How to Decorate a Jelly Cabinet
Jelly cabinets or cupboards are small, narrow cupboards first used by the Amish to store homemade canned goods. Rustic and country in design, they range in size from three feet to five feet tall -- but only around two feet wide -- and can sit on the floor or on a countertop. Today, you can find jelly cabinets at many antique stores or purchase them new. Many people use them as decorative storage in different rooms of the house, not just the kitchen. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Attach pressed or stamped tin panels to the sides of the cabinet or to the front of the doors for a custom look. You can also stencil a design on your cabinet. The best way to handle the finish, however, is to simply leave the finish of the cabinet alone, unless you are restoring one. The worn, rustic look of jelly cabinets is part of their appeal. Even new cabinets often come with some purposeful distressing on the finish.
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Put some decorative items on top of the jelly cabinet. This will make it look taller and give it more of a decorative impact. Choose things that will complement the country look of the cabinet, such as tin stars, rustic wooden art and old glass jars. A green plant also looks nice and gives it some color.
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Open up the cabinet drawers and hang pretty textiles over them, such as hand-embroidered dish towels and lacy table runners -- use guest bath towels, if you are placing the cabinet in a bathroom. A small quilt looks nice also and works well if the cabinet is in a living room.
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Fill the shelves with similar items that will continue the rustic, country theme. A collection of dolls would look great in a jelly cabinet in a little girl's room. A set of antique teacups works well on the shelves of a jelly cabinet in a kitchen or dining room. If you want to use the jelly cabinet for storage, try sliding wicker baskets onto the lower two shelves. They are both decorative and functional. Then fill the top shelf with something decorative, such as candles, photos in frames or seasonal decor such as tiny pumpkins and fall leaf garlands.
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