I’ve been sharing some tweaks and changes I’ve made to our kitchen eating area in my last two blog posts and I’m continuing that short series. Today, I’m going to share a bit more details about the shelf styling. I wanted to rearrange these shelves for a few months, but it kept getting pushed to the back burner. I wanted to give myself plenty of time to make a bit of a mess and play without feeling rushed. Shelf styling often involves a lot of trial and error, so it’s not a process that’s easily rushed. I finally had a quiet afternoon last week and started pulling things off the shelves to get a fresh start.
When I’m working on a shelf styling project, I usually have a loose vision in mind. Sometimes, I want things to be arranged in a way that looks and feels more eclectic, and other times, I want them to be simpler. The current arrangement leaned more eclectic. Even though I had like-things on the shelves, I mixed sizes, shapes, and textures throughout so they would play off one another. After living with that for a while, I wanted a look that was visually quieter for the warmer months. I still used almost all of the same things, but simply arranged them differently. Instead of having different sizes and shapes spread all over the hutch and open shelving, I put items of a similar size and shape together.
As I said, sometimes I like things to look gathered and organic, and other times I like them to look structured, symmetrical, and tidy. It’s never a case of right or wrong, but what you prefer and even what you prefer at that moment. That’s the beauty of taking an afternoon to do a bit of shelf styling. You can get an entirely new look using what you already have, it’s completely free, and you can’t mess it up. In fact, if you liked it better before you started playing around with it, you can always move things back!
One thing I added to the hutch was this sweet picnic hamper I found at an antique store for $12. I’m always a sucker for a nice basket and this one was a no-brainer. I filled it with some cookbooks that don’t look as nice sitting out on the shelf and stacked some antique linens on top.
Of course, I always need to include a stack of antique linens. I’ve had at least one stack in every home since PA and a similar one made an appearance in many furniture photoshoots over the years.
I like how the stack of linens mimics the stacks of ironstone plates, but they add a different texture.
On the other side of the shelf, I included some cookbooks with neutral spines so they worked with the muted palette.
I did similar work on the open wall shelves. I moved most of the copper to the shelf under the antique island or on the pot rack and arranged similar things together. I included a few woven a wood pieces to tie into those on the hutch shelf and all a little bit of contrast to all of the white.
I know many people aren’t a fan of the style of these shelves or the brackets, but I’m going to share some ideas for that in tomorrow’s blog post. For now, let’s just focus on the styling.
I have a lot of vintage and antique flatware, so instead of having it sprinkled throughout, I decided to collect the bulk of it in an antique laundry-line basket. It’s a way to keep the utensils on display while corralling the clutter.
I’m sure I’ll change things up again in a few more months, but it’s nice to have a fresh look going into spring…
So, which do you prefer? Tidy rows or eclectic vignettes? Or does it depend on the season or your mood?
If you’d like more details on the other changes I made to this space, you can find them here…
28 Responses
Definitely depends on my mood. I just realized today that that there is no flora, except the forsythia on the table. Tucking in some green plants might make a huge difference to the area. Very interested to see what comes next!
I am so envious of your dining chairs! They are so charming.
Your home is really coming together beautifully!
I love the hutch and arrangement and I like the other shelves as well but I’m not a fan of both together in this space. The hanging shelves are just visual clutter to me. This is a small space and I feel like it needs some air. I also think the mixer should be in the kitchen where it is more accessible. Here, it doesn’t feel authentic, just a decoration collecting dust.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of your collections and style.
I too am a fan but had a similar reaction to the hanging shelves. It’s a lot in this small space, although the simpler styling helps.
I would still love to see an area rug that complements the gorgeous runner you have under the sink. This corner is so white and wood/brown, to me, compared to the rest of the kitchen — even when you show it against the green pantry cupboards. FWIW!
Tidy rows for me.
Hello….one of my favorite tricks when re-styling is, to take pictures with my phone. I move things around, take a pic. Move some more…. take a pic. It really helps me get a feel for the end result with the whole room in balance. Also, if you had it one way and question…now what did I do??? Even after a couple of days….go can go back.
I also use this method for hanging art work.
The camera doesn’t lie to get the spacing right.
i do this too. it allows me to play but know i can always recreate what was there before if i dont like the new arrangement as much.
I will probably get a lot of hate for this but those shelves on brackets do not belong in this breakfast area. They look like something that would be in a garage or at best, a craft room. It gives the feel of clutter next to the beautiful pieces of furniture – the table and cabinet. I am a retired Interior Designer and I would recommend letting the table and cabinet stand alone – too many “collectibles” looks busy and cluttered.
Is there any space in your kitchen cupboards to store your mixer? It detracts from your lovely collection of white pottery.
The tidy look for Spring looks very fresh. I love it.
I think the hutch, shelves, collections of pottery, flatware and textiles are gorgeous, as is the brown and white with touches of blue color scheme. Possibly what makes it all look a bit cluttered is the clock, antlers, and art work on the walls? Maybe some breathing room would be gained by having clean, empty wall space between the collections? Thank you for sharing your thought process!
You were wondering how to handle the hanging cord light. I saw a similar situation in a photo using the long dangling vines of a golden Pothos plant. By sitting a plant on top of the shelves, the long vines could hang down and make the cords disappear. Pothos requires very little light. I’m going to give it a try.
i am interested to see what your plan is for the white shelves. i have to be honest and say i dont like the shelves at all and think they detract from the otherwise beautiful area.
I said long ago that the extra shelves detract from the whole set up. They look cheap and modern. Everything else is so beautiful. Maybe it is better in person but I am so surprised you are keeping them.
Amen
I said in previous posts that I thought the modern cheap shelves ruin the look of an otherwise very charming area. So surprised you are keeping them.
Love both the cozy cold time arrangements, as well as the cleaner looker for the hot months. I love your white shelves, as they are practical and take up minimum space mounted on the wall. I even appreciate the imperfect spacing of the brackets, as that indicates you have them safely anchored into studs! Thank you for having a beautiful and and real, used kitchen, pretties and mixers included.
I have been following you for years and I LOVE your style and creative endeavors and your recent beautiful paintings! But I am not a fan ,at all, of the white shelves. It seems to detract from the entire kitchen which is otherwise just absolutely gorgeous. I’m sorry!! I have stolen many ideas from you, thanks, Marian.
Ps, I’m also a big shell collector, your collection is fantastic!
I’m voting tidy. I remember you did the same thing to your living room shelving in the MN home. I loved how you re-did those shelves, and I applaud the changes you made to the hutch. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the white shelves. I too find them a bit jarring against all the warmth of the table, chairs and hutch. Leaving that wall bare is not an option. Because I am such a fan of them, I would find an appropriate bakers rack to fill that space. Oh wait…I don’t think you asked for our thoughts about that…!
All of the comments about the white shelves prompted me to say something. I actually have LOVED them- not because I think they are a perfect fit there or that they should stay, but because I love that you can WAIT for the perfect piece. WAITING is hard, being CONTENT with what you have is HARD… BUYING something expensive- if you have the money is EASY. I have found that with my own home that the decisions I have made quickly and out of the desperate need to be done- have led me to things I have to change later at a greater expense in time and money. The white shelves to me say- WAIT- it doesn’t have to be perfect RIGHT NOW. They are an inexpensive PLACE HOLDER for when you find or create the perfect piece. We all need to be able to WAIT.
I have always loved your chandelier and the story behind it. So I was in self awe when I stopped at a little “junk” store and there it was…in a box! I offered her an amazing $10 and I took it home!! Needed re wiring and a few more crystals BUT- I love it! Still pinching myself in amazement..You are my inspiration.
I am with those who aren’t fond of the shelving. Makes it a very busy and crowded space. But that’s just me. I like less stuff around. Can you consider having electricity changed so your light doesnt swing across the ceiling but comes down from the ceiling? I typically love your spaces as you do so well with styling but I must say your breakfast area just isn’t there yet. Having followed you for years, I can count on that space growing up and maturing into a warm yet sophisticated space.
I agree with those above who feel the white shelves look out of place, as well as cluttered.
I love your pine hutch, and think that the first, third, and fourth shelves look lovely, but I would redo the third shelf, as it looks cluttered and overstocked.
I love your house and your style, and read your blogs daily. Yours is a definite favorite of mine.
Thank you for sharing your home with us.
My mistake, I meant to say I would redo the second shelf, not the third. The third shelf is lovely with the ironstone pitchers.
My only thought about the mixer was I like how you hung the picture you painted of the black and white rabbit (My fav!) and the way it tied in with the mixer…
Amen
I tend to like balance when it comes to styling shelves like two exact things such as books or glassware on opposite sides with something totally different in the center. I know you have gotten some comments about the shelves on the opposite wall not fitting in. I tend to agree. Perhaps something like an antique hanging cabinet might fit better to compliment the European leaning look of your kitchen. Just a thought.
I really like the balance you have achieved with this styling session. I have my grandmother’s wicker picnic basket like yours, but the latches are missing. You have inspired me to put a wooden dowel through the two loops!! You are always an inspiration with the things you post! Thank you!