Open shelving looks amazing in magazines, Pinterest moodboards, and Instagram Reels — but does it actually work in real life, especially in Indian homes?
In this video, we dive into one of the most hotly debated home design trends: open shelves.
Do they make your space feel light and airy — or cluttered and chaotic?
Are they a smart design move — or just more daily cleaning in disguise?
Where do they actually work — and where do they quickly become a regret?
Let’s break it down with real-life experience, practical insights, and examples from our interior design projects at Saloni Narayankar Interiors.
🧠 Why Open Shelving is So Popular (But So Misunderstood)
Let’s face it: open shelves look amazing.They give off a minimal, curated, designer vibe.They can make a kitchen feel spacious, a living room feel artsy, and a bathroom feel like a luxury spa.
But in the context of Indian homes — with:
Daily cooking (hello, masalas and oil splatter),
Ceiling fans running all day,
Maids doing jhaadu-pocha (sweeping and mopping),
Monsoons that bring in moisture and dust,
And multi-generational families that need functional, not just aesthetic spaces…
Open shelving can often turn into a daily dust trap and a maintenance headache.
⚠️ A Real Client Story: The Open Shelf Glow-Up Gone Wrong
One of our clients — inspired by Pinterest and Scandinavian aesthetics — wanted open shelves in every room.Kitchen? Open shelves.Living room? Open display ledges.Bedroom? Wall-mounted bookcases.
Within a month of moving in, the family found themselves constantly wiping, adjusting, restyling — just to keep up with the look.The beautiful “open” aesthetic quickly became a full-time job.What was meant to feel light and breathable started to feel chaotic and messy.
They came back to us and said:
“It looks minimal… but feels like high maintenance.”
✅ What We Recommend Instead (Practical & Stylish)
At Saloni Narayankar Interiors, our goal is to create homes that look amazing AND live well. That means balancing:
Functionality
Maintenance ease
Visual appeal
Real lifestyle habits
Here’s what we typically recommend:
✔️ Open shelves — only where they work
Think:
Crockery units behind glass doors (easy to clean, still display-worthy)
Bedroom niches styled with limited pieces, not daily-use items
Powder rooms for quick-access decor
Entryway ledges with limited accessories
✔️ Closed storage — where real life happens
Kitchens, wardrobes, bathrooms — these areas need closed shutters, drawers, and pull-outs that hide the mess and reduce effort.
✔️ Material selection matters
Skip high-gloss open laminates that show dust.Use textured finishes or matte surfaces that age well and hide smudges.Opt for back panels on open shelves to catch dust and reduce wall staining.
✔️ Easy-to-reach, easy-to-style zones
Don’t build shelves too high — what looks good during install may never be touched again.Instead, keep open elements at waist or eye level, and limit them to 1–2 per room.
💡 Open Shelving is NOT the Enemy. Mindless Copy-Pasting Is.
We’re not against open shelves. In fact, when planned well, they add:
Personality to the space
Room for seasonal styling
A feeling of openness in smaller homes
But when done without considering real-life use, they become one of the most common design regrets among Indian homeowners.
🛠️ How We Design Storage for Real Life
At Saloni Narayankar Interiors, every home we design goes through a lifestyle audit.We ask:
Who lives here?
How much dust is in the area?
How frequently is the space cleaned — and by whom?
What are the family’s daily routines like?
Only after this do we decide where open shelves are feasible — and where they’ll backfire.
📌 Thinking of Open Shelves? Ask Yourself This First:
Will I actually maintain it weekly?
Is it just for styling, or will I use it daily?
Does this match how my family uses the room?
Will it still look good when life gets busy?
If you answered “no” to more than one — maybe it’s time to rethink the Pinterest dream.
🔔 Subscribe if You…
✔️ Want a home that’s beautiful and practical✔️ Are building or renovating in India✔️ Need help making smart interior design choices✔️ Love timeless design with personality✔️ Want a designer who listens first, styles second
💬 Let’s Talk!
What’s your take on open shelves? Love them or leave them?Comment below — we’d love to hear if you’ve ever tried them… and how that worked out.
💌 Need help designing your home from scratch — including smarter storage and styling?DM us on Instagram: @saloninarayankarinteriorsOr book a Clarity Consultation at: www.saloninarayankar.com
Информация по комментариям в разработке