I know hutches can be a girls’ best friend or they can feel really dated. The secret is knowing how to dress or style your hutch. Let’s talk about fresh ways to decorate a hutch. I don’t have a hutch per say, but I’ve got something similar so I’ll use what I have to illustrate my points.
Take photos
Before you do anything, take some photos of your hutch. Then as you try different configurations, take more photos. This way you can try different looks and compare. Look at all of your photos side by side, and decide which look you like best. It’s easier to compare each look when the photos are side by side. Also when you chose the look you like, you can use the photo to know where everything goes.
Use a limited color palette
Limit the colors of the items in your hutch. This is not something you have to do, but you might want to try it if you haven’t yet. It’s much easier to give the hutch a cohesive look if you do limit the colors in the hutch. I’ve seen colorful collections that look great, but I will say it’s harder to make that look work. Note I have mostly neutral and cream colored things in my cabinets.
Keep the number of items to a minimum
Limit the number of things you display in the hutch. This is a lesson I learned from the magazine stylists that have come to my house. They didn’t add anything to my cabinets, but they did take a lot out. It might look a bit sparse to you if you are used to displaying a lot of things, but as I said above, take a photo both ways and I think you’ll like the look with less. This look is Molly approved.
I also want to share these photos from my kitchen cabinets. It’s not a hutch either, but still there are a few points I want to make here about how to decorate a hutch.
Use large items
I used one large item per cabinet door. Some instances the item was short and I put something on top, but it ‘reads’ as one thing. Note the large item fills the space. Had I used small items they would have gotten lost in the space.
Lastly I want to show you my cabinet in the breakfast room. In this piece I have broken all of my rules. It’s overloaded and cluttered. I still think it looks pretty good. But I think I would not like the look if everything in my house was this overstuffed. At one point, I did empty this piece out a lot, but then I made a few trips to the thrift store. That was the great part about having my online shop. (I don’t have it any more.) I could enjoy some pieces for awhile, then sell them, so I was constantly rotating pieces. Oh well.
Wow ! Did you use AS on that sweet puppy ? She matches the hutch perfectly. Dark wax oe clear ? Nicely done !!
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She just naturally coordinates Monica!!
I have a hutch that I painted red years ago. It is now in my kitchen filled with red and blue transferware and I love it there. Your hutches are beautiful.
Oh that sounds lovely Penny.
Oh my goodness- your kitchen cabinets are beautiful! Not just the arrangement of your items, but also the cabinets themselves. Enjoying your posts very much-
Oh my goodness- your kitchen cabinets are beautiful! Not just the arrangement of your items, but also the cabinets themselves. Enjoying your posts very much-
Hi Anita. Thanks for all the good tips and ideas. Have the twin to your breakfast room cabinet in my dining room…it’s such a pretty piece.
Oh I love that piece!
They are all beautiful, but I think my favorite is the one in the breakfast room piled with pretty china. So sweet!!
Nice to see ONE crowded one in your home, but it still looks great! I have my colors grouped and try to place them so they compliment the color above, below, and to the sides. You’re sooo right. It’s NOT easy and took a lot of time, rearranging, and culling of items that were no longer meaningful to me. You can always find someone that needs a new set of dishes and glassware!
Sorry to hear that so many friends are leaving. Loving is accepting the pain of loss. Many hugs.
Too many items can kill the effect quickly, I think…and…to bring a vintage hutch into present time, the color makes a difference.
Very true BJ!
So beautiful and great tips and thank you for sharing with us
Your breakfast room hutch looks elegantly tousled — just as if you’re constantly setting an exquisite table. You’re always an inspiration! BTW, I liked your reference to Lucy and Ethel’s Paris ‘designer’ clothes in the recent podcast. I always loved that episode!
Ha, Chris, I can just see Lucy and Ethel prancing around.
My china cabinet is two pieces. The top has a glass door on each side of 3 open shelves. It really is difficult to decorate or showcase anything. I’m thinking of taking the top part off (glass door and shelf part) and just using the bottom. It has 3 drawers with doors on both sides for storage. Was thinking I could decorate the top of the buffet with some ideas that I’ve seen and then use the wall space above (that was taken up by the top of the cabinet) to hang a pretty picture or create an arrangement of some kind.
I love the phrase from Chris, above, “elegantly tousled”. That’s it. I love it, but would probably end up rearranging it. Still leave it “tousled”, but would have such fun moving stuff around.
Beautiful hutch. But your collie is the scene stealer. I grew up with collies and love them so much. You don’t see them so often anymore.
Anita, I hate to ask here but could not find an email for you. I bought a number of your pillows when you had your shop. I love the Paris one and would like another. Would there be a chance you have some extra ones or know or another source?
I have enjoyed the pillows. Very nice quality.
No worries Bonnie! Sadly I don’t have any more, and we no longer have a source for those. I am so sorry!! I am glad you are enjoying the pillow. The store was closed about 6 months ago, and I really am sorry I don’t have a solution for you.
Thank you for explaining that you should use a limited color palette to give a cohesive look. My mom just bought a hutch for us as a gift over Christmas and I’ve been wondering how to effectively decorate it. I’ll be sure to keep your advice in mind and look around at some of the different pieces we have around the house that could work together and start trying things out.
So happy to hear that it was helpful Olivia!!