Long-time fans of Stanley Tucci won’t be surprised to learn that his kitchen offers more than just culinary lessons – it’s full of interior design lessons, too. From his blue cabinets (painted in Farrow & Ball's Down Pipe, FYI) to his marble cabinets and gold hardware, Stanley's kitchen defined quiet luxury. However, if you're to replicate any part of this space, let it be his open shelving. Or, more specifically, how he accessorizes these shelves with functional cookware.
Open kitchen shelves are among the most controversial features you can introduce, because, as Stanley's space reminds us, they leave everything on show. However, while many choose to decorate with aesthetic accessories (including vases and candles) and dinnerware, Stanley has filled his shelves with cookware.
Many may choose to hide their cookware behind closed doors, but Stanley might just have convinced us to turn them into decorative pieces. It's bold but can be beautiful, and it's always functional, as design experts explain.
Shop the look
This sleek pan is oven and broiler-safe up to 600°F and works seamlessly on any stovetop, including induction. With its professionally polished stainless steel finish, it’s one of the chicest pieces of cookware you can own (meaning it's perfect for displaying on your open shelves, just like Stanley).
Handcrafted in Brescia, Stanley Tucci’s refined cookware set is a home cook’s delight. Blending ceramic-nonstick and stainless-steel designs, each pan is accented with a champagne-hued handle and paired with a coordinating glass lid. Effortlessly stylish.
These stainless steel frying pans are also oven-safe, so you can quickly transfer your cooking from the stovetop to the oven or grill to finish the dish off. They're the perfect colorway to tap into Stanley's look when arranged on your open shelves.
'Choose pans that earn their shelf space, then group them with the same rigor applied to any focal wall. Select pieces that have personality and cook equally well: brushed stainless for a crisp look, black cast iron for depth, and a bit of copper for warmth,' comments Steven Fernandez, an interior design expert and creative director at Residence Supply.
After choosing the right non-stick frying pans and other cookware to display, you need to master placement. While Stanley's shelves feel effortless, there is a method to their aesthetic, as Steven explains.
'Hold back the palette. Repeat two or three finishes so the eye reads harmony, not mess. Space in odd numbers of 3 or 5 and leave a little negative space so the metal can breathe. Place workhorses between eye and waist level to be easily lifted. Louder pans lower, lighter pans higher,' he says.
'You should also nest similar sizes together with paper or felt pads between to prevent scratching. Place handles in the same direction to produce a calming rhythm. Place lids on end in a thin rack or on a short rail with lid rests to no longer rifle through shelf space.'
Stanley's look is bold, but when placed strategically, these functional pieces can feel beautiful. Will you be following his example?
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