How To: Styling Shelves
Here it is. Our newly styled hutch.
As I mentioned, styling shelves is one of my favorite things to work on, but this hutch really had me rethinking everything. So much so that I had to gather inspirational images to help me get to this look.
Our hutch has had a couple looks since we first brought it home, but they never seemed quite right. Too cluttered or too plain. Previously, I chalked it up to working with what I had and not purchasing specific pottery to fit. But, as it turns out, I just needed to re-evaluate my method.
1. Start by adding the big ticket items, anything large that would dominate the space. Like the pitcher, large scale bird, and soup tureens.
2. Next, add your background pieces. Like plates, platters, and in my case these vintage silver casserole covers.
(Remember I'm using what I have!)
3. Then, start adding your filler pieces. I tried to add a variety of pieces for a touch of whimsy and color while varying heights and textures.
Some of my favorite combinations are shown here. My Mom gave me the green platters, which I paired with a couple of salad plates from our formal china.
You know how I feel about blue and green.
A collection of blue and white tea cups and a sweet little bird atop a stack of saucers.
4. The final step, is to add natural elements for further texture. I topped simple white bowls with decorative moss spheres, included a silver bowl of limes, and added large pinecones to a white serving dish.
I've kept the pallet to mostly tonal shades of green and white, with a good dose of well loved, tarnished silver and just a hint of blue. Not too neutral, but not overwhelming with pattern and color. Just enough to keep you interested.
Hope this little step by step helps you with your next shelving project.
Speaking of, with this change of dining location, our former breakfast room has been in need of a new purpose. A new purpose, means new tweaks to our storage shelving. More to come on that later...No shelf space is safe in our home at the moment. It's a shelf-a-palooza!
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until next time,