown but matching interior as your selected finish/ VOID the door. I'd want something there. with panel on side of fridge you could get a 15 in deep cabinet which provides more for actual use. there would be no other standard depth cabinets that it has to line up with. on right of window I'd do the one shelf only ....about 20 in up from counter.

If you like the open shelves, then do them. yes you will have to wipe them off weekly.

You could do a smaller cab off to the left. or not. up to you.

here are some examples. what I would do is take you tile all the way to the end of the countertop,

and take it up to the ceiling. (add some sconces over the shelves too!)

I don't like the halfway point.

I love this one. and the tile. this is a 2.5X10" tile. I like the sconce over it, and how it's not on top of the window trim. I would have taken the tile to the ceiling.

don't use brackets. use a lag bolt set into the shelve and set into the stud in the wall. mark where they are before you tile. (see my example below)

don't use the subway tile like this for your border.

Get the bullnose subways!

You're not using a 3x6 subway, are you?

White marble shelving, white subway tiles taken to the end of the countertop.

love the walnut. use the right decor. a little black, greenery, looks great w/the white and wood

love the pendants over the peninsula in this pic.

they only used one shelf on either side of the window. i think two would have looked better.

I don't like this look. I like the window trim, but not the white shelves butted up next to it

I like the walnut, or this natural white oak. Dont do a 2" size. do a 1-1.5"

I have some over my coffee bar. I made them myself. (well not the wood obviously).

For $45 I got solid walnut, 1" boards, cut to size, kreg jig, lag bolt into studs and a hole in the back of the wood. I stained and coated them myself. super easy. (pros want $800 bucks to this)

if you're doing a hood vent, trim out the hood in a walnut. I also did this along w/the walnut trim around the window. Ties in everything.

Decoenthusiaste, herbflavor, and calidesign, there seems to be a gigantic divide between those who like open shelving and those who don’t. I have built-in bookshelves in my dining room (open to the kitchen on the right) and am simply in the habit of dusting them. The kitchen shelves are also strictly for deco. Although my kitchen is not large I have a closet that is directly next to it in the hallway to the front. We put lots of shelves in there so I’m lucky enough to have storage space. We were lucky enough to live in Europe for 6 years so I have some fun things to put on the shelves, my favorite being an espresso set with orange vespas on them from Rome! I love that having that space tiled to the ceiling with 2 shelves on each side will open that space.

Beth H, thanks sooooo much for the ideas and pictures. I adore the sconces over the shelves but have to do some measuring, we only have 8 ft ceilings and the peninsula, where I have 2 pendants slated to go, is directly adjacent to that space. I’ve had some globe pendants for the last year but they have wavy glass so I’ve been waffling about putting them up - don’t want the shadows. After seeing the brass and white glass globe pendants I’m going shopping for those! They are perfect for the space. I’m also going to trim my hood in walnut, great idea. That way the shelves, hood, and laundry room counter will all tie together visually. I have the slope counter stools from West Elm on order in Dijon basket slub with charcoal legs. I’m working with a designer on Spoonflower to modify the yellow in my Roman shade fabric pick to read less green and look more like the counter stool fabric. And last, but not least, since the laundry room is open to the kitchen I modified some wallpaper for the laundry room. Love the sample. Pics of all below (tile is for the laundry room, it feels like a linen weave, I adore it).

Was just going back through Beth H’s pics and I realized that my new kitchen chairs have the same back as the stools in pic 4, would’ve loved a rush seat but they only came with a neutral gray fabric, which works for my kitchen. So many choices, I don’t know how you pros do it full time!

eaw, love your fabrics and choices. it's going to be a cheerful kitchen. love that hex tile too!

Please post pics when you're finished!

check out the Sara globes here

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Light-Society-Sara-1-Light-Brushed-Brass-White-Pendant-Light-with-Glass-Shade-LS-C481-BB-WH/317244280

Or these (8x8) so they would fit

https://www.overstock.com/Lighting-Ceiling-Fans/Westbourne-Warm-Brass-1-light-43-inch-Pendant/20508525/product.html?opre=1&option=34000263

or, look for a smaller woven rattan pendant. it would go w/your other elements nicely.

btw, I have similar globe pendants over my island.

Beth H, your kitchen is to-die-for and I ❤️ your pendants. Thanks for the suggestions, I love globe pendants but that woven choice has me thinking… I’m so excited to finally have this project start. Yellow has always been my favorite color and if it were up to me I’d have it in every room, glad you like my hits of yellow. I’ll definitely post pictures when finished. Thanks again for all of your help, I truly appreciate it.

thanks eaw. I posted this photo on another post to show op the quartz, but it had the woven pendants. obviously you'd go w/a smaller version.

but look at the walnut accents (and open shelves) w/this kitchen

they do come in gray shades

so many great options. and yes, even these gold pendants look fantastic w/your yellow/gray