I absolutely love the look of shelves in a kitchen - they help to create a really light and simple feel to the space, and create a stage for all your favourite things. However, they do provide less storage. So if you dont have the luxury of plenty of storage, I would suggest going for wall cabinets instead, or having a mixture of the two. There is something to be said for keeping the walls open too - it can be tempting to fill every possible space, but don't be afraid of leaving space for your cabinets to breath. This might mean having a clear out, but it will make your room feel much more open. Charlie

It's wooden for me! Aluminium are great for being practical but you can get some really hard-wearing wooden ones, too!

What is the construction of the wall where you hope to have the cabinets. If the wall is a stud construction, you could consider recessing the cabinet(s) so that the door(s) is (are) flush with the wall. The cabinet could be recessed or mounted over the towel rail so as not to detract from the French mirror on the opposite wall. Saneux Inside Wall Recessed Bathroom Cabinet

I think the answer is, it depends... On what sort of cooking you do; how much pain you feel if you see a grease spot; what sort of things you want to put on the shelf and whether you will replace them often. Of course, you could just put glass doors, although the effect won't be the same. I applaud your choice of matt cabinet finish - super shiny finishes are such a pain to keep looking good.