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The rise of the kitchen shelfie: balancing storage with styling

By Jen Bishop • Leave a Comment

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Sponsored by kaboodle kitchen

If there’s one thing I wish I hadn’t neglected to add to my own kitchen when we renovated a few years back, it’s open shelving. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll already know that open shelving and “shelfies” styled with intention in a kitchen, are now more the norm than not.

They provide easy-access storage while breaking up cabinetry and maximising vertical storage solutions.

Want to add personality, pops of colour, a theme, texture, or cohesion from one room to the next? Open shelving will get you there. Thankfully, it’s also not just for those with expensive custom cabinetry budgets, and can be achieved using-off-the-shelf solutions like kaboodle kitchen from Bunnings.

Open shelves add smart, practical storage, as well as adding colour, style and character. You can see and grab everyday items easily, while they double duty as decor pieces. What’s not to like? Well, dust would be my answer, but I think it’s probably worth it!

Suddenly, your everyday items become props in their own right: colour-coded spine cook books, ceramic dishes and vessels, heirloom dinnerware pieces and trailing houseplants add life to your kitchen and tell a little about the people who use it. And the it comes to our interiors, we love them to tell a story!

Kitchen shelving is no longer just about storage space; It’s about making your kitchen feel lighter and more personal, and with kaboodle’s fully customisable and affordable shelf options, you can design storage solutions that suit your lifestyle, your layout and the way you use your kitchen every day.

Whether you’re planning a full renovation from scratch or seeing open shelves as the perfect update, open shelves are an achievable upgrade, letting you make the most of your floor and vertical space without overwhelming the room. By combining cupboards for concealed storage of the less aesthetic items with open shelving units, you get the best of both worlds.

Because kaboodle’s storage solutions are designed to be customisable, you can:

  • Adjust shelf widths to suit your space
  • Add or remove shelves over time
  • Update finishes to suit new interior design styles.

This flexibility makes open shelves a long-term solution, not just a trend. If you love clean lines and calm spaces, open shelves support a minimalist kitchen decor approach, rather than the messy clutter you may fear they’d bring. Styling shelves with a limited colour palette, matching storage boxes and simple ceramics, keeps the focus on function. When everything is on display, it’s easier to edit what you keep and how you store it. This naturally leads to better organisation and more intentional storage ideas.

Mix practical items with a few decorative touches to strike the right balance. Think timber boards, glass jars or a single plant to soften the space.

Leave some breathing room to avoid overcrowding

Tips for styling open shelves

Styling open shelves doesn’t need to be complicated. Start with function, then layer in personality:

  • Group items for visual balance
  • Mix textures like timber, glass and ceramics
  • Keep frequently used items within easy reach
  • Leave some breathing room to avoid overcrowding
  • Open shelves work best when they feel purposeful, not overfilled
  • They provide easy-access storage while breaking up cabinetry and maximising vertical storage solutions.

Transform your space

With the right planning, and thoughtful styling, you can create kitchen storage solutions that look great, function well and feel personal. And when you step back and see it all come together, you’ll know one thing for sure – you made it!

Get some open shelf styling inspiration here. 

Try this kaboodle hack to use thick timber-look benchtops to create floating kitchen shelves

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KABOODLE’S RANGE OF OPEN SHELVES THAT COME IN A RANGE OF DEPTHS AND CUSTOMISABLE WIDTHS, SO THEY CAN FIT IN ANY SPACE

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…
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Sponsored by kaboodle kitchen There are so many considerations and decisions to make when choosing
…

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February 23, 2026

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People keep telling us to make the most of each da People keep telling us to make the most of each day post-diagnosis and we certainly did today. My sister @katybishopuk in the UK emailed @wswanderersfc and told them the boys had been through a rough time lately (and are coping amazingly on the whole). She asked if they might be able to get their jerseys autographed.

The club went several further and offered us premium hospitality for tonight's game, to be in the tunnel as the players went out and to meet the kids on the pitch afterwards and sign their stuff. They were THRILLED. I don't 'do' soccer but it really filled mine and @damianfrancis' cup to see them so happy 🥰🥰🥰

Thank you SO much Western Sydney Wanderers (such a family friendly club) and my sister 😘
After a challenging build journey, the owners of t After a challenging build journey, the owners of this home ended up with THE most calming and cohesive home thanks to interior designer @lyndamacdonaldid We love the palest blue and timber scheme. 

Comment 'baby blue' and we'll DM you a link to take the tour and read more.

#bluecabinets #bluecabinetry #calminginteriors #coastalhomestyle #babyblueaesthetic
First photo: me in an ED bed smiling in a picture First photo: me in an ED bed smiling in a picture to reassure my kids I'm just fine. Because that's what mums do.

Every time I go to write  an update, life throws me a curveball, so here's a compilation of the last 10 days or so before anything else happens🙈

Have loved chatting with you all so much on Stories, learning about your experiences and feeling your support and well wishes, thank you.

In a nutshell, I tried very hard to get life back to some sort of new normal (that will teach me!) at home and succeeded (to some extent). It's made me realise even more how much the sanctuary of home makes me happy 🥰

Got work back on track, unexpectedly had ascites drained from my abdomen when I looked about 8 months pregnant, did delightfully normal things with the boys at home, had my first chemo round (4th in total) at the day infusion clinic rather than as an inpatient (thanks for the company @damianfrancis), went to suss out wigs with @kellyannmallard in case I'm interested when the time comes (amazed I still have hair albeit much thinner).

Then my 24/7 morphine syringe driver which keeps my pain at bay started leaking one night. I do NOT recommend it. But we got through it. 

A bigger deal was Saturday night when I ended up in an ambulance again after more varicies burst and I started coughing up blood. Terrifying but I survived. Thank you, blood donors

After 2 nights in ICU, some more donor blood, banding surgery via endoscopy and stellar care by doctors and nurses, I'm on a ward now and hopefully home VERY soon. Something similar happened a couple of weeks ago so I guess I was at least....prepared?

Although there are too many people to shout out, I can't mention Damian and Kelly in this post without @britneeandronaco. An amazing trio amongst SO many other very special people who have shown more care and generosity than I ever knew I deserved and am still not sure I do.

It's not all sunshine and roses but Team Francis keep our heads and our hope up and continue to try and rewrite the narrative of stage 4 cancer while looking into all our opportunities and not wasting any of our time together.

WEARING A BOLD LIP, ALWAYS 💄 #pancreaaticcancer
Instagram post 18066106421213359 Instagram post 18066106421213359
Looking for a little inspo for your 2026 kitchen a Looking for a little inspo for your 2026 kitchen and laundry projects? Look no further than @kaboodlekitchen's free digital download edit magazine. Featuring trends commentary from yours truly!

Find out more via link in bio/stories now.

#ad #2026kitchentrends #diykitchens #kaboodle kaboodlekitchen
I've been meaning to post about getting out of hos I've been meaning to post about getting out of hospital in time for Christmas and spending a magical time with my beautiful family and friends for days now, but I was staying in the moment and off my phone. My wish came true and it really was amazing to enjoy that Santa magic.

Sadly, the day after Boxing Day, I ended up back in an ambulance after an internal bleed where my hemoglobin levels dropped dangerously low. I'm not very good at explaining the medical side, but after surgery and a couple of nights in ICU, I'm now on a ward and recovering well, hoping I get to return home ASAP.

I have so many thank yous to say for the incredible GoFundMe donations and kindness and support I've received. I really am blown away and so grateful. There are so many good people in the world, both strangers and those I'm lucky enough to know.

And having now received 6 bags of blood transfusion myself, another huge shout out to all donors. I felt so good to know I've done my bit donating over the years when I received someone else's life saving donation. Please consider doing the same and potentially saving a life.

Before ending up back in hospital, I was settling in well at home with daily visits from nurses and I'm hoping I can get back to that new normal again soon. 

Thank you again to everyone for their kindness. And biggest thanks to @damianfrancis for truly spoiling me at Christmas and once again holding the fort at home. Our boys are so lucky to have you ❤️
Edit: the winner of this giveaway is @wholehearted Edit: the winner of this giveaway is @wholeheartedstudio Congratulations Hayley!

To thank you all for your beautiful messages of support after sharing my very vulnerable big news the other day, I've teamed up with the talented @katenixon_official to give one follower the chance to win this stunning prize worth almost $600.

It includes:

Ines 3-Piece Marble Bathroom Set (soap dispenser, tumbler and tray) worth $169

Ines Marble Bowl, worth $135

Ines Marble Container with Wooden Lid, worth $79

Lola Marble Tray, worth $89

Sawar Scalloped Bowl, worth $109

They're all part of NOMAD by KATE NIXON, the Sydney interior designer's considered new curation of beautiful, storied objects for the home.

For your chance of winning, please follow @interiorsaddict and @katenixon_official, tell us the name of the collection and tag 2 friends by midnight Sydney time on Sunday 14 December 2025. Winner will be chosen at random and announced here. 

You can even style the marble trays and bowls elsewhere in the home – why should the bathroom get all the fun?!

Good luck. Giveaway is not endorsed by or associated with Meta in any way. Open to Australian residents only. 

#katenixon #sydneyinteriordesigner #luxurybathroomdesigns #bathroomstyles
Trigger warning: cancer. Home is SO important to Trigger warning: cancer.

Home is SO important to me, I even made a job out of talking about it. And having been stuck in hospital for 5 weeks, away from my sanctuary and my boys, I've never craved it more. 

I'm going through the hardest time of my life and I'm finally sharing it here in the way I hope you've always known me to; with authenticity, realness and hope.

I've been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It's devastating and life-changing news and feels very vulnerable to share. Sadly it's causing me so much physical pain, I can't manage it at home. Being stuck in hospital, on top of keeping this secret, has been very isolating. 

Our precious boys are our number one priority and we are being very well supported by our medical team and amazing friends and family. I can't say enough about the huge role my husband is playing in keeping us together.

I've continued to work when possible because I love it and it's a big part of my identity. I want as much normalcy, distraction and positivity as possible right now. Some days I put my lipstick on and face the day with gratitude for all the good stuff, like my world class friends and amazing healthcare. But I'm only human and other days, I just can't.

Despite the gravity of the situation, I only have to look at my boys to know I cannot give up hope. 

Thanks for all the love and support I know you'll throw my way but please respect my boundaries by not asking medical questions or making medical suggestions, and know that I won't be able to reply to everyone. 

This beautiful community has supported me for over a decade and I'm sure your kindness will help me no end. And if you want to support me, keep reading the blog so my work isn't wasted!

I'll still be the main point of contact for Interiors Addict but things will look a little different as I continue my chemo (3 rounds down) and get used to my new way of life. 

Right now, my only wish is to be discharged to my family for Christmas. 

Because I can no longer give blood, if anyone would like to make a festive donation of blood or plasma on my behalf and share it with me here, that would really make my day ❤️

PS. Nurses are worth their weight in gold.
This modular home was built in 6 weeks and install This modular home was built in 6 weeks and installed in just 4 days and can even be added to later if its family outgrow it. It's @mill.built's first prefabricated modular home – a breakthrough in speed, performance and affordability. And it sits in the Yarra Valley's net zero carbon estate, @liveatthecape , which is Australia's first.

Head to the blog now via link in bio to read all about the latest in sustainable living.

#prefabhomes #prefab #modularhomes #prefabhouse
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Jen Bishop

About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. She founded Interiors Addict in 2011. Jen also works as a copywriter and comms consultant to small business owners and brands, helping them with their own content as well as working out what will make them appealing to the media.

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