Once upon a time, in a kingdom of color and pattern, there lived a girl who adored a beautifully set table. With a magpie’s eye, she roamed far and wide, gathering china, crystal, silver, and linens—treasures for her tablescaping dreams. Her collection bloomed like wild clover, spilling from one china cabinet to another, then another, until the castle’s every nook brimmed with dishes and decor. Her patient prince, tripping over teacups and dodging candelabras, finally built her a grand Dish & Decor Sanctuary in the tower room. There, surrounded by her glittering hoard, they lived happily ever after—though the prince had to relegate his tools to the garage, where they sulked among the cobwebs.
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It’s downright hilarious how this little “hobby” (oh, let’s call it what it is—an obsession) spiraled out of control faster than a toddler with a Sharpie. Back in the late 90s and most of the 2000s, I was a minimalist by today’s standards—surviving on just 7 patterns. Seven! I mean, who was that restrained woman?
- My everyday Mikasa English Countryside—worked back then because it would go with any theme or holiday!
2. My fine china, Tahei Springtime, a sweet gift from my Nanny that I still adore.
3. A Christmas set, Jolly Ol’ Snowy by Tracy Porter, snagged from Target in a “treat myself” moment. Plus I was hosting Christmas in a new house with the former in-laws and both my (former) mother-in-law and sister-in-law had Spode Christmas Tree. I felt like I needed a Christmas pattern and this colorful fun set was just my style!
4. 222 Fifth Lyria Teal, a TJMaxx impulse buy for one Easter I hosted (also in the new house)—still love it today!
5. My “formal set,” Citation by Mikasa, because every gal needs a fancy backup, right?
6. These adorable Maxcera cabbage appetizer plates, another TJMaxx Easter score—because who can resist cabbage-shaped anything? The beginnings of my cabbage obsession! I had also picked up a BP cabbage leaf platter at Pier 1 sometime during that time frame.
7. And my “I’m single and done with my ‘married’ everyday pattern” pick—a Jusalpha Embossed Lace from the early days of Amazon shopping. I was a rebel, y’all!
I also had a smattering of blue-and-white pieces—gifts from the family over the years—that I’d hang on plate walls or scatter around for decor. Table duty? Nope, they were too pretty to eat off back then! Here’s the only evidence I could dig up from the pre-smartphone era—proof I wasn’t always snapping pics like a blogger on a mission.
Then I remarried, and my prince rode in with his Lenox Holiday set. We added ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Johnson Brothers and a Pier 1 Madeline set from an estate sale—bumping me to a respectable 10 patterns. I thought, “This is fine. I’m in control.” Famous last words, right?
That was all before the fateful day at an estate sale when I overheard the conversation about all the glorious tables shared on this tablesettings group on Facebook. Cue the dramatic music—dun-dun-DUN! Suddenly, I morphed into the Joan of Arc of dishware, on a holy mission to rescue every lonely pattern from estate sales across the land.
Side note: My husband and I are estate sale junkies. I’m the general, mapping our battle plan the night before, and we roll out just in time for the first stop—no crack-of-dawn nonsense unless it’s a killer sale. My motto? If it’s meant to be mine, it’ll wait for me. (I’m basically the chillest treasure hunter ever.) Stay tuned for my estate sale tips—I’ve got a novel’s worth to spill! My grandson #2 summed it up best after his first day of kindergarten: “I’ve got so much to say!” Me too, kiddo, me too.
Back to the rescue mission… Within a month of joining Beautiful Table Settings (shoutout to my people!), I’d doubled our pattern count, yes that would be 20, in 2 weeks flat. (Remember I count patterns, not set, so this could just be a couple of dinner plates) My china cabinet was bursting like a Thanksgiving turkey, and our dining room said, “No more furniture, lady!” I was happily drowning in dishes. What’s a pattern-obsessed gal to do?
Before I could even think about more storage, I had to lay down some ground rules—because chaos needs a leash, y’all:
- Price: It had to be reasonably priced. I mean, dishes don’t grow on trees, and I wasn’t about to blow my budget on shelves when there were Bordallo Pinheiro plates to snatch!
- Size: Big enough for dishes and This took some serious planning—turns out chargers are the divas of the dish world, demanding extra elbow room.
- Open: Call me crazy, but I wanted everything on display. Closed doors? I need to see my treasures, dust be darned! (Yes, I know dust is the enemy— I just rinse and repeat.)
- Location: Dining room? Full. Butler’s pantry? Ha, I wish! Pantry? Teeny-tiny. But our laundry room? Space was available and bonus, it was right off the kitchen. Jackpot!
With the laundry room crowned as the new Dish HQ, I started plotting. First stop: IKEA. Say what you will about their maze-like stores and unpronounceable names, but their storage game is clutch—and wallet-friendly. Off we went, my prince in tow, probably muttering, “I should’ve stayed in the garage with my tools.” No, not really, he’s pretty much always on board with my crazy ideas.
Wandering through those mock-up rooms felt like a treasure hunt. Two contenders emerged: the Billy Bookcase system and the Kallax system. Billy was a Pinterest darling—perfect for DIY vibes (we’d flirted with it for our fireplace built-ins)—but those chargers? They’d be squished like sardines. The glass doors were tempting for dust control, but let’s be real—my china cabinet dishes still get dusty, and I’m washing ‘em anyway. Doors, schmores!
Here’s our fabulous built-ins! I designed and planned out. The prince handled the build with my assistance. I do know how to use a nail gun! And yes, I do know my chairs cover my pretty fireplace, but you do what you gotta do when you have 13 who gather for holidays! We need seating more than we need a fire in Georgia.
Then there was Kallax, with its roomy 13 ¼” cubes—charger heaven! My only gripe? That’s a tall stack of plates. The internet screamed, “No more than 12 dinner plates!” I’m a rule-bender, not a rule-breaker (okay probably that too), so I’d keep it close-ish. After measuring our laundry room and some serious overthinking, we settled on a 5×5 Kallax base with a 2×4 stacked on top. Symmetrical? Nope—I’m a symmetry junkie, but functionality won this round.
We hauled it home, assembled it (with only minor cursing), and boom—Dish Central was born! Amazon’s got ‘em if IKEA’s not your neighbor. My picture taking skills have really improved! I really should have taken a better picture!!
Here it is when I had only 13 patterns in the cubes. I had not moved the other 7 in yet! There was a lot of wasted space in a cube.
And the stacks? Oh, honey, some cubes were a pattern mash-up—think dish Tetris gone wrong. I’d yank out a whole tower just to grab one plate, praying I didn’t start an avalanche. I loved the system, but those cubes needed a middle shelf like I need a half and half tea on a hot day, okay every day!
Enter my hero: these wire divider/riser/stacker thingies from Amazon. Sturdy as a Southern oak—no sagging after three-plus years! Took some trial and error (and a few flimsy returns), but these babies doubled my cube space. Game-changer!
And the best thing about these kitchen shelf racks, I could add more patterns!
Naturally, I wasn’t just adding dishes to craft these tables—they needed the full treatment! Like linens, for starters. The linen situation? Picture an upstairs closet jammed to the brim, a fabric hoarder’s wildest fantasy. Before I started setting tables for Facebook groups, I didn’t own a single tablecloth—shocking, right? Now, I wouldn’t dream of setting a table without one!
And the glasses? Shoved in the bottom of our living room built-ins, mocking me every time I bent down to grab one.
My tablescaping empire had invaded every corner—upstairs, downstairs, room to room. I was running a marathon just to set a table, sometimes two or three a week for social media glory. Sure, I racked up steps like a Fitbit champ, but this was getting ridiculous. My family was one teacup tumble away from staging an intervention. Something had to give—preferably not my sanity or my dish budget!
Enter the prince, again, who suggests finishing part of the basement. Confession, I resisted at first. Time, money, stairs, I mean I couldn’t see the vision… Plus we used this room for painting projects and storage! What would we do with all of this crap (er treasured stuff).
After some serious soul-searching (and a nudge from my prince), I realized finishing the basement was the golden ticket to corralling my tablescaping chaos into one glorious HQ. Everything in one spot? Yes, please! But you know me—I don’t just wing it. I’m old-school, busting out the grid paper, measuring tape, and furniture mock-ups like I’m staging a heist. Planning’s my love language. So, I measured that basement like a tailor fitting a prom dress and got to work sketching.
First up, the wishlist—because a queen needs her throne room just right:
- Kallax shelving for dishes (how many cubes? how many fit without turning it into Jenga?)
- Closet for linens (tablecloths, napkins, napkin rings—the whole fabric fam)
- Glassware storage (those beauties deserved better than the living room floor)
- Display space (my beloved BP collection needed a spotlight)
- Prep area (for mock-setting mayhem)
- Table and chairs (gotta eat somewhere!)
- TV (Braves, Bulldogs, or background tunes—take your pick.
I scribbled that list with such pride, I saved it—might even frame it for the vibes.
Now, let’s break it down:
- Kallax shelving—The wall space was calling, and there was exactly one spot those bad boys could fit. I measured twice, sketched once, and bam—dish heaven was mapped out.
- Closet chaos— The original blueprint had two closets: one for my linens, one for the prince’s stuff. But honey, once I stuffed that linen closet with tablecloths, it was like a fabric explosion—napkins and rings were left homeless! My sweet husband saw the crisis and gallantly offered up his closet, saying, “I don’t need that closet.” No “garage storage” hints needed—he handed it over like a true knight, and I’m not mad about it!
- Glassware glow—Pinterest and Facebook groups had me swooning over sunlight dancing through colored stemware. I’m a sucker for a rainbow effect, so glass shelves by the windows were a must. Found the perfect ones here, paired with more Kallax for the walls. Now my glasses sparkle like they’re auditioning for a rom-com.
- Display dreams—What to do with my BP treasures? Hang ‘em? Cabinet ‘em? I had options galore, so it was just a matter of hunting down the right piece to fit the vibe. Stay tuned—I’ll show you what I landed on!
- Prep space perfection—With multiple mock settings for my social media flex, I needed room to spread out. The hive mind of Instagram and beyond suggested an island on wheels, and I was sold. Scoured the web for one that fit—fit was the challenge. Decided on another option from the Kallax family.
- Table and chairs—Budget win! We had an old breakfast nook set collecting dust after an upgrade. Yank out the leaf, and voilà—a cozy round 4-seater. No extra cash required.
- TV time—Spotted a sweet deal on Amazon here while planning. Everyone’s like, “Go bigger!” But why? It’s background noise—Braves games, Bulldog cheers, or a cooking show while I zhuzh a table. This size is juuuust right for me.
Here’s my rough sketch—imagine it with grid paper flair. I lost the fancy to-scale version (oops), but this nails the gist!
I’ll wrap with some process pics—think sawdust, paint cans, and me pretending I know what I’m doing. Swing back by later for part 2 and the grand reveal of this tablescaping palace!
From My Table to Yours,
Melissa
14 Responses
This post is so timely as I have a need to expand my dish room capacity! I love that you posted links! I never thought about the beautiful gold open shelving for my glassware until now…I may utilize that option! As always, thank you so much for the links! It is so helpful to purchase something after reading about proven success!
I’m delighted this post landed just when you needed it! Expanding your dish room capacity? You’re speaking my language! I’m so glad you liked the links—those gold open shelves for your glassware? Pure elegance, right? I hadn’t thought of it either until it hit me like a sparkly epiphany. You’re so welcome for the links; it’s my pleasure to share what’s worked like a charm so you can snag it with confidence. Happy tablescaping! ❤️
This is fabulous, Melissa! Love everything about it! I’m in the process of turning a spare BR into my “dish room”…all of your details are of great help to my “prince”! Thank you for all of your great inspiration & all the lovelies!
Cindy
Oh, Cindy, thank you so muc! I’m so glad you loved the post—thank you for the sweet words! Turning a spare bedroom into your very own “dish room”will be so much fun, and I’m thrilled my little details are giving your prince a helping hand. You’re so welcome for the inspiration—it’s a joy to share the lovelies with you! Happy tablescaping! ❤️
Just love this Melissa!
Thank you so much Terri! If you ever make it over towards my neck of the woods you should visit!!
I truly saw myself in this story, over and over again. Now my extra house/she shed house(teehee) will be filled with overflow items, and I can organize my table setting items better. Your obsession and mine are very alike. Grew so quickly, and now on to the grid paper organizing task/joyful time! It’s no wonder we clicked! Congrats on finalizing your space and keeping photos along the way to share with us. You are a true inspiration! Love you, friend! 😘
Oh, you’re a gem! I’m so glad you saw yourself in my story—it’s wild how alike our obsessions are, zooming from zero to grid-paper organizing in no time! Your extra house/she-shed will be perfect for stashing overflow and sorting those table-setting goodies. No wonder we hit it off! Thanks for the congrats on my space—keeping those pics to share was a treat. You’re an inspiration yourself, friend! Love ya! 😘 Happy tablescaping!
This is all such good and practical info! I have no space for the Kallax Shelving . ☹️ However I have often dreamt of creating a lidded ottoman with a diameter wide enough to stack many chargers and be able to reach in to easily lift them out to search for what I need. Said ottoman could multi task as seating. No visual of what’s inside but clever just same. I loved reading your story! It all makes tons of sense as to how you got hooked!!! 💗
Oh, how clever, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! Thanks for the love—I’m so glad you found the info practical and that my story hooked you! 💗 No worries about the Kallax fitting; I’ll be sharing some nifty tips in another post for space-challenged folks. I once saw this genius setup with pull-out drawers built into a window seat for stacks—now I’m dreaming if my own prince could whip something like that up for me! Your lidded ottoman idea? Pure brilliance! Wide enough to stash plates and double as seating? That’s multitasking magic right there. Happy tablescaping, sweetie!
Oh my goodness! What a fabulous, fun, magnificent read! So much great information, and written in such an entertaining and fun style. What a great way to start my morning. Keep it up, You’ve got it going on! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much for the sweet words about my Tablescaper’s Fairy Tale Haven post—I’m over the moon that you found it fun and packed with goodies. It’s a treat to know it brightened your morning! I’ll keep the fun flowing just for you. ❤️ Happy tablescaping!
Your stories are a delight! I giggled through the whole post—”Yep, she’s sure right about THAT!” Your storage solutions are so practical, and I love how you can see everything. Thank you for delighting us all with your blog of beautiful things.
🌟 I’m so glad my stories made you giggle—nothing warms my heart more than hearing I brought a smile to your day! And yes, girl, I’m all about those practical storage solutions—gotta see all my pretties at a glance! 🐰 Thank you for your sweet words; it’s a joy to share my little haven of beautiful things with you.