As I started taking down Christmas I decided I wasn’t quite ready to lose the decor on the Welsh Cupboard. Really enjoying the cupboard for the holiday season, it just felt a bit soon to undo it. Taking down everything that screamed Christmas, I started the take away game. Realizing this could be a great teaching opportunity, brace yourself for lots of photos. As a refresher this is where we started.

This cupboard was by far my favorite holiday cupboard. Nothing new, just well loved items. The only things that were stored, Woodland Berry Dishes, Red Plaid dishes, the 2 Santa figurines, votive candles, and of course greens and ornaments .

After removing the holiday specific items this is where we were. There is no rhythm or balance.

If you look at the two cupboards side by side, the very top lost the star on the books and the fairy lights. The fairy lights and star created a sense of whimsy that I liked, taking your eye from one side to the other. The greens draping down the sides invite the eye, to keep moving. Losing the Santa and Nordic Tree on the center top created a void in those two top corners. Something was definitely missing. There is nothing directing the eye to keep moving to the outer cubbies. Just leaving the greens was not going to be enough to give me that “Winter” transition that so many are going for.

At this point I knew this was a lost cause. I recognize that a lot of people find the simplicity of plates lined up on a cupboard to be just right. This look is too one dimensional for me. But in my opinion bringing in the layers creates so much more. It creates life and interest. A cabinet of any kind should be a work of art. Whether it is a china cabinet, armoire, bookcase or even open shelving or closet! The key is to create balance and harmony, and move the eye from shelf to shelf. A still life for the living. The dishes although pretty lose their magic on their own.

So let’s start at the beginning. I brought my redware back. I love this collection of reproduction pottery for the fall and winter. These are not antiques but, carefully curated handmade pieces from artisans who create in the 18th Century fashion. Frankly I can’t afford antique redware, it is very hard to come by and expensive when you do.

Of course I always take this opportunity to clean and dust everything very well. Start with a clean slate.

Ask yourself what is the story, you are trying to tell. Open your mind to all the possibilities. Even if it doesn’t seem that unlike objects could work. Work with what you have. Things that can bring objects together are texture, color, design, metals, wood elements, a wicker basket or tray etc. Creating a vignette, or still life, should say as much about you as it does the objects you have collected. This cabinet makes room for all possibilities.

Create three categories. First category is your favorites. The things that make you smile. Second is the I really like this. You know, those things in the cupboard you bought because you really liked but, never found a home for. Third is the I have it pile. It is amazing how an I have it item, can become a key player in creating a magical moment. Your favorites are the objects you want for Layer 2. They can also be a layer 1 item.

Layer 1. This is your backdrop. Things I have used are platters, chargers, plates, game boards, art, or photos. These are your mood creators.

Wondering what those pewter plates are doing in the cupboard? They are there for texture and reflection. Yes metal can create texture. The cupboard is dark and some of the pottery is dark. An eye grabber is needed. You can see them winking out behind the bottles in the two top cubbies. You don’t even know they are there, once the second and third layer are placed. I am starting to create my mood. A lot of shifting and juggling went on, to get to this point.

Layer 2. These are your supporting players. Just because they are supporting, doesn’t mean they are loved less or not as important. Quite the contrary. Level 2 tends to be all my favorites. This can get tricky, and this will take you the longest to figure out. I started out on the second shelf with the Ovid shaped jugs. Being determined to place these familiar items in different locations in this cupboard, I decided they were too heavy with the trencher (the rectangular platter in the middle). On the third shelf I placed 2 round plates on either side of the platter along with my tole dome top box and a couple of smalls. When I stepped back I didn’t like the continuous line of redware. I felt it needed to be broken up.

So then I switched the jugs and the plates. Ah that’s better.

Better but not quite right. I moved the plates in closer to the trencher, and took the mug and moved it to the left corner and the group of smalls, a very very old book and a yelloware match holder to the right. On the third shelf I took away the small trenchers. My eye needed a place to rest.

Yes that’s better. But wait! I didn’t like the two small round plates on either side of the medium trencher on the base. I exchanged those for the two small trenchers to see if I liked that better.

And I did. Yes, this little exercise took me most of the day. In the side cubbies I moved the bottles up to the top. I never liked the way the bottles got lost in the cubbies on the base. This is where I have mostly kept those big jugs. On the second shelf pewter plates, books with green velvet ribbon, and some yellowware round out the new positions, with my Ned Foltz butter box on the bottom right, and Turtle Creek Pottery biscuit barrel on the left. I left my lamb where he was from the Christmas cupboard, I liked him so well. Enjoying the wreath around his neck at Christmas I decided to give him a Brandy liquor tag. After all these years he has a name. Oh I guess she is a she! Hence forth she will be known as Brandy!

I flipped the two big stoneware pots on the very bottom, and added a leather Fremont County IA Register underneath. This was one of those items I have had for years and never quite found the home for it. I like what it does. And I like the Christmas greens in my Franklin TN pot on the right so I left them for now.

Ok now that’s much better. I let it simmer for a couple of days. Then while looking at it yesterday I decided I needed to flip the yellow ware bowls and colander to the shelf above. The second shelf was too busy with the books in those cubbies.

Some of the “collections” I have included in creating this cupboard are of course the redware, yellow ware, reproduction green bottles, tole tin, pewter, leather books, and various smalls, like wooden croquet balls, a wonderful porcelain pomegranate, frayed velvet ribbon around a couple stacks of books, and a hand carved wooden Robbin. If you are a true collector you will learn to collect things that will complement the whole. Not just more of what you collect, but those supporting players are what keeps a collection from being stagnant. I don’t necessarily believe that a collection should be kept together. This is a prime example of that.

I also played around with a wonderful area rug I picked up in August at an estate sale. I have wanted this rug for 30 years. I knew it would be a nice accent in the lower level but, I wanted to see what it looked like in here. Though the size is too small 6×9 and it certainly needs the support of the 8×10 rug underneath, it isn’t quite the right combo. The rug is awesome in the room though, I just wish it was an 8×10. I’m leaving it in here for a bit to enjoy. I just might be searching Facebook marketplace for a bigger rug.

So the winter reset is done for now. Not perfect but, just looking at something in a different way can get the creative juices going. I kind of like how the pumpkin colored accents pull the pumpkin out of the rug. If you squint and disregard all the other colors it kind of works!!! Who wants perfection anyway?

The best compliment is having someone linger in front of one of my cabinets. It means they are taking it in.

Thanks for stopping

Shelley