Dining room

centerpiece

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hostess chairs with clear bases

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A large wooden table and benches from Pottery Barn anchor the dining room

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Going shelf by shelf, make each arrangement the same on the left and right sides. Once the bulk of the pieces are in place, you can shake things up a bit by tucking in an odd candle here or vase there.

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A mini library behind glass is gorgeous — and the more books crammed in, the merrier.

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Though this hutch is in a living room, you can see that a contrasting background color and varied objects have been used to great effect. Bringing in a few larger pieces of pottery or a sculptural shell can take a hutch filled mostly with dishes to the next level.

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Incorporate objects. Have a bit of extra room? If you don’t feel the need to fill your entire china hutch with dishes and glassware, incorporating other objects can make for a dynamic display. Prop up a half dozen books with an interesting bookend, set up a bar or lean small, framed artwork against the back wall.

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Even from a distance, you can see the silhouettes of the white dishes in this black painted china cupboard.

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Hang teacups from hooks. Save shelf space and add interest by installing a row of simple hooks beneath a shelf. To be sure you put them in the right place, arrange everything else in the cupboard before deciding where you want the cups to go.

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Keep party goods together. If you are already storing in your hutch the platters and cake stands you use while entertaining, including other party essentials in the same spot can make life easier. Fill a teacup with birthday candles and a pretty box of matches, line up festive bottled drinks and top a cake plate with a cluster of your favorite bud vases.

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Stack some, lean some. Large, unwieldy pieces like serving platters can be carefully leaned against the back wall of the hutch, behind stacks of plates. If you’re concerned about platters’ tipping over, you can use plate stands to keep them steady. Lean the platter first, then place stacks of plates, bowls or cups in front to conserve space.

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The candles and flowers (or foliage) bring some life to an arrangement of plates and platters and can be put to work at the dinner table for a fuss-free centerpiece.

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Dishes, mugs, white platters and a few pitchers stored in the dining room make setting the table a simple task, and when arranged carefully can look just as good as the fancy stuff. Drawers below your china hutch can be used to store flatware, serving pieces and cloth napkins.

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Painted dining room

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Chandelier

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Combination of wallpapers

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