Help me style these shelves?

6 years ago

Hi gang, can someone with a better eye than me work out what's wrong with these shelves? I like the almost-certainly-genuine Rembrandt. I think the big frame works. Everything else...hmm...maybe it's not quite right, maybe it needs a complete rethink. The actual objects aren't necessarily what will be there eventually, as the lower shelf is likely to contain more or practical items for cooking. I just threw a few thing up there yesterday after finding the shelf on freecycle.

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E D

6 years ago

Looks fab!

Nothing wrong with the styling methinks. If anything, it's the unit itself looking too new.

Maybe you can think of a way to make them look a little aged or 'lived in'.

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Comments (34)

E D
6 years ago
Btw, I love the way your wall surface is looking. Works really well with your fantastic splash back.
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Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks ED. And thanks for liking the styling. I dunno, I feel like it's almost OK but there's something not quite right. Re modern shelf, I know what you mean but I'm trying to spend as little as possible on decor as I'm saving up for a new utility and downstairs shower room. The shelf was from freecycle and as soon as I see something free or ludicrously cheap with a bit more age to it I'll swap it. It's also a tad narrow. Re the wall, it's a work in progress! You can see the potential colours I've tried so far. I think a shade of pale pinky grey is going to be the winner eventually, but I can't afford paint except vats of white trade emulsion at the moment. In fact that's just about to go up in the kitchen, as an undercoat.
A B
6 years ago
The shelves are too close and too small for the scale of the range IMHO. I'm trying to visualise if they'd work better side by side!
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Jen P thanks, interesting! I can't move em as it's a single unit but I can replace them with a wider single shelf, when I spot one.
A B
6 years ago
Ah I see. Another possibility may be to move them to one side slightly and put the large frame on the wall next to them. Then put some a nice glass bottle for oil and a couple of tall jars on the top shelf. I might be tempted to try 3 matching items on the lower shelf like 3 cups and saucers.

Just thinking out loud- may look awful!
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Jen P , ooh non -symmetrical! Bold! The top shelf is way too high to put anything practical on it. The bottom shelf is at 6', top one is at 6'8" But I'll have a play with your suggestion when I take it off to paint the wall.
E D
6 years ago
I'd say, upcycle your freecycle. :)

Is the unit hung level?
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
I may well paint it if I dont see something better in the meantime. Yep it's level. Though house might not be! Bf is an engineer and would have a conniption if it wasnt ;-)
T Gray
6 years ago
Visually it is a bit heavy on the left. The vase and the pic make it look lopsided. Plus the 3 white artefacts are again on the left and so are your spoons/pan.

Maybe mirror image the top shelf to make it look more balanced?
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks T Gray, quick fix. ..
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
There is a lot going on there ....
I’ve paired it all down to Rembrandt and oversized frame and one over length shelf. ( I painted the wall one of you sample colours too )
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
If you want to mark the multicolour back splash sing - paint the rest of that alcove in graphite. ( meant to add that in first post !)
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
.
Daisy England
6 years ago
I don't think you need it. With your splashback being colourful you might overdo it.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Ooh Oneplan you are a treasure, thank you! Especially for the interior alcove graphite idea. It never occurred to me to make it different from the rest of the walls.
And I like that minimalistic effect with the shelf. It won't stay that way long but it's something to aspire to. Just gotta keep my eyes peeled for a longer shelf.
E D
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Some good sensible suggestions, but I still like OP's first (and second) photo best, maybe that's just me :)

Who needs minimalist when you can have maximalist? :-)
minnie101
6 years ago
I agree with you and others that a longer shelf would work better (would these work to the left of the sink?). I like the top shelf, love the Rembrandt (!) although I wonder what the frame would look like painted in that rub n buff stuff from Amazon although I do like the wood? For the lower shelf, the teapot and gravy boat don't quite work for me as they're the same height. Do you have white crockery? Stacked bowls and saucers etc at different heights are simple but effective.

I don't know the price but have you looked at colour matching at Johnstones? They're meant to match F&B perfectly if you're going for peignoir on the walls
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi Minnie101, nice ideas there. Everything is currently mismatched. Once the house is finished I plan to get a white crockery set. I agree that the length of the shelves, and the scale of the teapot and gravy boat don't work aesthetically. I got them out of packed items just to try em, but the scale is wrong. And actually I never use that teapot ( I'm a nag in the mug girl), so strict utility demands I get rid of it at some point. I like peignoir but having lived with the tester patch a while now think it's a bit too beige. See below for the heinous state of my crockery at the moment.
Carolina
6 years ago
The pot isn’t doing it for me. I would just remove that and either put the never used teapot up there or nothing. Or something else that’s smaller.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Carolina, it's all too much! Plant will be dispatched to another room asap. Teapot will go on freecycle
dianahartaboyne
6 years ago
The shelf is too small. Get two scaffold planks, £10 each, up there and leave your walls in that beautiful plaster state! Love the Rembrandt and large frame, you’ll do great once the shelving is the right size.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
ooh Dianahartaborn...that's tempting! I do like raw plaster. And hate painting! Might need to paint one wall as it didn't need replastering and therefore is still wallpapered with Xmas wrap from the last tenants. Scaffold planks are something I've so far resisted but I might just go there.
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
Sorry for typos - been working all weekend - and I’m a bit pooped !
dianacrockett
6 years ago
The shelves are out of scale - they need to be much wider - and the bar looks flimsy. Do you need them? I think they detract from your colourful splash back and make the wall look cluttered
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Dianacrokett, I think you're right about clutter, but a wider single shelf with just a few items on it is probably going to be as far as i go. I've lived without anything there for a while and it feels a bit like something is missing. I could go for a huge bit of art instead if a shelf, but I've had Rembrandt in mind for the whole renovation. The next shelf wont have a bar though. I agree with you there. The dangling stuff is incredibly handy for cooking but too cluttered. I plan to put a bar round the corner in the alcove to the right instead.
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
It's hard to tell unless you could do another photo from further back, but it all looks a bit too tall maybe? With a chimney breast and that type of height it looks as though horizontal lines to give width would work. I would be tempted to split the wall visually so that from the lintel up it is two different colours/tones or textures. Shelves side by side would help certainly. The whole chimney breast tiled from the floor up to the lintel line would be interesting.
Polly Putnam
6 years ago
Nothing too wrong. But always best when doing a display to either have 1 thing, three things or 5 things.
E D
6 years ago
Sam, I'm glad you've come round to my way of thinking, at least with regards to leaving the wall as it is. It looks great, as said in my first post. :)
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Colourhappy. There will eventually be more worktop/shallow cabinets framing the range and creating another horizontal at stove top level, so not sure about splitting the wall horizontally at the lintel. But I'll have a think.
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Yes, it's hard to see when it's on it's own. Looking good though!
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Polly! I do have a tendency to create clutter. And even though I feel calmer in a neater, less busy space, I hate bland neutrals, and I'm always trying to 'punk up' my interiors. It's a hard balance to find!
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
'Punk my home'.....I can just see it on TV.
Sam Potter
Original Author
6 years ago
I blame it on my Hackney squatting days ;-)

Help me style these shelves?

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