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Fresh Ways to Decorate a Hutch

By Anita 22 Comments

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.

decorate a hutch gray

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.

decorate a hutch and collie

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.

decorate a hutch in kitchen

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.

decorate a hutch breakfast room

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Filed Under: accessorizing, Project

Comments

  1. Monica says

    February 12, 2018 at 08:11

    Wow ! Did you use AS on that sweet puppy ? She matches the hutch perfectly. Dark wax oe clear ? Nicely done !!
    ?

    Reply
    • Anita says

      February 12, 2018 at 11:03

      She just naturally coordinates Monica!!

      Reply
  2. Penny at Enjoying The Simple Things says

    February 12, 2018 at 08:46

    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.

    Reply
    • Anita says

      February 12, 2018 at 17:11

      Oh that sounds lovely Penny.

      Reply
  3. Joanne says

    February 12, 2018 at 09:08

    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-

    Reply
  4. Joanne says

    February 12, 2018 at 09:08

    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-

    Reply
  5. Glitter and Roses says

    February 12, 2018 at 10:30

    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.

    Reply
    • Anita says

      February 12, 2018 at 11:03

      Oh I love that piece!

      Reply
  6. Martha says

    February 12, 2018 at 10:39

    They are all beautiful, but I think my favorite is the one in the breakfast room piled with pretty china. So sweet!!

    Reply
  7. Ginger Valdes says

    February 12, 2018 at 13:32

    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.

    Reply
  8. bj says

    February 12, 2018 at 17:55

    Too many items can kill the effect quickly, I think…and…to bring a vintage hutch into present time, the color makes a difference.

    Reply
    • Anita says

      February 12, 2018 at 18:27

      Very true BJ!

      Reply
  9. Norma Rolader says

    February 13, 2018 at 07:32

    So beautiful and great tips and thank you for sharing with us

    Reply
  10. Chris says

    February 13, 2018 at 10:31

    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!

    Reply
    • Anita says

      February 13, 2018 at 14:01

      Ha, Chris, I can just see Lucy and Ethel prancing around.

      Reply
  11. Karen Hobson says

    February 13, 2018 at 11:22

    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.

    Reply
  12. Eileen says

    February 28, 2020 at 05:59

    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.

    Reply
  13. Carol says

    February 28, 2020 at 09:53

    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.

    Reply
  14. bonnie morgan says

    March 4, 2020 at 17:20

    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.

    Reply
    • Anita says

      March 4, 2020 at 17:25

      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.

      Reply
  15. Olivia Smart says

    January 14, 2022 at 10:20

    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.

    Reply
    • Anita says

      January 30, 2022 at 21:12

      So happy to hear that it was helpful Olivia!!

      Reply

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