‘I Hate Anything That’s Purely Decorative’: Ina Garten’s Golden Rule for Displaying Kitchenware Made Me Rethink How I Set Up My Cooking Space

It turns out, The Barefoot Contessa is not only our go-to source for recipes, but she also has some great advice on how to style your kitchen.

While we love Ina Garten's open shelving, she gives us a stark reminder in an Instagram post that everything on display in her kitchen needs to have a purpose. She says, 'I love working in a kitchen with beautiful things, but I hate anything that’s purely decorative.'

She has a valid point: I don't have much space to spare in my crowded kitchen, and I'm always looking for ways to maximise my storage, so why waste it on items that don't have a practical use?

Sarah Walker, the founder and principal designer of Nuance Interior Design, explains: 'Open storage in a kitchen is really about treating everyday rituals as part of the architecture. When you put frequently used pieces – beautiful pans, hand‑thrown bowls, tea canisters – on open shelves, you’re signaling that this is a working room, not a prop, while still editing what’s visible, so the eye reads "calm" rather than "clutter".'

Shop Useful and Beautiful Kitchenware to Keep on Display

Ina's kitchenware has to have a use if it's going on display in her kitchen, so we've shopped around for these pieces that will help you to recreate her eclectic look.

The good news is that when it comes to how to choose the best cookware it's not too tricky to find pieces that are also beautiful enough to keep out on display. Take Martha Stewart's copper kitchen cookware, for example, or the best Dutch ovens, which come in an array of heritage shades and styles to suit modern and rustic kitchens.

In her post, Ina Garten also shares some really useful advice about how to store your kitchenware, along with some inspiring images of her own hosting closet, packed with all of her most beautiful, but crucially, useful pieces. She says, 'if you display dishes and trays that you actually use and love, your kitchen just feels alive.'

She goes on to reference an antique dealer's library which is not only beautiful aesthetically, 'but also because he’s read all the books'. The same can be said of a cook's kitchen – simply displaying things for show doesn't feel as authentic as having all your most useful pieces to hand as you're whipping up a culinary masterpiece.

I like this analogy of kitchen storage as a library – just as you'd pull out a book from the shelf to read or make reference to, your most useful kitchenware can be displayed in the perfect spot to grab when and where you need them. Place pans near the stove, jugs and mixing bowls near kitchen surfaces or islands, and trays and serveware away from the hub of the cooking action to pull down when the time comes.

If you're not sure where to start, Ina advises, 'just move things around until you find the most pleasing arrangement'. And, she shares some key tips. First of all, she advises mixing old and new pieces – things like heritage Le Creuset, with some gorgeous cookware, like the Our Place Titanium Always Pan.

Next up, Ina suggests choosing a limited color palette – in her post, you'll see she's stuck to a neutral and traditional feel with off-white tableware (check out our Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, tableware edit), traditional silverware, and heritage copper pans.

Another tip is to place pieces of different shapes and heights next to each other, and Ina says, 'a beautiful plate or platter leaning against the back wall of the shelves can give height to your arrangement'.

Finally, the last (and my favorite) tip, which really taps into the library theme, is 'mix it up with books that you love.' Ina has created height and interest on her kitchen shelves with piles of her favorite cookbooks, which adds character and authenticity to her kitchen decor.

Ina's kitchen storage tips have fuelled us with inspiration to re-think the things we display in our kitchen. Start with thinking about what you use most often and in which part of your kitchen, then start experimenting with ways to display them.