See that plate display rack on the second shelf of the butler’s pantry?
If you squinted your eyes and turned your head slightly to the right….doesn’t it look built-in?
Or fancy.
Or custom.
It’s not.
Not even close.
When we remodeled the butler’s pantry I kept waving around a picture of a plate display rack that was all built-in with these amazing rod dowels and looked like something that they have in an English manor house with a butler who polishes the silver and prepares cucumber sandwiches without the crust for tea.
But we didn’t have an English manor house budget.
We had a yard sale budget.
You know….the kind of budget you have to get creative with.
Meet creative budget.
I found these extra tall plate display racks for only $5.98.
I painted them white and stacked them end to end.
They are so much easier to clean and tall enough to give the illusion of a built-in plate rack for 1/900 of the price.
The only thing that would make them even better….
….is if they came with a butler. 🙂
PS For more kitchen organizing ideas….check out my post today over at the Lamps Plus blog!
If had a Butler pantry, I would like it to look just like that! One can dream.
Love the plate racks!
I love them Karianne but first.... I really want that pantry! Beautiful! Susan
Love the plate rack! But, WHERE did you find the display racks? I'm looking and having no success. I want to redo kitchen on your budget: none! Thanks.
So simple and easy Kari! Thanks for sharing this - your plates look gorgeous in your DIY plate rack! Have you lit your red lips rhinestone embellished candle yet? That is such an adorable giftie you received!! So thrilled to have met you - you give the best hugs! xo Heather
I have one of those. I did get it at a garage sale too. I have mine hung on the wall in my sewing room and I have stacked quilting rulers on the pegs. It's so easy to grab the ruler I need, use it, and then put it right back in it's space taking the next size or shape that I need. So they do have more than one use, though mine does not look quite so pretty as yours does. (Aha! Paint!!) To be honest I didn't know what mine was, only that it would serve the purpose that I needed it for. Now you have me thinking about getting some more. I think they'd be great on any open shelf in the kitchen or on a counter top purely for display purposes or on the buffet in the dinning room for use during a buffet style meal. Versatile little devils aren't they?! Love your pantry!
I found one of these at Home Goods. Wish I had bought the other one they had!
Clever, adorable, makes me smile.....just like you!
Sometimes it's the simplest things, isn't it? Enjoy your day, my dear! xo Heidi
I love it when a simple find can make a giant impact!!! Have a wonderful day!~~Ang
Yes...it does look built in. More importantly, you have a butler's pantry! Just think of all you could store in there...if I had one, mine wouldn't look that neat. Enjoy your day! ;)
Such a pretty and simple idea Kari! I LOVED LOVED LOVED meeting you at Haven!!! You are just like your blog, warm, welcoming and oh, so nice!!!! I just wish we could have more time to visit! Next year for sure!
Very nice form. And function too! (I like it when form and function come together, don't you? Speaking of butler pantries, we toured a house ca. 1908 over the weekend in my home town. It was a large, ornately-decorated house with servants' quarters and a butler's pantry, and a wonderful kitchen that had very tall cupboards that went all the way to the ceiling. It was stunning. Too bad they wouldn't let me take photos. : - ( And stainless steel counter tops. Pretty fancy, I must say. The butler's pantry was very narrow. And lined with glass-front cupboards and lots and lots of drawers. I imagined a table service of twelve and all the linens and serving pieces that were needed for a big shin-dig. And a warming oven (hidden behind a set up cupboard doors) too. It's important to keep those plates and dinner rolls warm when you're entertaining. Even back in 1910. It was fun. Not quite the Biltmore (Asheville, NC) but hey...for my neck of the woods, it was a pretty cool house. Blessings to you!
You have such a beautiful home. I don't have a butler's pantry. But I tried to make a tiny storage one and it is the flippin pits to find anything in it... just too small. And I have never even heard of those plate racks, much less seen one. I would like to have a few for shelves I intend to make for my tiny dining room (which is only the back end of a long, 12 ft wide room that is my living room).
Looks great,,custom made..well, it was..good job..
EXCELLENT idea. It looks FABULOUS! Now all I need is a butler's pantry, let alone a butler...................... I came from Downton Abbey in my last life, I just know it. I have SUCH an aversion to labor, haha.
Great idea! (the plate rack and the butler)....I love a pantry....just dont have the space!
LOVE this! We're looking at a house with some open shelving in the kitchen . . . this would be perfect . . . now we just have to sell OUR house! :) Where was it you found those, by the way? Dreary day - just right for looking at pretty pictures of a pretty butler's pantry!
That is a perfect solution and it looks GREAT. It does look like custom cabinet work! xo Diana
I am in total awe of your talent. Looks fantastic!!!
I'm looking for some of these and was thinking about trying to make my own. But probably not a good idea! Where did you find them?
Nicely organized but do you actually use all those plates or do you entertain a lot? I think we have a total of 8 plates with 4 in the house. lol
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.
While I do love your style, sense of humor and budget friendly ideas (and I probably would you too if I ever met you), I really think these could have been made for way less. It looks like some simple construction with strips of wood drilled for small dowels to be glued in before painting. You could customize the size so you wouldn't have to buy a bunch at $5.98 a piece to stack them together. You are still one of my favorite bloggers though so keep those cool ideas coming so I can keep copying them.
I feel like I'm repeating myself (and that's your fault) but you're a genius! Annie XO
I love your butler's pantry and the plates and the plate racks and everything else. It's gorgeous! ~FringeGirl
I only wish I had a great space like your butler's pantry...great idea for the plate racks Kari..
The butler idea sounds lovely. But does he come with a maid? I had to fire mine today. You see, men with cameras and lights and bins of stuff were moving all my furniture around to and fro today and the dust bunnies kept popping up left and right. It was downright embarrassing ... ;) And your faux built in plate rack is genius!
Just bloody awesome
This wasn't a diy project-you bought them. I was all excited that you would say how to make them. Where did you find these? I've been wanting something like this for a long time!
Wow, Kari, your pantry is so beautiful! I only wish my house was 1/10th that gorgeous! And no way could I put out plates. My 7, 3, and 20 month old would tear them up quicker than I could set them out on display! LOL It looks great! Serena Thrift Diving
Love the budget friendly mind! Amazing job at Haven!!! I learned so much from you. xo Alison
Yea, where DID you find them?
Crate & Barrel sell them on line.
I have a butler's pantry, but it doesn't look anything like that one! Not nearly as fancy. Maybe I need a few of those plate racks?!!
I love your butler's pantry. I would so love to have one of those. I love the plate racks too. Great find.
Where did you find the plate racks? I've been looking for them for months!