We were on a tight budget with this kitchen remodel, and wanted to spend less than $1000 to give it the rustic cottage kitchen feel that we love so much. And let's be honest, I loved exposed shelving to show off my pottery collection.

Click read more to see more pictures, and the changes we made to the space.

These were wooden plate shelves that I purchased from amazon. 

These were roughly planed walnut boards we bought from a mill in Missouri. We lightly sanded  them, and ripped down to 3 in shelves that we cut a notch for plates to sit in. I was really happy with this more rustic look, and they were longer so I could have a larger display of my growing plate connection. I was also happy with how they line up as decoration above our kitchen table.

Need some plates for your kitchen?
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For me I love bringing back a piece of nature as my souvenirs; such as a rock or a sea shell (only from parks where that is allowed). I typically add these items to the landscaping of rock gardens around my yard.

Close up of the Pitcher, and an image of Lynn at her kiln.

Did you know that I used to be a big Correlle commercial glass dinnerware fan?
I grew up with all of my mom's dinnerware matching, and all of it very light weight correlle glass plates. Naturally, I just assumed everyone's dinnerware including my own should match.

It took me years to get over this desire to have everything match. I mean most people can handle an ecclectic cup collection, but a varied plate collection...that can be a stretch; including me back in the day. Honestly, it took my art professor questioning my desire to have matching plates at a group dinner she was hosting at her house. She told me to look at the Mary Bowron plate I was eating off of. That plate was an art piece unto itself, and I had the opportunity to fill my whole kitchen with art work, and stories of endeared artists.
Well my art professors story of the preciousness of an artist plate stuck with me. I have become a pottery collector. Surprise surprise... a lot of my plates are even Mary Bowron's plates. I love hosting meals at my home, and seeing peoples reactions to choosing an art piece to eat off of. Usually, the reactions are joyful, and sometimes a race to grab their favorite pottery. For some of my friends, it's a learning curve to appreciate that pots are typically heavier than correlle glass...but slowly I bringing one friend at a time over to the dark side of loving handmade pottery.
In my new Milwaukee house/studio I have had a big dream come true of creating a plate wall. It brings me so much joy to have my collection of plates becoming a wall of "painting" that get used and rearranged.