Before & After; What would you put on these shelves?

12 years ago

Thank you so much for the advice on my previous post. Here is what I started with.

Many suggested painting the wall behind the shelves and I agreed. I decided this kitchen needed some color, so I threw neutral out the window and painted it red. We also added another shelf on the end.

Here is what I did:

1. Metal Platter with a fish on the bottom. Dug it out of storage.

2. SS Salt & Pepper shakers, at Salvation Army Store $.50

3. Moved my cast iron elephant up to the shelves for a book end.

4. Baskets at Salvation Army $.35 each. I think I am going to get some fall color silk flowers to lay in the one over the sink. The one on the right is for my keys etc.

5. Antique metal bait bucket on the top right.

6. The cutting board (bottom right) is also from Salvation Army, and $.50

7. I left the hurricane lantern and the green fish wine bottle up on the shelves.

DH got the pendant light up, but now I have som touchup to do on the ceiling.

Anyhow, here is how it turned out:

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Comments (17)

Mom2BoysWisconsin
12 years ago
I would add a few more cookbooks placed horizontally next to the other books and put the elephant on top of the additional cookbooks.

I also like the red pain on the shelves. Very nice.
Cindy1961
12 years ago
I would probably move the fish plate over, put the salt and pepper shakers near it. Then, in the middle I'd try to get either a plain vase or a vase with a fish on it (to keep the theme) I'd put fresh flowers in the vase, when I could, and have some nice silks in it for when I couldn't get fresh flowers. A basket with a liner would even work, if you like arranging flowers. (I love it, personally) If you don't like messing with flower arranging, you can go with a silk arrangement, and have different ones for different times of year, or you could get a nice pot and put a hearty Philodendron in it, allowing the vines to travel down, just a bit.

I don't necessarily follow fashion/trend, but I do find I love something green and growing in most rooms of my house. And I've heard that a plant in the kitchen can help get rid of obnoxious fumes like onions. I don't know if it's really true or not, but it can't hurt.
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mtnrdredux_gw
12 years ago
the red was a great idea! what a difference
meowzer
12 years ago
You did a GREAT job, Barb!
Olychick
12 years ago
It looks like a different kitchen! I can't believe what a difference the red made - a great idea and implementation.
alexisls
12 years ago
Love the red! Personally, I think the key to arranging is "layering" so that everything isn't all lined up the same depth on a shelf.

I'd move the fish bottle over to the left corner and forward a bit, move the fish tray just a bit more to the left so the edge is behind the bottle, and then put the S&P shakers in front of the right edge of the tray. then I'd take the basket from the top shelf, fill it with a real or silk ivy (depending on your light) and put in the space you've opened up on the right side of the shelf.

On the top, I'd add more cookbooks with the elephant on one side and the hurricane on the other.
barbcollins
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for the comments.

Glad you all like the red. I was afraid I went too far. I was leaning towards a pumpkin color, but thought it was too seasonal.

Can't do fresh flowers. We don't live in the house (it is a renovation project), and I have a black thumb, so definitely silk flowers or pine cones. Then maybe some Christmas Tree balls, then something for spring.

Darn I meant to look for more cookbooks at the Salvation Army, but totally forgot. Maybe next time.
Oakley
12 years ago
Very nice! I would put a small, decorative mirror in the middle of the bottom shelf. Is the kitchen a low-light area or is it just the picture? A mirror would reflect more light since there isn't a window there.

You can also put accessories in front of the mirror.
barbcollins
Original Author
12 years ago
No it's not low light. When I took a pic with the overhead light & the flash the wall looked pink (yuck!).

Sorry, I don't want a mirror. Don't want to see the look on my face when I am doing dishes :)
ellenm08
12 years ago
What about a nice mix of your fish plate, cookbooks and a few things that fill the space. Make sure to leave positive and negative space (so you can see that great color too! Like this maybe?

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by atlanta general contractor Dresser Homes
barbcollins
Original Author
12 years ago
DH's addition to the shelves... Really????
Pipdog
12 years ago
Hahaha! Love it!
leafy02
12 years ago
OMG, what is wrong with men? My DH would do the same thing, and then when I object he'd cite some German philosopher about why it's important to be practical. And heaven help me if I make the mistake of responding with "But honey, NO ONE keeps scrub brushes hanging from the kitchen wall!" because then I'll get a 20 minute discourse on the value of doing what "nobody" does!
arlosmom
12 years ago
Too funny. Husbands, aren't they a special bunch sometimes?
pippi21
12 years ago
I don't understand a statement you made.."I can't do fresh flowers..I don't live in the house(It's a renovation project)."

You can buy a bouquet of fresh flowers from most grocery stores for about $10 and stick them in a vase on the counter can't you? Are you a realtor trying to sell this house?
barbcollins
Original Author
12 years ago
pippi21. -

I don't want to do fresh flowers because we don't live in the house and are only here on the weekends doing renovation work. I wouldn't make sense to me to spend $10 on flowers that I will see for one day.

And I wouldn't want to do houseplants, because I am known for my "black thumb". I guess I shouldn't have said "can't", I should have said "don't want".

No I am not a realtor, and the house is not for sale yet. We have renovated the second floor with a new layout for two bedrooms and a new bathroom. We just finished renovating the kitchen, and are now moving on to a new bathroom & master bedroom downstairs.

My reason for posting here was because I thought something was "missing" with the shelves over the sink.
lisa_mocha
12 years ago
Looking good!!

I can see your husbands decor-sense is the same as mine...Men, lol.

I like the idea of collection of cookbooks with a grouping of similiar accessories. ie Several Apothecary jars filled with different kinds of pasta. (not sure if you have any of these, but stores like HomeGoods/Homesense in CA always have them)
Also would like a small/low vase of flowers...silk/fake are fine...would just add another little pop of color.

Before & After; What would you put on these shelves?

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