Open shelving: glasses up or down?

[JoshuaNY]

I say down on the glasses. You are putting the glasses on the shelf clean so the shelf shouldnt be too dirty. And if there is kitchen grease on the shelf, then the glasses would get the grease on the rim regardless if it was up or down. I think the positives outweight the negatives when rim down.

I have a pot rack, but it is a few feet away from the stove so it does not collect the grease. If you can I would put it somewhere else in the kitchen.

 

[GLC]

Yep; it's fun to have an antique kitchen. I'm really enjoying the challenge of thinking through what I can do to look retro without compromising modern conveniences.

I think of one of the hallmarks of a "farm" kitchen to be that the fixtures are freestanding. Old farm houses didn't have pre-furnished kitchens. In other words, counters, sink, cabinets, and such are independent pieces of furniture. This is probably least practical in the case of the sink, where massive modern sinks hat emulate heavy old stone sinks are popular. But the look can be made consistent with the rest of the kitchen, even though the sink unit isn't really freestanding, and none of the other fixtures may be either. You can get the idea here:
Delvin Farm Kitchens & Country Antiques - Country Kitchens

The bottom edges of their pieces suggest independent, movable pieces, even though they likely are not. Everything is imminently convenient and modern in function, but the impression is of a large bare room that has been populated with standing tables and cabinets.

Oddly, the notion of freestanding kitchen pieces can also create a "commercial" kitchen appearance, because the principle of piecemeal furnishing a bare kitchen room is the same. The difference is in materials. My own kitchen is populated by a large stainless steel "L" counter with integrated sink, stainless steel glass front cabinets and setback cabinets (former medical furnishings), and stainless rolling table for an additional central work surface. It's very different from the effect that would obtain from Euro-style built-in stainless, in the same way that the above linked examples are different from built-in "country style" cabinetry that is less "farm" and more mid-century imitation "country."

 

[lyndalou]

Hi,
i looked at the pictures of shelving that you are considering for your kitchen. It looks to me as though the shelves will be covered with doors that are either glass or an opaque material. Will the sides be open? If closed, you shouldn't have any more problems than those of us with wooden cabinets. They get dirty, toI store my classed bottoms down, especially in my glass doored hutch.

 

[MountainMomma]

Hey, Lynda

Thanks for looking! My most current plan is to have a combination of upper, fixed shelving that does indeed have the repurposed window sashes acting like cupboard doors, with glass, and then below that, to have one fixed shelf with an 8" space. There, I may well store wine glasses, drinking glasses, bowls, etc. Plus, over the fridge will be open shelving, I'm thinking, with trays... so there's probably going to be plenty of open shelving, though some will be covered by glass because, frankly, I don't want to spend all my time cleaning my dishes each time I need them. I love the open shelf look, but I'm also a fan of cleanliness through glass cupboard doors. Since I get to use my old window sashes as doors, I feel like I'm getting the best of both worlds, in terms of character vs. convenience.

Thanks for answering me!

 

[MountainMomma]

I agree with most of us: the "downs" have it~!

 

[MountainMomma]

I think of one of the hallmarks of a "farm" kitchen to be that the fixtures are freestanding. Old farm houses didn't have pre-furnished kitchens. In other words, counters, sink, cabinets, and such are independent pieces of furniture. This is probably least practical in the case of the sink, where massive modern sinks hat emulate heavy old stone sinks are popular. But the look can be made consistent with the rest of the kitchen, even though the sink unit isn't really freestanding, and none of the other fixtures may be either.

I love this observation. I've been looking at hoosier cabinets. My pantry area is perfect for putting two of them side by side, and that's my current plan. One can buy extra deep cabinets like the ones you just linked to. I'm now thinking that I'll bump out my sink about 3" when I order my SB. Thanks!

 

[Addie]

Oh how I envy you. I lived on a farm as a child and loved the old house. We had a 'Summer Kitchen' where all the canning was done Had a big wood stove. There was a very large blue splatter pan for sterilizing and shelves everywhere for the Mason or Ball jars. Th ceiling in the Summer Kitchen and barn had smoked meat hanging and it smelled so good. You have evoked some happy memories for me. Good luck with your renovations.

 

[GLC]

I love this observation. I've been looking at hoosier cabinets.

This is how the different freestanding cabinet ideas converge. Traditional hoosier for the retro farm kitchen - stainless "hoosier" for the modern "commercial."
http://vetprodist.com/images/uploads/CIMG0628.JPG

I use mine for a spice cabinet upper and secondary tools storage below, with a small microwave slipped into one side of the surface between. (Note the locking "drug" cabinet in the lower right behind the glass. Now, they can't get into your personal reserved snacks.)

 

[MountainMomma]

Right; well, if you go to my blog, you'll see that there's a generous pantry area with 85" of wall space where existing cabinets (ugly!) can be torn out. I'm planning to do so, and then put two, freestanding hoosiers there. On any day of the week, it seems that I can pick up two antique hoosier cabinets that are about 42" wide for between $350-$500 in oak and in great shape off of CraigsList. So, we're out of money now, but eventually, that's my plan. Then, when you stand in the kitchen area--or outside of it looking in--you'll see through to the hoosiers. They will be truly freestanding and give that sense of old-world charm, methinks.

One thing that I'm now noodling is whether to have my base cabinets be wood or white painted. Since I've now practically decided to have white painted shelving with glass-fronted, repurposed window sashes as cabinet doors (probably painted white, too, or maybe left in a varnished condition... not sure on that) I'm thinking that a really good clear finish on wood (stained or natural) would last longer than white painted cabinets. Seems like no matter what you do, painted cabinets look ratty with hard use. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Addie]

Look into Milk Painting for that Old World charm.

 

[PolishedTopaz]

What fun you must be having!!! Several years ago hubby and I re-did our kitchen, with emphasis on stainless steel, maple cabinets and black granite countertops. To your original post, I would agree with the others to store stemware and mugs down. There is a shelf-lining product that bars use to pad their glasses, that is washable and near invisible, Just a thought. Good luck!!

 

[GLC]

One thing that I'm now noodling is whether to have my base cabinets be wood or white painted. Since I've now practically decided to have white painted shelving with glass-fronted, repurposed window sashes as cabinet doors (probably painted white, too, or maybe left in a varnished condition... not sure on that) I'm thinking that a really good clear finish on wood (stained or natural) would last longer than white painted cabinets. Seems like no matter what you do, painted cabinets look ratty with hard use. Thoughts, anyone?

That's my experience. Seems like painted kitchen cabinets end up being worn by frequent cleaning to the point where they look dirty, anyway. However, I'd sure think about Addie's suggestion for milk paint, since it's kind of "preworn" and doesn't show the cleaning wear so much but still lends some color.

Happen to have old blown glass for those sashes?

 

[MountainMomma]

That's my experience. Seems like painted kitchen cabinets end up being worn by frequent cleaning to the point where they look dirty, anyway. However, I'd sure think about Addie's suggestion for milk paint, since it's kind of "preworn" and doesn't show the cleaning wear so much but still lends some color.

Happen to have old blown glass for those sashes?

Yes; I've never seen Milk Paint before: very cool! And I agree about the "pre-worn" look.

Blown glass: probably. They are authentically from the house, and it was turn of the century. We'll have to see, though. They don't LOOK fancy at first glance. Like, no stained glass. Just clear. Still could be old glass, tho. There were about 30 piled up in the house, and then we removed another 32. So, we have plenty to choose from!

 

[GLC]

If they're original glass to the house, they are blown. Glass from that era was industrially blown into enormous cylinders. The cylinders were split while still hot and laid out flat. After annealing, it was cut up into desired sizes. Being blown, there were slight irregularities, wavy areas and sometime "seed." The older the blown glass, the more irregular, because the blowing machinery got more sophisticated as they went along.

Modern glass is "float" glass that is floated molten on a bed of mercury or some similar technique and it therefore near perfect and flat. Older blown glass has character and an authentic look and is particularly nice when the cabinet has large panes. You can easily tell blown glass by holding it up and moving it around while looking through it. Any distortions, and it's blown. If you find some float glass among the sashes you picked out, look through the others. Old houses often have a mixed bag, since some glass was replaced with float over the years.

If it's really old, say 100 years, old window panes may be found to be significantly thicker at the bottom. Glass always has some liquid properties, and it very slowly flows downward. In my old 100+ year old house, the big four-foot square front window was over 1/4-inch thick, and I've seen bigger windows with glass flowed down to 1/2-inch at the bottom and tissue thin at the top. Salvage all old blown glass for rehabing old cabinets and such. "Restoration" glass is expensive. (Like $17+ per square foot for late 19th/ 20th century "light" reproduction and more for 17th/18th century repro.) We always keep a lookout for anyone who is throwing out old windows and check for old glass in them.

 

[MountainMomma]

You can easily tell blown glass by holding it up and moving it around while looking through it. Any distortions, and it's blown. If you find some float glass among the sashes you picked out, look through the others. Old houses often have a mixed bag, since some glass was replaced with float over the years.

Well, I just looked at the one sample sash I brought home (how could I not?) and it's blown glass. Yay! Thanks for the tips!

 

[Addie]

Look for inperfections in the glass. Tiny bubbles, lines that look like cracks.