Kitchen Shelves

Hello Christine!!
What can I say other than what I am sure others have said? I love, love, love your blog! It’s my favorite of all. I somehow found it a few weeks ago and have been reading it nightly since that time. I have worked my way through the archives and have enjoyed my evenings reading (well, after my two kids are in bed!). I’m hoping you can help me style my kitchen shelves. I am clueless as to what to put up there to the point that I regret even having them. Initially, they were installed for use as a kitchen office but for some reason that idea has fallen out of favor with my husband and myself. They have since become a place for junk (I have actually cleaned them up for the pic!!). What can I put up there that is practical (I’m not one for trinkets) and looks good? I don’t have any dishes that are interesting enough to place there and even if I did, it would probably look like a cluttered mess!!! I have attempted to buy some baskets and vases but It always looks off. Help!!
Thanks in advance,
Rose

Hi Rose-

I will tell you exactly what I would do. I love your glass tile by the way- it looks great- as does your color pallet. Your look is too contemporary for baskets. I would keep it clean with white bowls- platters, and pitchers, serving pieces and dishes. Start shopping- find one here- one there- not matching- but all solid white. Country Living was nice enough to have a great picture that illustrated exactly what I had in mind. Bowls are always practical serving pieces- and since we are not matching them- you can get them as you go- spreading out the expense.

It will look beautiful! Also look at the shelves in the green kitchen in this post. It is a very similar idea.

The Large Awkward Media Wall

Hi Christine,

You are an absolute riot! You totally crack me up. I am so lucky to have found your blog. I wish we could do this in person! Love your style. I noticed you have become increasingly popular so I am sending this real quick before you become the next Candice Olson and are way too busy for lil' ol' me! I wanted to wait until the house was in perfect order and all clean but the fairies never came to magically make that happen for me. Darn them!!

I was thinking I should raise the tv up and put it on the wall. Then a tall espresso colored bookshelf on the right side of the entertainment center?? Floating shelves above it all? A huge painting or one of the photo wall templates you posted to the right of it?

Thanks so so much in advance! Enjoy the holiday season. Oh yeah!! That reminds me! WHERE THE HECK SHOULD I PUT MY CHRISTMAS TREE TOMORROW?? (I'm sure I'll have it before you reply but I'll move it if you say to!!)

Thanks,
Kathy

Dear Kathy,

Where should you put your Christmas tree?? Hmmmm.. In the attic. Sorry- but I have quite a pile of questions to respond to. I really like your home. Your view is amazing. I cut your questions up to respond in different posts. I wanted to focus on the TV wall today. I have the perfect plan for you.

The wall needs to be and have two things.

1. Functionality. You need the TV to stay pretty close to where it currently is.
2. Scale. We need the wall decor on this wall to have better scale in relationship to the wall itself.

   My solution? Start with a very long media cabinet. The one above is 86 inches long- from Global Views. I liked this one not only for the length- (I don't have your measurements- but you might want one even longer) but also for the colors in the teak. They would be perfect in your place. The TV would be hung on the wall- on the left. To the right- go with your idea of floating shelves. Keep in mind that- now that you have a piece of furniture on the wall- the relationship we are concerned about primarily is the wall decor to the furniture. We actually have two relationships here- the furniture to the wall and the wall decor to the furniture. Got it?

These shelves are from Pottery Barn- not the right color- but I wanted you to get the visual. You can have your wall decor extend a little on either side of the console- but keep it pretty symmetrical- and keep the decor on them simple. You want to maintain the clean simpe lines of the room. I would do three shelves.

Don't worry- I am sure that I can get to your other questions before I take over Candice Olson's job. ;)

Thanks for the compliments though. :)

Christine

The Loft

Hi Christine, I am so glad I found your website. It is great! I have exhausted my search of what to do with this space. We just moved in and are the process of adding a staircase to the first floor for better access to the kitchen. I am at a loss of what to do with furniture placement and paint color with these slanted walls. I am ready for new furnishings for this space. The only thing I have picked out is neutral carmel colored wall to wall carpeting. I guess you could call our style "casual" traditional. I would greatly appreciate any advice you can give.
Sincerely,
Joanne

Dear Joanne,

I want you to do three things as you decorate this space:

1. Define the Space
2. Use Low back furniture
3. Be daring.

First, define the space. When you have the sloping ceiling action going on, it is important to bring the furniture out into the middle of the room. Of course, once you do that, you don't want it to be "floating" out there. That is why you need to define the seating area. Two easy ways to do this are to first of all- use a sectional- by design it really helps to define an area- and #2- use an area rug- go ahead and put it right on top of your carpet- it will help to say- "look- this is the seating area- not a floating grouping of furniture. "

Second- use furniture with low backs. Parts of your sitting area will be beneath your optimum ceiling height- help this to look right by finding furniture that has low backs. The sectional above is from West Elm- this chair is from Anthropologie. Put two of these chairs to the right of the open portion of the sectional- and have a "TV" stand for your TV to bring it into the room as well- not pushed up against the wall- but in such a way that you don't see the back.-

Third- be daring. This area is away from the general flow of your home- why not have a more daring fun look than you otherwise would put downstairs. Break loose! Have some fun! This rug is from Anthropologie.

A few more things-

Keep your paint colors light- Don't forget to add lighting. If you need a ceiling fan- get a darker one- and drop it from a down rod- that white one is way too high. If you don't need one- replace that with a fun chandelier- like this one.

You can bring your low walls a little closer into the room by putting shelves on them- like these from Ballard Designs.

Add some great drapes. Hang them high- make it look like you have larger windows than you do. Add Roman Shades- woven woods- or fabric.

Treat your windows with the same materials- but a little differently- as I have done with my sharpie. :)

There you go- it is going to look great! If you want to go all out- I would panel your ceiling, the slanted part also- and paint it white. You will love it up here- a fun get-a -way!

Kate's Kitchen- Update again

I have found that a good way to do a lot of blogging is to tell myself that I am going to clean the playroom. I came across another picture for Kate's Kitchen- It is from the June 2009 Southern Living. Love those shelves!

Kate's Kitchen- Update

Hi Kate-

Hey everyone- remember this post that I did for Kate who is re-modeling her kitchen? This is an update for her... So - Kate- I just came across this kitchen in my May 2007 Coastal Home Magazine. It's a good thing I can't seem to get myself to throw these things away. These shelves are EXACTLY what I was trying to describe. You could totally purchase these at The Home Depot or Lowes- and save tons of cabinet money that you could spend on your cool island and art work- and cool dishes for the shelves :)- And don't they look great? - Sorry for the crease- but you know how magazines are.. :)