I think you just may need to play with what to put on the shelves. I'd sneak in something whimsical or artsy but try to either have all one color for the rest of the items if you want it to be visually mellow (such as all white china and/or glass, or any other 1 color). There has to be an eye for function in the setup but also some aesthetic.

Not long ago someone posted a great list of blogs. This spice organization post is from one of them. It also links to another blog with more spice organization tips. I like that you can order the jars from Target's on-line site although another poster thought shipping expensive. I've seen the marble turntable at TJ Maxx on more then one recent trip. If you have lots of spices this might work for the ones you use the most and the rest could be in a drawer or cabinet.

I love and am drawn to photos of open shelves but I live in the woods and the reality is I see dust bunnies! And you are right about planning, I've found blog posts on that too. I might put two above my coffee and tea buffet anyway.

I should add I am not attached to any blog or store. I contracted and DYIed my own undone project so I research a lot.

Here is a link that might be useful: idea for countertop spice storage

I love all the ideas you want to incorporate into your kitchen. I think you'll find some good tips for the how-to at the link below. We just recently decided to do some open shelves too, after seeing pictures of Pirula's kitchen in the Finished Kitchen Blog. Last week I realized that all that was standing between me and a trial run of open shelving was 8 little screws. Within ten minutes they were removed, the doors were set aside, and I had my open shelves. We really like the doors being gone for our dish cupboard!

Here is a link that might be useful: How to have open shelving in your kitchen

post an image please.

you have a microwave/coffee-maker area with open shelves for "added storage space" with glasses and accessories on them. This sounds complicated.

Okay, here come pictures...

First, this is what I started with:

And this is where we currently stand:

Thanks for everyone's responses so far. I agree, I'll need to try to stick like items together on the shelves to make them more cohesive. I am also thinking about the whole spice situation and thinking that glass jars would be the best way to go.

As for a plan... I do have a plan. I have the art that I want to hang and I know where I want to put my apron, and I know that I want to build a removable shelf for in between the two cabinets on either side of the window for my plants. But, the accessorizing is the tough part.

Still on the agenda for my budget kitchen makeover... new flooring (already picked out), new countertops (Ikea stainless look,) some no sew curtains and a new ceiling fan.

And again.. I know this kitchen isn't much to look at. I can't wait to rip the whole thing out. But that will be years from now and in the meantime I need a space that I can happily work in.

I like those spice jars, and I was quite tempted. They have them at Target. However, I find them a little hard to open quickly. You should go check them out at the store and see how they feel in your hands. I like the screw tops of the regular jars. There are some candy jar shapes with screw tops that are quite cute as well. If you cook alot, you need things to function quickly and efficiently. Crock with tools is definitely that. Spice out in the open works only if they jars open quickly, IMHO.

Some time ago there were a whole bunch of postings on spice jars and spice drawers. Someone gave this website as their source and I have ordered through them ever since. I re-did my mom's house too using the tins. Perhaps there are bottles here that would work?

Here is a link that might be useful: Bottle Website

I love it! The brown beadboard and the white tile (is that tile?) look great together.

Your kitchen towel and cookie jar give me that danish modern vibe. I could very well envision some great Marimekko fabric for curtains/shades:

or Amy Butler:

{{!gwi}}

Have you considered making a little recessed niche in the wall to hold the radio/music player? It costs almost nothing to build one in yourself, and would get it out of the way of hands and elbows. You could fit one right under the lower white shelf above the microwave. Like one of these:
{{!gwi}}

Everything looks so pretty! Great job on the painting and you got rid of the wallpaper border! The countertops look so much better, wonderful open storage ideas...and cute dish towel, too :)

Wow! What a difference paint makes. Great colors.

makeithome, what a great spruce up! I love the contrast of the white open shelves on the brown wall.

I think you've gotten some great advice so far, especially about the spice jars. I think if you get jars that are all the same or similar, with neutral colored tops, that will be a big help. Also like circuspeanut's fabric choices for a curtain -- of course, if you can get more the bird tea towels, you could make a basic curtain from those, too!

My style is very much like yours, and one thing I've found helpful is to go through every week or so and weed out the clutter and put things *away*. Post some more pics as you make changes, please -- it's a lovely kitchen!

Becky

You talked about plants being on your list. What about a couple of ferns on your open shelves in a couple of green (maybe striped) clay pots. That window would be perfect and ferns are supposed to be a "healthy" home plant. You don;'t have an accent colour but your tea towel and cookie jar both have a very similar green in them. Although I can see orange in your space against the brown walls and it would really pop - orange striped pots maybe with the ferns which would tie in your green.
YOu've done a great job in updating it.

It's looking really nice! I envision a great teapot on the blank top shelf to the left of the sink. Maybe move the cook books to the shelving that's above the microwave. That will leave some more open space where your crock and cutting boards are. I too, love the glass jars that are linked above for spices(might have to swipe that link for my own kitchen!)

Your curtains are what will pull everything together, imo.

With the exception of the spices and the stuff on the fridge, your kitchen doesn't look cluttered at all, it's beautiful! I was surprised at the difference between your original post and the actual photos, you are 95% there. Even your cookbooks match (!)

I would do what everyone else suggests about putting the spices in the same type of containers. I would also find another place to hang the stuff you put on the fridge or get rid of some of it.

Regarding more accessories, you could get
- colorful salt and pepper mills for above the stove
- a cookie jar or flour/sugar containers for the open shelving next to the sink
- serving trays, bowls, or platters in silver, bright colors or white for the shelving above the microwave - get something you would love to use as well as look at.

I don't know if I would hang solid fabric curtains, your windows are not that large, but I LOVE the fabrics that circuspeanut picked out. Those types of fabrics could be used for more tea towels or aprons hanging on the wall.

Anyway, your kitchen looks great.

Here is a link that might be useful: wooden towel rack

regarding the spices and bottles.
i recently bought one of those carousel spice-racks on sale ($9.99 instead of $24.99) for the precise purpose of having the same look bottles. I did not want the actual carousel but thought that this a reasonable price for 16 bottles that are elegant and have flip-up caps that can be opened with one hand for sprinkling
Just a thought

Here is a link that might be useful: just an example

A couple more ideas: If you didn't want to go to all the trouble to switch out spices, you could pick up on the red theme of the bottles that you have, and let their red caps be an accent along with some other pops of red elsewhere.

Another thought occurred to me today that you might find useful, too. I was trying to think of a way to hide cell phone chargers and their octopus wires. It seems like a simple solution to find a pretty and inexpensive lidded band box/hat box, punch a hole through the side, snake the wires through the hole, and snuggle the box in front of the outlet where the charging happens, with the hole turned toward the outlet, unseen. Might work for your speakers, too?

Hey, I just found the perfect curtain fabric for you, at a great price, on fabricguru.com!

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Premier Prints bird linen curtain fabric

O.T to circuspeanut
how great that you posted that fabric. I've been considering the red birds on mauve-gray version for my dining room. Makes me thing it's an "in" thing. Naturally, I can see you have great taste!

These are some great ideas! I had open shelves in my former kitchen and really enjoyed them. One way I kept down my visual "clutter" is I kept everything in the shelves either white or clear (my kitchen was TINY so this actually made a difference). Since my space was so tiny I worked to reduce contrast (so creamy walls, creamy cabs, etc..) - the open shelves really helped the space seem not so boxed in. Here's not such a great picture...

{{!gwi}}