I love to go antiquing about once each month. I don’t usually come back with a lot, but just a few things here and there to add to our small farmhouse. You can check out a few of my finds from this past spring right here. One of my favorite ways to display old plates and platters is by hanging them on the wall. All the directions for doing this are over here!
One of my largest antique finds was a large hutch with glass doors. Some day I’d like to display glassware and an assortment of nice dinnerware in it (if and when I own those sorts of things), but for now I house different objects inside. Come take a look!
Come take a glance at what’s inside my antique hutch! It includes other antique finds, family heirlooms, and special memories gathered over the years. I’ll walk you through the main items that have a home in my cabinet, how I found them, and 5 tips for tying it all together to create a collected look. I hope to give you a bit of decorating inspiration!
Tips for Styling Items in a Hutch
1. Know Where You Want it to Go
What story are you wanting to tell with the items in your hutch? For me it involves items that hold some kind of special meaning in my life: dried flowers from my wedding, favorite books, . Take some time to think about the tale you’d like to tell. What makes sense for the room? What season is it? What items are important to you? Is there a particular collection you want to display?
2. Work With the Large Pieces First
Place the largest pieces in the hutch first and then add smaller items to fill in the spaces. Balancing those big items will ensure that no one part of the hutch looks lopsided compared to another. I’ve found that this tactic makes it easier to figure out where the small pieces belong. You may find that the ironstone pitcher needs a few books underneath it, a few rocks beside the books, black and white photographs in front of heirloom plates, and so on.
3. Create Layers
Don’t be afraid to stack things on top of, beside, behind, or in front of one another! A layered look tends to make everything look more collected and natural (in my opinion). Stack all of grandmas plates next to the row of books. Place a picture in front of the ironstone pitcher. Tuck in a piece of artwork behind it all. Layers always seem to bring the look together!
4. Mix it All Together
Give yourself a little freedom to mix different items together. The pitchers don’t all have stay stay side-by-side on the same shelf. Implement books here, there, and everywhere!
Now, a clean and uniform look can also look great! I’m not suggesting that a line of plates on one shelf would look terrible. Honestly, there are times that I desire to pull things back a bit and organize like things together. If this is more to your liking, go for it!
I currently enjoy mixing different items together, so don’t be afraid to do this if that’s your cup of tea too.
5. Know When It’s Enough
Yes, there is a point when enough is enough. I’m all about the ‘collected over many years’ look, but I also despise clutter. We want the inside of our hutch to look intentionally decorated, but not like a landing place for random items. ‘Enough’ is totally subjective. It’s for you to decide. Your particular collection may look great packed in a bit tighter on one shelf, but another shelf may benefit from a bit more empty space.
I encourage you to continue playing around with it until it looks right to you! And ‘enough’ may change as the seasons do. There are certain times when less stuff feels right for me, and other times I like the look of more. You’re not bound to one certain look forever!
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