Tuesday, March 8, 2011

One Of Those Great Mysteries - Where Do I Store It All?


As a tablescaper, I often get asked where do I store
all of my STUFF?

Well, today, you get to peek behind the scenes
(which we like to refer to as "the backside of
Disneyland" .  Where did we get that little saying
you might ask?  Have you ever been to Disneyland
and had the chance to peek behind a door as they
are letting a character walk away - the glamour
and the magic is all gone, and it is just cement
walls.)  So here are the hidden parts of the magic
of my tablescaping.
(No I am not going to show you one cabinet or
one closet and expect you to believe that is where I
store everything, so this tour will take a couple of minutes.)


Many of you have had the chance to see my kitchen remodel.
If you haven't you can see it at the top of my sidebar.  Just
click on it and you can see the messy before pictures and the
after pictures.

You can guess that we planned for a lot of storage for dinnerware
in the remodel.



This large baking cabinet stores pans and appliances
on the bottom, mixers and odds and ends on the
sides,


and goblets in the top.



The two cabinets that flank my stove hood
hold our every day items.


This side holds the plates and bowls,


and this side holds


the everyday glassware, mostly brought home from
Cabo (in rolling carry-ons.)

I bought the little shelves to extend my storage space at
Bed Bath and Beyond.


This secretary in the kitchen has the phone and mail
inside and then has 3 drawers underneath that house
odds and ends such as glue and tape, ribbons and
wrapping items and the final drawer holds placemats.


The top of the secretary holds more goblets.


There is secret storage on both sides of the front of the island
when you pull the barstools away. 


On this side we have plates and bowls.  I have everything from
one of a kind to a set of 60 for entertaining.
Only one set is formal china.  The rest are fun and
inexpensive plates.

The other side of the island houses a griddle, fondue pots, waffle
makers and that kind of appliances (they could always be moved
to make more room for plates!)



The wood burning pizza oven is surrounded by storage
also.  On the left bottom we store our proofing boxes
for the dough and pizza peels.  On the right side bottom
we store equipment to start the fires and cookbooks
that are not the prettiest.  In the middle we store
long-handled utensils for the fire, a fireplace vacuum
and my chocolate dipping machine.



We sneak in a little more glass storage behind the diamond
paned doors.


More goblets and pizza plates imported from Italy
(these plates come with no rim so you can use a pizza
cutter easily on them) are on this side.



The left side holds the cookbooks that are nicer to look at.


Between the two storage spots for cookbooks, I have over
200 of them.  I have been buying them for
over 30 years now.  Many of them are those tempting little
items that call out your name at the grocery store check out stand.


Now we move into the formal dining room.


Large bowls, platters and chargers are stored in here.
There are more chargers elsewhere.



This tall red cabinet


has lots of tall glassware, candle holders and odd shaped
items that don't stack well.


Oh, no, more?  We now move down to the basement where
we have a little kitchenette.


More plate storage is here. 



Four drawers hold sets of flatware that we don't
use everyday.


Here are my red ones, they get the top drawer!


Ok, here is the real workhorse of the storage places.
This is a closet that didn't start out as dinnerware storage.



It is stacked full of plates and large items.
(Hope those shelves hold!!)
I have to say that because we live along the Wasatch
Front fault line, I do try to protect much of my stash
from being lost in an earthquake
by tying cabinet door fronts together and using a
bungee cord on the doors of this closet.  I also
intend to install child safety locks on the upstairs ones.
These items were recommended after the California
earthquake as plates and items will go shooting out of
cabinets during an earthquake.  I would hate to lose
everything.

Hope you enjoyed your tour......
 now you know where it all is!

This makes tablescaping possible
and more organized
at Purple Chocolat Home.

I will be exposing the insides of these cabinets
at

ps  My niece who lived with us for a year just moved
out in January.  She told me that I could now fill her
room with plates if I wanted!  She loved to give me a
hard time about plates.








Jacqueline
Jacqueline

Chocolat - French for Chocolate. I adored chocolate from a young age when I had to sneak in the cupboard to find where my mother had hidden the Nestle's Chocolate Chips. Having read about the famous chocolat shoppes in Paris, when I finally got there I was determined to try a chocolate from every Paris shoppe. I invite you to share my adventures in creating, in travel, and in life.

68 comments:

  1. If you wont you can store more plates in my house, can I keep those plates then lol :))
    I love your kitchen it's so beautiful.
    Greetings,
    Liliane

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  2. Oh what fun....we get to see your "stuff". Thanks for sharing. :)

    Barb

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  3. Your home is beautiful and you worked hard designing storage.

    I always enjoy your tablescapes! Thanks for the tour.

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  4. It's great to have a lot of storage. Yours is so well planned out and very functional. I too am blessed with lots of storage, but I'm finding that I've filled it up and so now the dishes are creeping into other spots .... again.!

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  5. It is wonderful that your storage lets you see what you have so you're more apt to use it. You have some lovely things.

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  6. Storage and organization is a necessity for a tablescaper, and the extra drawers for the flatware is a great idea. I chuckled at your niece's comment ;o)

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  7. Forget HomeGoods, can I go shopping at your house??? So nice to have the space Jacqueline! I always look forward to your tablescapes so I say... use that extra bedroom:@)

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  8. It's as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside, Char

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  9. This was lots of fun to see. I have my china closet and some other storage in the kitchen. You really rock the storage! Love it.

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  10. Wow...I thought I had a lot of stuff! I have no idea what I did before I turned a basement bedroom into a dish room last year. I can't believe I had all that stuff scattered other places. You have such beautiful things and I drool every time I see your kitchen. I'm excited...we just ordered granite countertop today, so mine will at least be getting a little facelift!

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  11. Thanks for the "behind the scenes" tour, Jacqueline. Your niece is funny:)

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  12. WOW!!!!!!!!!! And I thought I had issues of storage! You made me feel better but, jealous! Table setting for 60 I can not imagine. Thank you for the tour. LOVED IT & wish I could have a personal tour. BEAUTIFUL! I love your blog & your style. HUGS!
    Charlene

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  13. Who would know what treasures could be found behind your cupboard doors? I wish I had that many plates or goblets to choose from! As for your kitchen in general (I just read the kitchen renovation post) it is truly a dream. I am so envious of it! The great thing is, I can see the pride you take in your kitchen; which you should because it is the heart of the home.

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  14. Glad to know I am not the only stasher! I think I may even have dishes under my bed right now. Any spot is fair game in my house! Your storage looks gorgeous! I'm so jealous!

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  15. You have quite a wonderful collection. I would love to go shopping in your house. Our kitchen has over fifty cabinets and no one can believe (especially my husband) that they are all full!
    xo,
    Sherry

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  16. WEll done..thanks for all the tips and ideas..I'm a little away from dishes at the moment..but when I reorganize I'll follow your lead:)

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  17. Thanks for showing us your storage, Jacqueline. It makes me feel better that I am not not the only one with lots of stuff. Everytime I see one more cabinet, it makes me feel like I am opening mine, lol. I also see that you turn some goblets upside down to make more room, I do the same way. My daughter who just visited said every cabinet she opens has plates in it, lol. Love you lovely kitchen!...Christine

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  18. WOW!!!! WOW!!!! I love all of your great storage spots. It looks like you make use of every nook and cranny in your beautiful kitchen. I often wondered, "Where does she store all her stuff".....now the mystery is solved. You have great storage and so oganized with all of your things. Thanks for the great "Show and Tell". I enjoy your blog so much....it is like Disneyland!!!
    Hugs, Katherine S.

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  19. That is the most beautiful kitchen ever! And so much fun stuff and well organized to boot! Thanks for sharing :)

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  20. Well, that's what I call making excellent use of space. I like those little plastic-coated wire shelf things (have no idea what they're called) wherein you can make extra space for glassware. Thanks for this, you've given me ideas. Oh, and I want that red flatware! ;-)

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  21. Loved the tour and your storage space is incredible. Lots of great planning for sure!

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  22. that was so much fun to look at! i've often wondered....anne

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  23. Yours looks so organized and nice -- I am never showing mine -- no, not ever! I think you still have some more room for more dishes!! Time to go to Tai Pan Trading. Joni

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  24. Wow, your storage space is outstanding! I LOVE dishes and stemware...and just drooling here. Your kitchen is sooooo gorgeous! Love everything about it and all your wonderful goodies...thanks for showing us around.

    Hope you're having a wonder*filled week!
    xo
    Pat

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  25. Hi Jacqueline, Thanks for the peek! You do indeed have a lot of dishes and glassware, and you always create lovely tablescapes!
    Blessings, Beth

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  26. That's a dream of a kitchen. I have a small kitchen and would love to have your storage. No wonder you make such beautiful tablescapes.

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  27. Your tablescaping backside is lovely! Disney could learn a thing or two.

    I've never owned an actual china set, or even anything fancier than our everyday Corelle plates...in fact, you'll often find matchbox cars in my so-called china cabinet!

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  28. This is way better than the back side of Disney land. You have really organized everything. It was fun to see.

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  29. What a lovely kitchen! Thanks for sharing your dish storage with us.

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  30. Wow! I'm speechless! Thanks for sharing!

    Katherine

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  31. Wow. That's all I can say is, Wow!If you run out of room, I would be glad to take some of those off your hands for you!

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  32. Gorgeous and abundant dish storage!WOW!

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  33. Wow, that's a lot to find room for. And, if you are like me, you don't quit collecting which makes storage a continuing challenge.

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  34. Love to see all your storage !
    Talking about you on my blog !
    Xo

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  35. Wonderful -- a kitchen that is beautiful and has plenty of storage too! What great organization you have here.

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  36. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes look at Purple Chocolate Home dish storage :) I've had to resort to using bedrooms from my girls who have moved out!

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  37. You are very organized Jacqueline. Good heavens, I have one set of dishes for summer, and one with snowflakes for winter and when not in use, a set is stored in Rubbermaid totes in the basement.
    No wonder you can produce so many wonderful tablescapes!
    Your precautionary ideas against earthquakes sound sensible, something we don't encounter here.
    Judith

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  38. Oh, Wow! I thought I had enough china to fill a department store until I saw your stash. Oh my gosh, I don't have much - I need to go shopping!!! I'm not the dish addict I imagined I was.
    Thanks for showing us your kitchen cabinet contents. Very lovely kitchen by the way. I look forward to seeing more of your tablescape posts.

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  39. Wowzers, you have lots of great storage for all your beautiful dishes/glassware/flatware...you forgot to show us the linen closet!

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  40. Thanks for the fun tour! Confess, is anything under the beds? Just wondering, cause that's where I keep my huge griddle!

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  41. No wonder she gives you a hard time about plates! I knew you had a lot but seeing it all like that blows you away. Hope you don't get caught in an earthquake. What a mess that would be!

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  42. The storage areas are FABULOUS, almost as fabulous as the dishes, etc. themselves!!!!
    Wonderful! I also love that you earthquake proofed it as well!

    We finally moved to Italy for the year and where we're living in the Campania region there are lots of earthquakes, too!

    I'm hoping to go to the Vietri area for awesome Italian pottery soon and will post lots of photos from that!

    You're an inspiration as always,
    Lana

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  43. You are one lucky girl!

    I am having an antique auction on my blog. All sorts of lovely and romantic finds looking for a new home. I hope you'll stop by.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

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  44. First, Jacqueline, your home is lovely. Very nicely coordinated all the way around. Second, you have now given me a little teensy bit of encouragement to reveal where I store everything. Just a teensy bit. I'm not sure I could go all the way there. But your storage areas are beautiful and in in well-concealed "public" places of your home, so you have no worries there. I understand your concerns about dishes falling from shelves. We don't live on a Fault Line or anything, but one of my cabinet shelves gave way due to the sheer weight of all the dishes on it a couple of years ago. (We live in Tornado Alley. If a torando strikes, I'll have a whole lot more to worry about than just flyin' dishes!) I have since switched over from those plastic support tabs to metal ones. I've also put quarter-round reinforcements under the shelves. In the closets where things are stored, my husband put up WAY more support brackets than necessary just to be on the safe side. We did all of this because I lost some precious Italian pieces when that shelf gave way some time back. I cried for days. To this day I am still paranoid! OK..enough Debby Downer stuff. Have a great weekend, and I hope you are enjoying sunshine where you are!

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  45. What a gorgeous kitchen...love the colors of your cabinetry and the unique shapes and elements you have included! So nice when you can customize everything the way you want it! Fabulous dream kitchen!!

    Miss Bloomers

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  46. I would love to have your storage!!! Alas I do not and keeping going though and "DeCluttering" Stuff and than I'm like, "What did I do with that really cool Vase"....Decluttered it!!!
    Love your blog.
    ~Jean

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  47. Even your storage areas are pretty! I do think using an extra bedroom as a china closet would be the ultimate luxury! Everything in one place to help trigger ideas! I am struggling with storage plans right now, trying to decide whether to change the food pantry in the kitchen into dish storage, and stuffing the dry goods into another cabinet! I'll go back and explore your solutions again so I can get some inspiration. Linda

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  48. Absolutely AMAZING collection and amount of storage!! Wow! I have storage envy in a big way!! Everything looks incredible~ you did a wonderful job planning for all the places to store your lovely treasures!! Thanks for sharing at FNF! :)

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  49. Were we separated at birth in the hospital? I'm pretty sure that you could walk into my house and walk straight to the doors that hold all my entertaining goodies...what's behind door number 3? Ask Jacqueline...she'll know! Thanks for sharing the tour. Cherry Kay

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  50. Your "stash" is amazingly wonderful and your organization of it all is mindboggling!! (BTW, your kitchen is gorgeous!!!)

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  51. Oh Jacqueline, even your storage is beautiful! I loved getting the inside look. How wonderful that you have so many places to store your table-scaping "necessities", and how beautifully organized you are! I want to get up and go do some organization in my china pantry now. thank you for linking this fun behind the scenes peek to Favorite Things. laurie

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  52. I'm your newest follower. I'm so glad I'm not the only one with sooo much stuff and I store my things all over the house: kitchen, dining room, living room, guest room...it seems that whatever you open, there's plates, or goblets, or flatware or,or,or...thank you for sharing your gorgeous kitchen! Come over and visit, I'd love to be your new virtual friend.
    FABBY

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  53. Oh My Goodness!!! That is a DREAM!!! Am I alone in LOVING the word "STORAGE". It gives me goosebumps! You have everything right there at your finger tips "Lucky Girl". I'm getting there, I'm redesigning my kitchen and I have it "ALL FIGURED OUT"! Don't you just LOVE those risers! I have them all over the place, although I WISH they made them in BLACK!!! Thank you for sharing "Behind the Scenes" with us! I took NOTES!
    I'm having a GIVEAWAY so be sure to stop by...
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  54. Jacqueline, I'm late reading this one, but so glad I saw it. What an amazing amount of table items. I'm having a storage piece built to hold more of my dishes. I envy your wonderful storage. ~ Sarah

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  55. Wow, what a collection. And your kitchen is totally gorgeous too.

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  56. Oh, this is my dream!!! I ahve my dishes, glasses, and all tablescaping items in almost every closet in the house besides my pantry!!!! I am a confirmed "dishaholic" too!!!!! I just wish I ahd your storage! Your kitchen is gorgeous!!!! Truly. XO, Pinky

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  57. WOW!!!!! I love all of your storage for your stash of beautiful dishes and glasses. You are so organized and neat. Thanks for sharing!!

    Drooling in Georgia,
    Katherine S.

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  58. What can I say But WOW! That is really nice and thanks for sharing.

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  59. Love the Backside of Disneyland expression!

    Thanks for sharing at "Where do you keep it all?". I'd appreciate it if you'd provide a link to the party. Thanks.

    - The Tablescaper

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  60. You have such wonderful storage places..enjoyed the tour..
    Love, Mona

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  61. What a total treat to be able to redo your kitchen with an eye toward creating the perfect storage options. That's a dream! Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay

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  62. Lordy lordy, looking at all your beautiful things was such a treat! Isn't it funny how you mostly know exactly where things are even when they are scattered around? I did loose my 2 favorite elephants once for 2 years and finally found them way in the back of a lower cabinet shelf! Thanks for sharing,
    Jenna

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  63. Jacqueline, I envy all you wonderful storage and large kitchen. I've just about maxed out my storage opportunities here. We've been looking off and on for a different home. Storage is a priority. ;-)

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  64. Beautiful storage and everything is so organized. Thanks for sharing.

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  65. I love seeing where everyone keeps their plates and stuff! Yours is great built in storage! Thanks for sharing!

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  66. Your kitchen is amazing and so well organized. Very beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  67. Wow, you have some beautiful things and wonderful & clever ways to store it all.

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  68. so sorry for being so late visiting, but I was on a cruise with only paid internet access and I'm cheap! I am so jealous that you have managed to keep all your storage in the kitchen! Your cabinets are beautiful too. Dianne

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