There is just something about open cupboards.
I love the breezy look of a cupboard or cabinet with it’s doors off.
It’s shelves and structure exposed…
a pretty paper in the back, a paint treatment or rustic plank board finish.
I don’t mind if an old piece has broken doors
or even if they have been lost over the years… it’s just character to me.
I almost bought a gorgeous Louis Armoire that had water damaged
doors thinking I would use it as an open bookcase…
Old kitchen cabinets without their doors is another favorite look of mine
as long as I have plenty of storage for all the dishes that aren’t so pretty!
🙂
Our kitchen came with gorgeous, tall cabinets that are original to the house.
Old white paint, simple style ~
I loved them the instant I walked in the room.
They were built into the kitchen, not enclosed ‘units’ like todays-
The back is actually the walls, the ceiling is the top, etc.
I don’t know how they made them and
attached them- they are like frames so to speak.
They are constructed of thick pine …
Pine. Pine. Pine.
(Good thing we aren’t allergic to pine – our cottage is filled with
knotty pine walls in nearly every room!)
One of the top cupboard doors was damaged and as I was taking it off
to be repaired, I stepped back, paused & stared at them.
The old shelves. The open feeling.
The details.
hmmm…
I looked at the overall design – there were 3 doors on each side of the sink-
and decided to try an open cupboard in each section.
Off the second door went –
ohh…Loved it!
I wanted to add a bit of detail to finish the tops a bit –
I thought of several different options but decided on an arch.
I took a 1×6 smooth pine board and used a large platter (of all things)
to create the shape of the arch and cut them out with a jigsaw.
I had no idea exactly how I was going to get the arch pieces to stay up
and impatient as I am to see how something is going to look, I thought I would just try
use something for the time being until the nail gun was unjammed.
I used my favorite all around fix it friend…
Caulk.
I know.
My old house is quirky and not perfect …so…
‘Caulk’ helps smooth lines and fill in holes and gaps…
it covers a multitude of sins in wrong cuts, trim that just doesn’t quite go together,etc.
( don’t ask me how I know!)
My favorite little construction motto-
‘ Caulk is your friend.’
🙂
I filled the open shelving with my collection of vintage red transferware
and painted the insides a soft shade of cream for a little depth.
I love how they came out.
The open shelves add so much charm to the kitchen
and are perfect spots to display favorite dishes or collections.
~
Back to work on finishing up a project~
Hope to be sharing shortly!
sharing at
The Tattered Cottage says
I Love this!! It turned out really beautiful and showcases your lovely treasures.
Toni
SheilaG @ Plum Doodles says
Beautiful as always! I love the arches,such a simple thing adds so much to the style. I have a confession to make- I inherited my mom's blue Lochs of Scotland china- it's packed in boxes in the basement- shameful! Truly no room in our tiny kitchen, but I REALLY need to figure out where to display some of it!!!
SheilaG @ Plum Doodles says
Oh, and I LOVE those roosters! 🙂
Cindy says
OMG you used caulk!!! That's awesome, and so clever, and it looks perfect. I love that…
these cabinets are so so pretty with the transfer ware plates, the color combination is flawless. and I love the arch,it makes the whole thing!
Cindy
ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says
Courtney I always LOVED your kitchen and I love the look of the open shelves especially with all that beautiful red transferware!! Martina
Ido says
That kitchen is gorgeous, and you are very creative, love the look without doors, I may try it at home.
Have a lovely day!
XXX Ido
Unknown says
What a beautiful kitchen..it looks like the happiest place to be..and you can even cook there..LOL!
grammy and papi says
Love the open cabinets and REALY love the red transferware. Beautiful displays!!
Have a God Filled Day
Shirley
Vintage Gal says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the cupboards and the transferware ~ you have a VERY good eye. Just lovely 😉
Pamela Gordon says
I love your cupboards and the open shelves. Your red transferware looks wonderful on display. Beautifully done!
Lisa ~Suburban Retreat~ says
Hi Courtney ~ I love your "caulk" story and I'm always happy to read about a happy ending. It's amazing how 'creative' we can become when faced with a decorating dilemma. Your arch looks perfect on your open cabinet (good call) and the transferware is divine! Happy Wednesday to you!
Val says
Beautiful…I love how all of your gorgeous treasures look in your open cabinets!
Shelia says
Hi Courtney! Oh, you're just the smartest one! I love your open cupboards and what vision you have to have seen how lovely this would be! I'm all over your transferware too! Just gorgeous.
Thank you so much, Courtney, for coming to my party.
You are a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage says
Hi Courtney,
I am loving your kitchen! My parents' house had cupboards just like yours; all the way to the top with a wall behind. When we bought our own house, my father passed away unexpectedly and never even got to see ours. Had I known my mother was going to sell her home with all its charm and character, shortly afterwards, I wouldn't have bought the one we're in.
You have a wonderful kitchen and I LOVE your red transferware! Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Sandi
Amy Chalmers says
Well I had to read this post twice. I love how this looks! I carefully looked at your pics…looks like the backs of the cabs are the walls that are painted knotty pine boards~how nice! So smart putting the arch top in , no matter what method you used LOL.
This looks so nice I would love to try it, but my cabs are the newer variety that have the shelving holes all up and down the sides of the interiors. Ugh.
At The Picket Fence says
Caulk is my friend too! 🙂 I absolutely love your open cupboards showcasing your gorgeous transferware. Your attention to every detail is so obvious and I really think that is what makes you a "pro" in all you do!
Vanessa
Divine Theatre says
Courtney,
It is such a lovely look!
I have considered placing chicken wire over my cabinet doors for a similar look. You have inspired me to go ahead and do it!
xoxo
Andie
Unknown says
beautiful i love what you have done but with such pretty pieces of china show off its just perfect
Gloria says
Everything looks lovely! You always show beautiful things! Love the pretty dishes.
Best,
Gloria
Claudia says
I love the look of the cupboard, Courtney! My house is very irregular as well. Can you tell me what kind of caulk you use?
xo
Claudia
Rustic and White says
I am swooning over your beautiful open cupboards and transferware. I am giggly over your funny post. Thanks for making my day:o)
Cheers,
Carrie
Cindy @ Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home says
Looks beautiful. Your dishes are amazing and love your roosters! Your home is so pretty!
Blondie's Journal says
You did a wonderful job, Courtney and I am so in love with your transferware!
XO,
Jane
Connie says
Beautiful work. It has style. It has charm. What else can I say?
lvroftiques says
Oh Courtney I love it!! I had no idea that caulk could be so darn handy! *winks* It could become my best friend lol! And talk about the perfect place to showcase your red transferware. Inspiring my friend! Vanna
~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ says
I love it love it love it! The mantle I want to see more of the kitchen and the whole house. So beautiful! I'll be checking your archives. The platter arch what a genius. Your white looks so pretty like it has a touch of blue in it on my screen. What color did you use and you mentioned cream inside the cabinets.
Thanks so much for sharing.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
[email protected] says
Girlfriend…HOW do you manage to make your photos all HEAVENLY! Seriously…they look like they were shot in Heaven…The cabinets and plates are BEAUTIFUL! I Im having a tuff day, I can always come here and BREATHE!
Love you!
xoxokara
Becca says
Beautiful !! Your cabs look absolutely amazing filled with all of your gorgeous pieces, too !! (Love the "Bakery" sign, too!) *Becca*
Marianne says
These turned out so beautiful. Your red transfer ware…..well, I want it all. ANd yes, how do you make you pictures look like that, they are just amazing. You are a wonderful photographer also!
Marianne 🙂
Tricia says
Look at your beautiful collection of transferware, that open cabinet shows it off beautifully. Love the arch too! Aren't you a handywoman?!
I've been wanting to remove all of my upper cabinets and have open shelving. I can just picture how good it would look 🙂
~Tricia
At The Picket Fence says
Oh my gosh Courtney! I love this idea. I am taking some of the doors off of my cabinets in my kitchen remodel and I am going to steal the arch idea from you! I think it really makes the open cabinets look purposeful and not like you just forgot to leave the doors off. So beautiful!
Heather
Karen says
Your cupboards look gorgeous and I love the dishes and roosters. I collect white ceramic roosters.
Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door says
Beautiful, Courtney! Your cabinet as well as the dishes.
Debra@CommonGround says
They really ARE gorgeous, and of course the transferware just is the icing on the cake!
xoxo,
Debra
Ann-Marie ~ Brambly says
They look wonderful!Sometimes I think I should take the doors off of two of my cabinets, but I haven't done it yet. Maybe I'll give it a whirl.Caulk is my friend too.
Ann-Marie
Teresa@1800 Farmhouse Rd says
Beautiful!! And what you have inside them makes it even more beautiful. Really love the two roosters, too.
Pam Kessler says
Your cabinets turned out beautiful. I love the arch and love all the transferware. Great job!
Sherry Hicks says
I love this, and you have an awesome collection of transferware! Thanks for sharing!
sherry
Erin says
Gorgeous!!! I love your methods and I love how this turned out..better yet, I love the colors that you have paired. You are a very talented girl Courtney!!
Heather says
Your open shelves are beautiful! And I simply adore the transferware!!
The Summer Kitchen Girls says
Love it…so very much! When I ro-do my kitchen I want something just like this – and the chicken/roosters…grandma had something very similar….but, I don't know whatever happened to them – don't you hate that?!!
Have a super day!
Lynn @The Vintage Nest says
I did the same thing and loved it. I added some wood applique flourishes to the center piece of wood for added detail and everything was painted white. I have all white ironstone dishes which is what is showcased in this open cabinet. All colors had to be moved somewhere else. I keep a little vintage clear glass vase filled with fresh flowers right beside the plates and saucers. I just did it two months ago and am thrilled with it. xoxo See you tomorrow for French Friday.
Brenda Pruitt says
I love it! I've been dying to do this myself. But know my husband will say: But we just had them done three years ago. I may do it anyway. Wish I had the nerve to use a jigsaw…
Brenda
Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage says
I'm with you on loving open shelves. And yours are so beautifully filled!
Rachel Noelle Pallas says
Your lavender looks so beautiful in your photos~ Have a wonderful friday! 😉 Hugs,Rachel
French Farmhouse 425
Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal says
Caulk is your friend! I have been known as the caulking queen at times. It heals all that is wrong.
Your open cupboards are beautiful. Your transferware looks great in there.
The Charm of Home says
Courtney,
I love your open cabinet! It is beautiful and so is the transferware. Just gorgeous! Thanks for linking up!
Sherry
Red Couch Recipes says
The open look is so appealing and what a great way to show off your transferware. I never knew that transferware could come in so handy! Joni
Unknown says
This is fantastic! What a great idea! I, too, love caulk! In fact, I need to caulk my kitchen counter (still….)
~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage
Mari says
OHHH COURTNEY YOUR HOME IS JUST SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!
I LOVE YOUR OPEN CUPBOARD JUST GORGEOUS MY FRIEND 🙂
XO~MARI
At The Picket Fence says
Hey Courtney, I'm getting ready to do this right now in my kitchen! Hubby cut the pieces to the right side and I'm getting ready draw out the arches. Can't wait to see how it turns out. Thank you for sharing this great idea!
Heather
Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says
Hi Courtney, The open cabinets are gorgeous as is your collection of transferware! I love that you added the arch. Thanks for sharing a part of your beautiful home at my party.
Hugs,
Sherry
Sarah @ Modern Country Style says
Hi sweet pea,
The open cabinets looks awesome!! And I love the red and white china. Well, not really red. That sounds a bit gaudy for the tasteful show you have going on!!!
And caulk, my new best friend. Who'd have thought?!!
Sarahx
Funky Junk Interiors says
Gorgeous! You definitely know how to treat those open cabinets. This looks like a magazine spread! 🙂
Donna
Leslie {Goodbye, house. Hello, home!} says
I love me some red transferware!
Your collection is simply beautiful!
Magali @ The Little White House says
I love your china! I'm always looking for red transferware, but here blue is the most common…
Sarah @ Modern Country Style says
Hi gorgeous girlie,
Thank you so much for linking up to Kitchen Favourites. That was LOVELY of you!!
Your cupboards look so beautiful. I love your style, Courtney. I now I always say it but every single one of your posts is so stylish and well put together. I'm full of admiration. 😉
Sarahx
Chookie says
What a lovely idea! When the kitchen doors fell off in my last kitchen, however, they just exposed nasty cheap cupboards, not your beautifully-made ones!
(visiting via Modern Country Style)
Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee(Mukherjee) says
Stunning treasures! What a lovely idea!The open cabinets look great. Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing:)
Now, following you…hope to see you on my blog:)
Beverly says
Beautiful Courtney. I love what you did with the arch. I thought it was custom before I read your blog. I love the plates. They are my favorite color of transferware and your roosters, they are great!
Jeannie B. says
Beautiful dishes and I love your white shelves. Makes me want to go clean my own so they look as nice as yours!
Carolyn says
I love how it looks with all your beautiful transferware china so nicely displayed.
Carolyn
Marlis says
A great idea to use caulk.. would never have thought of that. I especially like the arches because they add so much detail to the otherwise open shelves.. Your transferware is beautiful. xo marlis
Chari at Happy To Design says
Hi Courtney…
I love the open shelves in your kitchen! It's funny how sometimes the very thing that we deem "a mishap or mistake" becomes great design! Gotta love it! I love that you added the pretty arched piece at the top…it finishes the shelf out beautifully. Ohhh…I sooo enjoyed getting a peek at your fabulous red transferware collection! Red transferware is my favorite!
Well dear friend, thank you so much for sharing this sweet past post with us for the Sunday Favorites repost party this week! This was such a treat! I would love to have some open shelving amongst my kitchen cabinets…maybe some day!
Warmest wishes,
Chari