Wednesday, October 3, 2012

off the shelf






I must say that it has been almost therapeutic in a sense to rearrange and clean all the kitchen shelving. Trying to keep within reach all the everyday things to use - bowls, plates and cups means that the shelving is a little more practical these days. With an extra stash of mismatched china left in the cupboards below for the little people. I believe life is too short for ugly kitchenware. Particularly when, with a little persistence, better made things can be found so easily in the op shops.







I also took the opportunity to rearrange the cabinet, and I placed in there a little tea set that was left to me by my late grandfather. Leaving the handwritten note on the bottom of the plate with his intentions. It's become quite the sentimental cabinet, with Pop's tea set, my Nanna's cake plate from her wedding and her turquoise vase.







Items filled with meaning in the home, while maybe not the latest fleeting fashion, really do make a house feel like a home. Little things passed down generations, small holiday keepsakes, treasures picked up at the op shop or auction items bought at the end of a long hot day. They all have a story to tell. Items that are worth keeping and looking after which has to be a good thing is this throw away society.



And now to move onto those kitchen drawers. Somehow I don't think I'll be tackling that job with the same enthusiasm.








18 comments:

  1. Such beautiful things and lovely memories, and they certainly add something special to the home.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i spy some beautiful wares there tania. the turquoise i love. a neat arrangement and very homely. xo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pretty displays! I know that I love china and household objects from my grandparents era because they remind me of being in their homes and the warmth that was there for us. I have grown to love the colours they used in that era and they also remind me of the lifestyle of a slower paced life lived well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You have a very lovely kitchen. I agree with you about filling your house with family treasures and making it a home. I love preparing meals for my family using items that my Granny once used, whether it is her biscuit cutter, a plate or just wearing her apron, they all have meaning and one day I will pass them down to my granddaughter for her home.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your kitchen. You have a great eye for vintage wares.
    Give me something second hand or something with history in preference to brand new any day. I love to think about what the old items would have been used for and who may have owned them and more so why they don't need it anymore.
    Having old bibs and bobs from loved ones is precious. I cherish all of the hand-me-downs from my grandma and poppa.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just beautiful. You have such a lovely way of displaying everything even though it is an everyday useable set up. So homely. And that cabinet is just amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There must be something about the Spring season that makes us yearn to rearrange and sort, I've recently been doing the same myself.
    I adore that I am surrounded by treasures from past generations..both from my family and others.
    Your shelves look lovely Tania and I love your new header and profile blurb.
    Xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the way you display the kitchen wares.Its funny how all the stuff I grew up with is now considered vintage.Stuff like the green glass juicers etc,still going strong. They don't make things as well as they used to.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the look of your shelves and all your lovely vintage goodies. I always find myself rearranging things in the school holidays, this time my craft room cupboards. Unfortunately not looking so finished as your shelves!
    I totally agree with you re old vs new china, would much rather have a mismatched good quality vintage set than a $12 dinner set from Kmart!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a gorgeous kitchen, so neat, pretty and homely. I'm slowly building up a collection of vintage wares, and love to pull them out and use them whenever I can, it adds something special to cooking & being in the kitchen!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've always found the items around your home so charming and quaint. Fashions come and go, but those beauties are timeless. I too keep an eye out for them at the secondhand shops and, as it happens, am trying to reorganize my kitchen shelves and drawers because I need different things handy during different seasons. Today was our first day of snow for the winter. It won't amount to much, but the seasons are changing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love your open shelves and would do the same in my kitchen if I was the only one living here. My DH prefers cabinets with doors... one day I may sway him to my thinking. I would prefer open shelves and lower drawers only... deep ones for the pots and pans that could be pulled out to find the things that fall to the back so I wouldn't have to get down on my hands and knees to find things.

    ReplyDelete
  13. There's nothing like a good old clean up to help the head, for me, anyway. Drawers are a nightmare though. Mine always end up being a mess - so easy to just shut them up for another day, until that day when I shove just a little too much and then I can't open it! Agh! I usually wait until that day to clean out my drawers:) Happy Spring cleaning, Tania. It's all looking really lovely x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh my....your kitchen is soo gorgeous. I can't wait until my other half gets home so I can show him what my dream kitchen looks like. Thank you for sharing such a special place

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your kitchen shelves look so beautiful Tania. Why is it that we so often hide our beautiful things away in a cupboard when they could be displayed like you have done. It looks truly lovely!

    Michelle.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You must smile whenever you look at all those lovelies! I think half the fun of rearranging is spending time looking at all the lovely things you've collected, thinking about when/where you found them or from whom. Ah a good nest...nothing beats it. Steph :) x
    Your new header is stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am loving what is on your shelves Tania. Lots of lovely vintage things...

    x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your kitchen looks lovely.

    My kitchen cupboards have been on my 'to do' list for a while now, some of my latest op shop finds are still sitting on the bench without a home. I do have a bit of a thing for bowls and jugs (any kitchenware to be honest) I have been inspired by you to tackle this huge job sooner rather than later:)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment. If you have any questions please check back later as I will do my best to answer any within the comments section.