This week, Ina Garten, host of Barefoot Contessa, shared a lesson in kitchen styling on Instagram. She explained why shelves feel most inviting when they hold objects you actually use.
Within hours, the post drew tens of thousands of likes and renewed interest in the open‑shelving trend anchored by well‑loved antiques. Garten also credited Belgian tastemaker Axel Vervoordt, whose library illustrates how beauty and function can coexist. Her bottom line: Display what matters to you, not props.
Ina’s Five Shelf‑Styling Rules
The caption of the post reads: I love working in a kitchen with beautiful things, but I hate anything that’s purely decorative. If you display dishes and trays that you actually use and love, your kitchen just feels alive. There is an antique dealer in Belgium (@axelvervoordt ) whose library is exquisite, not just because his bookshelves are gorgeous but also because he’s read all the books. When you walk in, you just know it’s a library that someone loves.
If you’re setting up your own kitchen shelves, you can just move things around until you find the most pleasing arrangement! Here are a few of my guidelines:
- Mix old and new.
- Choose a small color palette.
- Choose different shapes and heights to sit next to each other.
- A beautiful plate or platter leaning against the back wall of the shelves can give height to your arrangement.
- Mix it up with books that you love ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Try the Look with Antiques You Own
The revival of utilitarian yet beautiful open shelves aligns with the “lived‑in luxury” movement—think Nancy Meyers kitchens and the grandmillennial aesthetic—that favors patina over perfection. By featuring antiques you already own (and again, use), you can channel your inner Garten and introduce history and interest without feeling stuffy or unnecessary.
For starters, mixing design eras can create tension that keeps a room from feeling flat. Your grandmother’s soup tureen can sit next to a new, hand‑thrown cereal bowl—and both will stand out. Here are some other tips to keep in mind as you style your shelves:
- Keep items you reach for weekly; store the rest for seasonal swaps.
- Cluster some items in groups of three—such as a vintage apothecary jar, stacked plates, and a candle—for balance.
- Add something green. A potted herb or trailing pothos softens the arrangement.
- Rotate often, like switching out a jadeite cake stand for a stoneware bowl to keep the display fresh.
- Wipe down shelves often. Grease builds up quickly in kitchens.
When you’re satisfied, step back and edit. If an object lacks purpose, move it elsewhere. The goal, Garten says, is a kitchen that feels “alive,” not staged.
