Jennifer Aniston’s Open Shelving Proves You Can Have a Kitchen That’s as Gorgeous as It Is Practical, With Every Item on Display Like a Design Statement

Jennifer Aniston is known for her understated style, so when she shares snippets of her home on Instagram, we often stop and take note. This time, it's her kitchen we're pulling inspiration from – specifically, the open kitchen shelving ideas in her pantry.

Old-fashioned pantries are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as we realize how useful kitchen storage furniture really is. Jennifer Aniston's kitchen storage exemplifies this.

While some attribute the increased interest to a revival of autumnal home baking, and others feel the trend away from wall-hung closed cabinets has made pantries more necessary, Andy Barette of McCarron and Company believes they are also something of a status symbol.

'They certainly have their place and can free up the main kitchen for everything else, rather than storage. It's a kitchen trend that I can't see dying off,' he says.

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To maximize efficiency, just as Jennifer Aniston has done, make sure every functional element is detailed at the earliest stage, and remember that not everything needs to be hidden away when it comes to storage. In fact, decorative solutions, such as open shelving, can make a huge difference to your look and feel.

A cluster of simple floating shelves works particularly well in a kitchen pantry, where there may be a fair amount of closed cabinetry taking up space along the walls. They add an element of interest that draws the eye, all while helping to keep countertops clear for holiday meal prep.

It's best to mount open shelving just above eye level and within easy reach if you intend for the shelves to hold day-to-day items, such as plates and mugs. For a stylized look, stack collections of your favorite crockery, line up fresh herbs, and incorporate small pieces of art along a run of open shelving.

Be they decorated with ceramics, vintage glassware (such as these beautiful pieces from Wayfair), seasonal plants, like poinsettias (at Target), or recipe books, shelves can be used to add individual style to a kitchen, as Mike Fetherston, design director of Hetherington Newman, explains.

‘As kitchens and pantries are increasingly central to the home and where families come together for meals and to socialize, areas for display are important to personalize the space and add interest, giving a more relaxed and welcoming feel.’

Choose from floating shelves (without visible supports) to those with stylish brackets, from plate racks to cubby holes built into furniture.

Architect Ben Allen of Studio Ben Allen emphasises the practical function of shelving above the countertop in kitchen and pantry design.

‘We love providing space to display all things cooking and food-related, so we often design open shelves,’ he says. ‘On the lowest shelf, there will be space for items that are used every day – salt and pepper, oil and vinegar, perhaps an open bottle of wine, and pots of herbs.’ He might add a rail for hanging tea towels, cooking implements, small pans, or strings of onions and garlic. Higher shelves can be used for attractive cups, teapots, and china, and variations in height and depth can bring playful touches to the design.

Finally, if you want to make your shelving the star of the show–especially during darker evenings–consider your chosen kitchen lighting ideas in the first instance.

Simple LED strips or miniature spotlights can be used to illuminate shelf displays, enhancing their impact and adding subtle evening glamour, especially useful when you want to create a softer mood for dining. Some wall materials can be backlit, as Richard Moore, design director of Martin Moore, explains of his use of a striking faux-marble onyx as a splashback and backdrop to glazed cupboards.