Dish Storage & A Serious Case of Pantry Envy

Hooky Day!  This post is going up a bit late because I took a little time off today to play.  I’m blaming it all on my friend, Marie. 😉  Today we had a “girls day out.”  It started with a yummy lunch at a local cafe, then we headed out to shop some of our fave haunts.  I didn’t buy anything (yet) but I found a table umbrella for my seating area out on the deck that I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy.

I don’t think I ever got around to posting about it, but when my last heavy-duty, awesome market umbrella shown below finally wore out after four years out on the deck, I purchased another one that was also “market” size.  It promptly broke the first time we had just a little wind.  What???  I had been spoiled by how well-built the other had been.  The one that broke had much thinner supports/spokes.  I was so annoyed that it broke, I didn’t even bother with looking for another last summer.

Deck Newly Stained

Today, Marie and I spotted these adorable Pagoda Umbrellas in Pier 1.  I’m seriously thinking about getting the one pictured below.  The colors should work pretty well with the porch furniture cushions  and hopefully it won’t look too yucky from being underneath the trees.  I may only put it out when I’m having friends over or will actually be out there for the evening.  I’d love to keep it looking fresh.

So here’s the neat thing about these umbrellas, besides how cute they are:  The Pagoda style umbrellas have nice big cut out areas which really helps keep the wind from grabbing it, bending it over and breaking, or worse, ripping it out of the stand and pitching it into the yard.  Do you have one like this?  Does it hold up to wind?

Pagoda Umbrella

 

The other style I really liked was this floral pagoda umbrella.  The umbrella comes in several solid colors, too.  Marie bought 4 of the floral style (shown below) to go with the tables around the pool in her backyard.  Afterwards she asked why it was she always spends so much money when we are out shopping together. 😉  (Snicker, snicker)

Floral Pagoda Umbrella

 

I can’t wait to see her umbrellas here in her backyard.  She also bought the matching pillows for the loungers/chairs.  (Pic below taken back around Christmas)  They are going to be wonderful for spring/summer!

Backyard with Pool, Fountain and Fireplace

While I was out playing hooky today, I was thinking about you.  I knew you would want to come along, too so I snapped some pics of Marie’s fabulous spring decorations. I’ll be sharing those very soon.

Dish and China Storage

I’ve received a lot of questions asking where Marie stores her dishware/tablescaping goodies.  Today I thought I’d take you behind the scenes into the inner sanctum 😉 and let you see where Marie stores some of her tablescaping accoutrements.  But you have to pinky swear you won’t tell a soul.  Pinky swear?  Okay.  Let’s go!

Notice the double doors (see arrow) in this picture of Marie’s beautiful kitchen.  It looks like doors to a regular ole pantry, right?   A surprise awaits!

Kitchen Decorated for Christmas

Marie has a fabulous Butler’s pantry hidden behind those doors, complete with a sink for last minute wash-ups.

Dish Pantry-Storage for China

Storage!  Beautiful storage!  I love seeing the little scooters for her grandchildren stored here, too.  How cute is that!

Dish Pantry-Storage for China

Shelves run from floor to ceiling on all four walls of this large room.  When you open the doors, it’s such a surprise to see there’s a whole room behind there!

Dishware Pantry-Storage for China

I think I see heart-shaped dishes, perhaps for Valentine’s Day?

Dishware Pantry-Storage for China

I couldn’t wait to share this section with you!  This is where Marie stores her flatware and napkin rings.

Flatware, Napkin Rings, and Dishware Storage

I love the wire baskets because you can easily see through to what is stored inside.

Flatware, Napkin Rings, and Dishware Storage

You could even make little hanging labels/tags if several different sets of napkin rings were stored in each basket.  Marie found the baskets in Target and HomeGoods.

Flatware, Napkin Rings, and Dishware Storage

I don’t know about you, but I have some serious pantry envy going on! 🙂

Love a great dish pantry?  Check out Bonnie’s amazing dish closet here:  Dish Heaven

Postcards from the Porch

Tomorrow is Saturday so the BNOTP’s 4th newsletter, Postcards from the Porch, will go out bright and early in the morn.  Several folks have reported they aren’t receiving the newsletter, but once they added the BNOTP email address into their email address book, it came through without a hitch.

If you are signed up to receive the newsletter but it hasn’t been arriving, please take a moment to add the email address, [email protected] , to your address book and hopefully that will stop it from being caught in your e-mail host’s filters.

If you haven’t subscribed and wish to receive the BNOTP newsletter, you’ll find the quick sign-up here: Postcards from the Porch

Postcards from the Porch

 

Happy Weekend, dear Friends!  I have some fun, fun posts planned for next week! 🙂

XO

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Comments

  1. Susan, What a fun day. That is my idea of an ideal day, a good lunch, with a good friend, and shopping for good things. Thanks for sharing.
    Marie, I dream about having a kitchen just like yours with space for my stuff. I would love to have a pantry and bake station so everything has a place and everything in its place. Thanks for the peek.

  2. Her space is beautiful! I also LOVE the umbrellas, they are adorable!

  3. What a fabulous pantry!!! However, I am betting that she has other little spots for dish storage too:):) I love the umbrellas. I hope you like yours when you get it, I love the style and love both patterns. Marie’s outdoor pool area is TDF!!! What an amazing home. I will anxiously await more!!! Have a great weekend. I had a fun day too, today, lunch with 9 friends!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOON, I will be able to share MY dish room!!!! Bonnie’s was my inspiratio but hers is much nicer than mine:):) XO, pinky

  4. Susan, I love the pagoda style of umbrella. The fabric choices are adorable.
    As for Marie’s pantry, I’m definitely envious. What a wonderful space. Cherry Kay has a dish room too. If we ever build a house (very unlikely) I’m going to change my wish list from a butler’s pantry to a dish room. LOL
    Thanks for sharing, Susan, and thank Marie for letting us have a peek. 😉

  5. Jenah Parris says

    This might be my favorite thing…EVER! I would just die for a pantry like that! I must admit, I have an amazingly large, built in china closet, but still! Once I get the reno done on it, I will have to post it to you! Thanks for sharing another great post!

  6. That. is. genius. I am coveting this closet for sure. I constantly have to stop myself from buying plates because of room … this is my dream space!

  7. OH I am loving all that storage space! WHat a organized person Marie is! Wow!
    Glad you had a great girls day out!
    Your patio with umbrella looks divine! We are getting slammed with a huge snow storm. Praying we can get Nick, our youngest to the airport and back to college in Kansas Sunday!
    Happy weekend!
    Hugs Anne

  8. That’s some serious eye candy going on at Marie’s backyard! And that pantry is so freakin’ cute with the little scooters!! As my mother used to say…’why couldn’t I have been born rich instead of beautiful???’ Too bad I took after my father! Lol

    I love the umbrellas too. Different feels but they’re both very appealing. There’s a pier 1 nearby and a few weeks ago I went there for some napkins. I was HORRIFIED to find the store was liquidating and almost completely empty! They were selling fixtures and I bought some wood for $3. Luckily, it turns out they are remodeling and will reopen in a couple of months. I am excited to see what they have planned.

  9. Wow, I have never seen such a beautiful kitchen, it’s so big, I would so love to be let loose in there for a day, hang on make that a week, it’s lovely. Can’t wait to show my husband what I want for my birthday, one just like it PLEASE

  10. Sounds like a fab day out you had , your friends kitchen store cupboard would be every ones dream.
    However, I’m not sure about the floral pagoda umbrellas ! I prefer the plane green one you had before, it won’t distract from any colourful plants you will be sure to have on your porch. Enjoy your weekend.
    I think spring has come to stay, so I’m off to my local ‘pepiniere’/ garden supplier to choose some flowering shrubs for a new area in my garden. I’ll be showing that later on my blog.

  11. Wow is about all I can say.. your so right about that
    pantry. It is worth staying in and just looking around
    at all the goodies in there. I’m with Penny ^^. I want
    one for my birthday too!
    Lovely day you had.
    Happy Spring
    Sandy

  12. Oh what fun. A visit with your friend Marie is always fun. (I was hoping she would share her Easter deco with us, and perhaps she did!) As for the umbrellas…. no experience here, but oh are they charming. I prefer the print one and would probably remove it unless being used for guests, but that’s just me…being careful! As for her storage room, whew! It may be for the best that we do not have a room like that or I would be overrun with more dishes than I needed. But then, we all know NEED has nothing to do with it!!!! Happy weekend.

  13. Susan, I love both umbrella styles. I bought a solid turquoise from Pier 1 a few years ago. I also bought a zippered cover to keep it looking nice. You might want to try getting one of those. I found mine at Walmart.
    When i saw you had been shopping with Marie I really thought we would see her Easter table settings. Hint hint 😉
    Dianne from Vicksburg, Ms

  14. I so enjoy the posts that you share of Marie’s decorating. You must have so much fun sharing ideas with each other. It is also interesting whenever you share storage ideas. No matter what sizes our homes are, we can always pick up great tips. Thank you!

  15. LOVE her secret room! She’ll be the envy of the blogosphere now. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Susan ~ xo Heidi
    PS — stay dry! nothing like rumbles of thunder at 7 a.m.!

  16. OMG!
    Susan, I thought I loved Marie’s kitchen… now I know I ADORE it!
    It is the kitchen of my dreams! OK, her whole beautiful house is the house of my dreams but
    that butler’s pantry/storage room is a secret, well hidden JEWEL!
    Marie, I really admire your attention to detail! May I hire you to design my new house? (If I win the lottery… lol)
    Susan, I love those pagoda umbrellas, too, especially the floral styled one. So pretty!
    ~Hugs to you~
    Cecilia

  17. Susan, thanks for the tip on the pagoda umbrellas. I need a new one and that’s the style I like. I’ll check with Pier 1 next week. Would love to see a picture of Marie’s pool area with umbrellas in use.

  18. I’ve always wondered how YOU store all your tablescaping items.

  19. Susan,
    I bought a market patio umbrella several years ago and it could be removed from the frame and washed. I have washed it once or twice a year for five seasons. It just has to be put back on the umbrella frame while wet to let it dry, so it won’t shrink or have wrinkles. I think it is polyester. Last year it got a hole where one pole poked where it is held at the end. I just got on a stool and sewed that hole closed while still on the pole outside. I have really enjoyed it mine because does get gross from spider webs, bugs, and tree droppings and it looks brand new when I wash it. I plan to use it again this year. I do put it away for the winter. I would buy another one when this one wears out if they still exist.

    • marie barnes says

      kay, i have never seen one like that, do you remember where you got it and if they still make it.

    • Kay, that sounds a lot like the great one I had from Home Depot Expo, before they went out of business. After 4-5 years out there, it was very dirty and also had a hole where one of the poles had poked through. I thought about mending it, but it was a big hole and it was caused by that particular pole warping. The pole had curled upward for some weird reason…guess it was all the temperature changes over the years.

  20. Mary from Virginia says

    Tell Marie she should have bought one more and shipped it tome in Virginia. That is the very one I pinned a week or so ago. I would love to have one on my patio.

    Glad you got to go out and shop. There is nothing more fun than a day with friends that involves them doing the shopping and spending! =)

  21. I love the pagoda umbrellas, so different and fun! I was at an art show in California last month and hand painted umbrellas were the main feature. They were painted with florals, geometrics, fun bright colors! Loved them all! Thanks for sharing the dish storage closets too, wow, I can’t even imagine! I love how Marie’s is right in the middle of her kitchen, so accessible!
    Jenna

  22. Gorgeous kitchen (and pantry)! Thanks for sharing it with us.

  23. Love the walk-in pantry! Also love that it’s hidden behind the cupboards so it blends in. We have something similar and most people don’t know it’s there. Unlike Marie’s pantry though, mine is not as beautifully organised. I am in awe of her organization skills.

    shobha
    nylonliving.com

  24. That’s it..Marie has teased me enough with her gorgeous house. I AM MOVING IN!! 🙂
    What a fabulous idea having a butler’s kitchen there. I am in total envy!! In my last two houses I had walk in closets but in this one, it is a scramble to get things in…Yup, moving in Marie, have my case packed!!!
    Susan, those umbrellas are cute. Never seen them with the air pocket in the top, only in the gazebo’s the roof of which incidentally, blew away in a storm last year if you remember, am waiting a replacement in June when I return from vacation.
    Yes, Marie, Susan is a bad influence when shopping, she makes me buy dishes all the time!! 🙂

  25. I am so completely jealous of her pantry. It is beautiful and useful. I dream of a kitchen like that someday. But for now, I have to keep everything stashed in the office closet 🙁 Thank you for the great tour of it!

  26. Unbelievable!! Your friend’s kitchen is fabulous as it is… and the butler’s pantry really was the icing of the cake!! Sitting here thinking of where I’d be able to create such an amazing pantry – have to demolish the whole house first and build a new home lol Greetings from Australia♥ ~Pernilla

  27. I love the pagoda style umbrellas as well, expecially the blue and green print. Do you happen to know where your friend purchased the umbrella? I’ve been looking for them. Pier 1 Imports is supposed to get them in sometime this summer, but I want one now! lol
    Enjoyed the page 🙂

    • Terrie, that’s the only place I know to buy them. I bought the blue and green one at a Pier 1 but I had to drive to once across town to get it. The Pier 1 around the corner from my home hadn’t gotten them in. Can you order them online? Would that be faster? I do love the pagoda style…you’re going to love it, too!

      • That’s interesting Susan. I recieved a Pier 1 email ad showing the blue and green one and I just loved it. I went to their site and didn’t see that particular one displayed, so I visited their Facebook page and asked about that particular design. They said it would be available soon, that I should check back. I really want to finish off my porch, so I went online to find one. That’s how I stumbled upon your page. Which was a nice little treasure. Interesting though that one of your farily local stores had the item. That gives me hope to call around and maybe I could find one faster than they come available online. Thanks for the tip. Have a great day!

        • Terrie, what state do you live in? The store where I found the one I bought is in metro Atlanta…it was the NorthPoint store in Alpharetta, GA. I just looked online and you’re right, only see the yellow/white floral pagoda which is showing sold out and don’t see the green and blue at all now. A couple of years ago when I was furnishing my home office, I bought a green and white floral chair from Pier 1 called Rosalie. I blogged about it and before long I started getting comments/emails from readers who wanted to buy the chair, but couldn’t find it in any of the stores. I asked Pier 1 about it and their computers showed they only had a couple in alllllll the stores in metro ATL, and we have a lot of stores here. The sales person told me that day that sometimes Pier 1 will order only a very few of an item to see how it does, then if it sells well, they’ll order more for the next year. That’s what happened with Rosalie…the next spring they got a good many of them in stock. I hope that’s not what they are doing with the green/blue pagoda umbrella. Hopefully they will be getting more in, but I’d definitely call around to the stores and ask. Hope you find one! Have a great weekend!

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