I've Been to Dozens of Historic Maine Homes, but Martha Stewart's Glass Kitchen Cabinets Perfect New England Style Like No Other
As a native New Englander, my standards for regional style are incredibly high – but the homemaker extraordinaire's gorgeous pantry design exceeds them
Maine will always feel like home to me. Even after spending the last 5 years in a major city across the world, the towering pines, the call of a loon, and mist upon a mountain are as welcome as my mother's voice every time I re-enter the state where I spent every summer after age 10. Plus, I grew up in Connecticut. It goes without saying that I have strong feelings about New England design.
In my efforts to spend as much time as possible in Vacationland over the years, I've stayed in dozens of Airbnbs, friends' homes, and bed and breakfasts ranging from the charmingly rustic to the scarringly kitsch – but no space better captures Northeast style than Martha Stewart's Skylands pantry. Located in Seal Harbor, Maine, her Duncan-Candler-designed estate is a celebration of the surrounding natural world. Equal parts beautiful and functional (as is the New England way of life), Skylands is full of thoughtful features.
For instance, the pantry's glass cabinets, tambour construction, and deep rails capture a New England approach to kitchen storage, where high-brow hosting can be wheeled out at a moment's notice.
Beyond its gorgeous practicality, I find Martha's choice to alternate glass and closed cabinets perfectly encapsulates what I love about Maine style: it's beautiful, but doesn't take itself too seriously.
In her pantry, china plates, cups, display pieces, and gravy boats are on display in all of their glorious disarray. It feels traditional, yet effortlessly imperfect. Rather than picture-perfect aesthetics, it captures a lived-in beauty reflected by the plates on the counter and the mismatched pieces throughout the space.
Recreate Martha's Pantry at Home
If you don't have a built-in pantry in your home, you can use this pretty cabinet to store all of your china and silver in style with a freestanding unit. The combination of glass and wood echo the look of Martha's pantry.
Blending vintage charm with everyday practicality, these plates add a refined touch to your dining table. Pretty enough to display, yet unfussy enough to eat on, they're a New England staple.
Shell decor, when done right, is timeless – just like this stunning silver shell from McGee & Co. I love the idea of putting this piece on display in your pantry and using it to serve garnishes when guests arrive.
Napkin rings always elevate a dinner party, and this set of four silver rings would be perfect for adding a cool touch to a modern, rustic tablescape. They will never go out of style and look beautiful with white napkins - or on a cabinet shelf.
A well-appointed china cabinet needs dishes of different sizes, and this gorgeous serving platter from Ginori is a wonderful luxury pick. Store at the top of your cabinets for a Martha-approved method.
Nothing adds a heritage feel to a room like silver, and these pretty vases are the perfect pick for elevating your flowers. They can be positioned on the dining table for parties or to the side for a more everyday look.
Though it seems simple, the wood drenching in Martha's pantry is another detail that endears me to this space. The continuation of grain from the lower cabinets all the way to the ceiling draws the eye up, and gives the space an effortless connection to nature. This traditional style is a staple of many New England homes, and I'm excited to see it re-emerging as a major interior design trend this year.
To recreate Martha's approach to Maine style, I recommend starting by brainstorming how you can display your dishware collected over a lifetime. Think about pieces that you want to be out on display, and others that you would like to tuck away. Intentionality is essential to this method.
New England style is about lived-in warmth and welcoming luxury. By taking inspiration from properties where it's been done well, anyone can decorate like a local Mainer.
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