1.e4 interesting but good openings.

i personally play 1. d4 as white and i like it. however i want to experiment with 1.e4. i only know the lines of the Italian game (which i don't like unless it transposes into the guicco piano) and a bit of the ruy Lopez (which i find to be OK). but i want more options which are worth looking into.

note: i don't want any gambits or traps that are only played at beginner level. 

If you want to play e4 then study the Sicilian, you will get the c5 answer many many many times. 

i play the Sicilian as black against 1. e4. and i know what i play as white against the Sicilian. thanks for the advice anyway.  

That is not true that the gambits (for example King's Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.f4!?) are played only at the beginner level. Garry Kasparov crushed Vishy Anand in the Evans Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4!?

As for 1.e4 (I always play 1.e4 as White) - you will often have to face 1. ... e5 (besides 1. ... c5). If you do not like 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, then try the Four-Knights-Game 3.Nc3 Nc6 (or it will be the Three-Knights-Game, in case Black plays something else than 3. ... Nc6). There is also the Vienna Game 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3. As for Ruy Lopez to play at the level below 1500-1600 - really not sure of that.

If you are used to more closed positions, and not very fond of the open positions - it's better not to play 1.e4

Play four knight scotch.

 Agree, the Scotch game 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 (or 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4) might be better for the beginners than the Ruy Lopez. One more thing is that you have to be prepared against the Petrov defense (or the Russian defense) in case of 1.e4 e5 3.Nf3 Nf6.

i know those gambits are played at master level however i meant gambits like the grobs gambit ( i know that isn't an e4 opening but i mean gambits like that). despite this the kings gambit and evans gambit don't fit my style.