Cross Post - Help with Open Shelving in Kitchen

15 years ago

I need advice on how to organize items in my open shelving for our kitchen. Someone suggested I cross post here. Please respond to my other post with any help, thanks a million!

Open Shelves Look Messy

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Comments (3)

skypathway
15 years ago
Wow, your kitchen looks like it's going to be gorgeous when you're finished. Great work.

You have wonderful ideas over in the kitchen forum. I have two suggestions. First, leave some empty spaces, don't have everything lined up filling the whole shelf. This is especially important if you have something of eye catching color/shape - you want room for the eyes to rest on that special item. Second, anything there will collect dust and dirt - best to find things that you can throw in the dishwasher every once and a while and/or are easy to clean.

Lovely job.

Sky
teacats
15 years ago
Choose one basic color -- basic white china.

Then choose an accent like clear glass. JUST an example.

Remove everything else. Step back and look again. This is important to give you a viewer's perspective.

Vary the heights by creating stacks -- and add interest with shapes. Think of a round white teapot. Or a gorgeous white soup tureen. Or a white platter or large plate standing on end.

Check pages 34 and 38 in the latest Southern Accents magazine (March/April 2009) -- excellent visual on open kitchen shelving with all white china.

LOVE your canisters -- perhaps consider adding a couple more -- and I love the way you vary contents by color.

Ideas for variations:

White china and wicker
White china and pewter
White china with black accents
White china with a dash of red (or spring green or Easter yellow) accent

Also see Country Home (March/Arpil 2009) (their last issue!) pages 40; 42; 44. More ideas.

Alo check House Beautiful's website -- click on their "Gallery" -- and then on kitchens -- there are a number of photos that might help out too!

Hope this helps! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage
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Marti, I really am pleased with your mockup, I was thinking something similar to that, then scrolled down and VOILA there it already was. You can blast it out of the park for us folks, then fret over your own. Trust your instincts....they are sound....and workable. If the front door is right there, and you have 22 inches of wall space available, I think you could find a 15 or 18 inch wide tall cab that is like 12 to 18 inches deep. Not a full depth cab,...And if you keep a long door on it, that could provide a place for a couple of hooks, to hang raincoats, back packs, whatever if you have kids, or have your guests hang their coats there as they come in. Just something wide enough for someone to rest their derriere if need be to take off muddy shoes? I also think you need to claim the counter space from your DH who is usurping it at this time. I realize how convenient it is for him, menfolks can become such creatures of habit. But my thinking is, you need all the counter space you've got for kitchen prep work. And, having the counter space on the side of the fridge that has the door handle. THAT is the perfect option. In my case, we have a French door fridge, and not being able to set something down on a countertop is making me consider having a stubby peninsula between the fridge and the sink, so it sticks out enough past the open doors to give me a spot to put down groceries or whatever. With a single door fridge, you know which side to make available for staging the groceries going in or out of the fridge. And Jessica, you are so right, this is a splendid group of friendly people.
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redroze
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you so much Skypathway!!

Teacats - GREAT ideas. I like what you said about pairing white china with others. I'm doing pink right now...but would love to do hits of black or pewter. I've also got my eye on this gorgeous China set from Villeroy & Boch, called Golden Garden. It's hard to see the pink in this photo, but it's gold with pink accents.

{{!gwi}}

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Cross Post - Help with Open Shelving in Kitchen

Comments (3)

skypathway

teacats

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redroze
Original Author

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Cross Post - Help with Open Shelving in Kitchen

Comments (3)

skypathway

teacats

Related Discussions

redrozeOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

redroze
Original Author