Mo’s Kitchen – Part 2 – Alcoves

Part 2 of Mo’s kitchen transformation involves alcoves and architecture shelving. 
MO’s kitchen has an architectural shelf that runs a square around the room. Painting those areas were a little tricky, so it’s a good thing I’m little. 

Mo has been stressing about how to decorate those shelves for years, and asked me what I thought she should put up there. 

My advice was to take it all down and allow the alcoves to be architectural features! 

Design Tip: Having a lot of decor on top of cupboards or high alcoves can make the ceilings appear lower, causing the room to feel smaller. Furthermore, small items placed above the eye level can create a cluttered feeling. If you do decide to put something up high, choose one or two large statement pieces to create interest and avoid clutter. 

Mo was understandably surprised at this suggestion, and I totally get it! We are so trained to believe that every shelf needs something on it. Many homes designed in the 90’s incorporated architectural shelving for decorative items, training us to believe that we were required to place items there.
But it’s not true! Leaving a few blank shelves or placing just a few favorite items can create a clean, uncluttered, peaceful feeling. 

Try it for yourself:

1. Remove every item off just one shelf. Leave it alone and let it breath a bit. 

2. Now place just one or two of your very most favorite items on the shelf. 

The shelf is now highlighting something you love! As if it’s whole purpose is to showcase your favorite piece! 

How does that feel? 

It was a relief for Mo! I watched her whole body language just relax as she realized she didn’t have to decorate up on her shelf! 

We took all of her decor items down, and the room instantly felt larger. 

We placed a suitcase and plant on one shelf to trick the eye into thinking that the sheetrock continues past the beam, but that is all that we put on the shelving. 

Now the eye is drawn upward toward the gorgeous ceiling and MO’s kitchen feels clean and uncluttered!