06/10/2026
Open shelving is a designerâs dream. Beautiful, practical, and endlessly versatile, itâs an ideal home for kitchen and entertaining essentials while also creating intentional space for a home bar or coffee station.
In our Palm Beach project, custom shelving set against stunning marble tile brought beauty, definition, and much-needed storage to the eat-in kitchen. To ensure the shelves delivered both form and function, we followed a few simple rules:
1. Consider needs. Are you creating a home for entertaining staples, pretty kitchen goods or a dedicated coffee bar? Perhaps all three? Display the visually appealing pieces and tuck the rest in a lower cabinet or credenza. For small appliances, factor in the accessibility of outlets or whether one needs to be added.
2. Consider the size. For these shelves, a depth of 8" and length of 60.5" was more than adequate to create space and impact (and complement the size of the credenza). I prefer an overhang (here we did 3" on either side) for a less-rigid feel. One helpful reference point for dimensions is remembering a bottle of w**e is roughly 3.5" around and up to 13" tall.
3. Less can be more. Here we added only three shelves, but the counter becomes the lowest shelf. In almost every instance, I prefer using brass and glass over wooden shelving for an airier feel.
4. Consider the surrounding space. From cookbooks to glassware, the objects you display are an opportunity to reinforce a roomâs color scheme, create a focal point, and showcase treasures. There is no need to rush out and shop. Use what you already have, grouping like with like and favoring odd numbers to create attractive vignettes.
Project: Refined Rustic in Palm Beach
Design & Interior Styling: Hawthorne Home by Emily
Photography: Jill Ockhardt Blaufuss Photographer
