If you’re thinking, “Didn’t I already read this post about the wall shelves in your kitchen?”  You are partially right.  You read my first draft of this post and, because of a technical glitch on my blog, my blog was down for several hours last week and had to be reverted to an earlier version.  This post ended up being the casualty.  I really liked this post, though, so I didn’t want it to be completely stricken from the Miss Mustard Seed record, but I knew I would never be able to rewrite it word-for-word.  I remembered enough, though, to be able to capture the spirit of the post and, perhaps, articulate things even better the second time around.

As I was writing the series about some updates I made to the eating area in our kitchen, the thing that was most discussed was the white open wall shelves adjacent to the hutch.  The chief critique of the shelves was that they looked “cheap and modern”, but several also felt they looked cluttered or crowded next to the hutch.  There was too much shelving and too much ironstone in one space for some.

What I neglected to say in the first post that I will say in this rewrite is that I appreciate the comments and I didn’t feel that any of them were negative, mean-spirited, or unkind.  My amazing readers were taking advantage of the comments section on this blog and sharing some constructive feedback.  Where feedback like this gets sticky is when we take it out of the context of sharing a space publicly on a blog and imagine those same words spoken by a guest in my home in person.  “The shelves are a little too cluttered for my taste and I think you can do better than those metal brackets” sounds like something a nightmarish mother-in-law might say.  (My mother-in-law is lovely for the record.)  In the context of a blog comment section, though, remarks like these are different.

A blog and social media are about engaging with one another and, while I do think it’s important to be always kind and thoughtful with our words whether they are spoken or typed, it’s also okay to share some constructive criticism and voice an opinion that isn’t glowing praise.  There are times when so-called “negative” comments have been quite helpful and thought-provoking for me.  They’ve encouraged me to grow as an artist, a designer, and a communicator.  In 15 years of sharing online, I’ve learned not to take comments, good or bad, too much to heart.  So, I hope this disclaimer frames this post in a new way.  It’s not a defense, but a deeper explanation for those who would like to know how I tick and why I picked shelves that have been unpopular among some of my readers.  So, let’s dive into that!

As I shared through the kitchen design and renovation process, my inspiration for this kitchen was an English Edwardian-era kitchen.  I wanted to do a complete kitchen remodel so I could have a kitchen that was a departure from the typical American kitchen filled with matching cabinets and a large built-in island with barstool seating.  I’ve had that in my previous kitchens and it wasn’t what I wanted for a kitchen I designed from scratch.

I’m drawn to the Edwardian-era kitchen style for several reasons, but the main one is how utilitarian items are displayed and celebrated.  I’m not talking about toasters and coffee makers, but stacks of ironstone plates and linen towels, copper pots, jelly molds, wooden spoons, cutting boards, proofing baskets, and bone-handled utensils.  It’s a visual feast of gorgeous, functional kitchenware displayed on open shelving, pot racks, brass rails, and unfitted pieces of pine furniture.  It is the perfect backdrop for my collections.

As we were nearing the end of the kitchen renovation, I realized I didn’t have as much open storage and display space as I had in my previous kitchens.  The antique pine hutch I purchased for the kitchen eating area was on the smaller side of what I was looking for, so I felt like I needed to add some more shelving.  After doing extensive research on shelving materials and brackets, I still wasn’t finding what I needed at a price that would fit in the small amount we had remaining in the kitchen renovation budget.  Even if I could splurge on brass brackets and marble shelves, I was having a difficult time finding brackets and shelves that would be deep enough (12″) and would be able to hold the weight of books, ironstone, and a stand mixer.  I needed heavy-duty shelving and stylish antique-style shelving options aren’t typically heavy-duty.

Since I wasn’t able to readily find a solution, I decided to take a different approach.  I could use inexpensive, heavy-duty materials, that would give me the display and storage I wanted within the budget.  If it looked great and I was 100% happy with it, I would stick with the thrifty solution.  If it was good, but not exactly right, I had something in place until I found a solution that made my heart flutter.  If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know utilitarian metal brackets and pine stair treads from Lowe’s do not make my heart flutter!  But, when securely mounted, painted the color of the wall, and filled with things I love, it’s not a bad stand-in for under $100.  (You can see the exact materials I used HERE and more details about the shelves in THIS POST.)

In fact, it is a modern solution similar to the utilitarian shelving used in old kitchens.  Here are a few examples I found…

Photo via The Victorian Emporium | The First Kitchens

This kitchen isn’t from the Edwardian era, but it’s a good example of simple white shelves on metal brackets used to provide additional storage and display space.

Photo via Maine Homes

The kitchen at Harewood House; photo by Harry Corey Wright

Photo by Paul Massey of Primrose Hill Kitchen via Candlewood & Co

 Hopefully, these pictures give you an idea of the vibe I’m going for, not only with the open shelving but also with the abundance of items displayed and accessible.  For some people, this is going to be way above their “stuff threshold” and that’s okay!  They look at something like this and just see dust.  For me, it feels lived-in, homey, and eclectic.  It looks thoughtfully curated and styled.  Would it look cleaner with the open shelves removed?  Probably.  But for me, it would look empty and perhaps undone.  This is the beauty of taste, though.  We can each decorate our home to our tastes and it’s okay, maybe arguably even better, if it’s not for everyone.  A room that pleases everyone is bound to be boring!

All of that being said, I like my budget-friendly solution for the wall shelves, but I don’t feel like it’s exactly how I want it.  I think it could be better.  I’m content with the shelves as they are and I don’t feel any rush to replace them (I have plenty of things to keep me busy), but I do stare at them every once in a while and think about what would be better.  As I was having one of those staring sessions last week, a shelf I had seen years ago came to mind.  I couldn’t remember if I spotted it in a magazine or online and I couldn’t even remember if it was painted or natural wood, but I knew the shape of it.  With a few internet searches, I was able to find it.  It’s an antique pine wall shelf in the mudroom of Loi Thai from Tone on Tone.  If you’re not familiar with his homes and design work, you need to follow him on Instagram.  His style is flawless.

DC mudroom of Loi Thai of Tone of Tone

Since it would likely be very difficult to find an antique shelf like this one that is the right dimensions and can handle the weight of ironstone, this would be a building project.  I think Jeff and I would be able to design and build something similar that would make that corner more special.  I would likely paint it green to tie in the color of the cabinets as well, but I’m still in the early stages of dreaming.  Who knows…maybe I’ll find the perfect solution at an antique store or market and then I won’t need to build anything.

While I didn’t write this post to convince the naysayers to leave rave reviews about the current open shelving in our kitchen eating area, I hope that showing the inspiration behind them as well as my thought process will help you appreciate them a bit more.  And, perhaps it will inspire some who feel stuck when it comes to decorating their own spaces.  So often the perfect gets in the way of the good.  It’s okay to have things just good enough in your home.  It’s okay to splurge in one area and save in another.  It’s okay to like something that others don’t appreciate or understand.  And it’s okay to decorate your home in a way that feels like home to you.