Are open shelves in the kitchen designed for real life? w/ Susan Serra

MyFixitUpLife hosts Mark & Theresa are talking with kitchen design expert Susan Serra, certified Kitchen Designer and self-proclaimed kitchen geek, photographer, writer, and kitchen soothsayer.

There’s so much to consider with open shelves. Are you a perfectionist? Or do you cross the design line from cool to cluttered? Kitchen designer Susan Serra joins us to talk about open shelving and if they’re really made for real life or just a photo shoot.Your mind will explode when you see and hear her ideas for open shelving that works—and open shelving that doesn’t.

And Theresa announces she’s taken over ownership of the house and if she didn’t have to live with her family she’d have open shelving. Susan’s philosophy is that open shelving is good for the immune system. She also shares design tips about clustering items in threes, changing up texture and color to create depth and more. Sometimes you need to do some deep thinking and get a professional designer to help guide you.

So are open shelves really made for real life? They are a moveable feast. Decorate them for the holidays, the seasons, whatever. But it can go wrong fast. Find out how now —

Open shelves look great in the magazines and online, but what do you need to know before you make the commitment? We’re talking design for real life.

Watch our hangout with Susan Serra and share your questions and suggestions below in the ‘Speak Your Mind’ box or send us an email myfixituplife@myfixituplife.com.

Click here to see more by Susan.  

Susan is the owner of Susan Serra Associates, Inc., founder of Bornholm Kitchen, Scandinavian inspired functional kitchen furniture that is made in the USA (http://www.BornholmKitchen.com), founder of Scandinavian Made, a web shop of artisan made Scandinavian ceramics and handwoven rugs made in Scandinavia available exclusively in the US in our web shop (http://www.ScandinavianMade.com) and author of The Kitchen Designer blog (http://www.thekitchendesigner.org) and  Scandinavian Kitchens blog (http://www.scandinaviankitchens.com)

“The kitchen is where all five senses reside.”   – Susan Serra, CKD, CAPS

If you’ve never watched Google+ hangouts, here’s what you need to know to check it out.

MyFixitUpLife hosts Mark and Theresa are hosting LIVE Google+ Hangouts every Thursday at 1pmET.

You’ll be able to ask your questions and make comments on G+, Twitter, FB, and/or YouTube during every interview. And we’ll be ready to share the answers live on MyFixitUpLife LIVE!

So here’s the lowdown on Google+ Hangouts:

What is a G+ hangout?
It’s a live video chat hosted publicly by MyFixitUpLife on the MyFixitUpLife talk Google+ account. You don’t need a Google+ account to watch.

How can I watch?
You can watch on the Google+ Hangout event page on MyFixitUpLife.com or Google+. If you have a G+ account, you can RSVP and let your friends know you’re going. You can also email, tweet, Facebook, or even face-to-face invite friends to watch.

Do I need a G+ account?
You do not have to have an account to watch the hangout. You can watch on YouTube, on Google+ or on MyFixitUpLife.com.

What if I miss the hangout?
You can watch every Google+ Hangout later on our MyFixitUpLife YouTube channel.