HHello! Kylee here. We’re one week into life in the new Cape Cod-style house and we’re slowly settling in. My top priority was the kitchen — we spend most of our time there and cook nearly all our meals at home. As tempting as Portland’s restaurants are, I’d rather save the takeout money for decorating the house!
Before we moved in I worried about styling the many glass-front cabinets. Would I have enough pretty pieces to make them look intentional? I love open shelving and displaying everyday items, but the sheer number of cabinets felt overwhelming. I even considered swapping the doors out for a while.
Once we moved in, styling those cabinets became one of my first tasks. I made a rule for myself: don’t overthink it. Just put anything pretty inside and worry about refinements later. That helped me make progress without getting stuck.
Having a base of white dishes made the whole process much easier. Neutral dishes create a cohesive look regardless of cabinet color or trend cycles. When I registered for our wedding I almost followed trendy colored dinnerware, but my mom advised all-white dishes so they would last through changing styles. She was right — a mostly neutral collection is versatile and timeless. My dinner plates are square white ones similar to these.
I’m pleased with how the cabinets turned out. The kitchen already feels lived-in and cozy, like we’ve been here for years. There are a few adjustments I’ll make to balance and refine the styling, but that’s part of the fun. I enjoy evolving my spaces over time and think these cabinets will be fun to update seasonally.
To my surprise, I had enough items to fill all the glass-front cabinets. I spaced things out rather than crowding them, leaving room to add or restyle as our collections grow. Nothing sits empty now, which felt like a small victory.
Over the years I’ve collected pieces in a consistent palette — white, blue, glass, brass, and green — which helped the cabinets read as cohesive. I placed items I use less often on the higher shelves and kept everyday items within easy reach. Anything that didn’t quite fit in the glass cabinets went into drawers and lower cabinets, so everything still has a place.
Thanks for following along with our settling-in process. I’m sharing more updates and behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram — feel free to follow along for more styling ideas.
Want styling tips for open shelves? Read the blog post “Kitchen Open Shelving: Styling Inspiration and Tips” for more ideas and examples.
Get the Look of Kylee’s Kitchen
Sources for the image above include brass faucets, wood cutting boards, brass-and-glass flushmount lights, farmhouse sinks, maple syrup jars, blue-and-white pots and mugs, a Chemex coffee maker, brass hardware, a white Nespresso machine, milk frother, olive wood cooking spoons, and glass jar canisters.
More kitchen inspiration
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