Glass drawer fronts--what besides beans etc, can I put in them for display purposes?

Question

I have some drawers in my kitchen which have glass fronts for display purposes. Right now they have colored pasta and beans and peas in them which need to be replaced. I'm not thrilled with the look, and would like to think of something else to put in the sections for display. These are about 15" by 10" fronts, and the display space behind the glass is about 1" deep. The drawers themselves are quite deep, so I need to think of something that is relatively lightweight to display. I thought of the glass marbles for color, but that would be too heavy. Thanks for your suggestions.

Country store it is, exactly. And, I'm not the country strore person. I liked the idea of painting the glass a contrasting color. I'll think on that one as it might give it contemporary look, which is what I want. These drawers are below waist level, in the island. So, it's hard to use them to display pictures or a collage. Sort of needs to be a mass display. The idea of a cardboard insert on which I glue items is good as maybe I can avoid the weight problem that way.

Any more ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hmm. Tough one. It's hard to get past that "country store" look with these drawers. I hate that look. Cutesy. Yuck.

I like the idea of glass marbles, or the glass beads they sell at floral supply stores. I see they'd be too heavy. I bought some very nice polished gravel at the dollar store, but the weight problem persists.

Other possibilities, most of which I hate:
candy
confetti (ugh)
old photographs
collages of old magazine adverts
scraps of fabric & ribbons (ugh)
nuts, bolts and screws (heavy)
broken crayons
legos

You could also paint the INSIDE of the glass with a contrasting color -- it will look like lacquer if the glass is in good shape.

Answer 2

When I decorated a show house last winter I put decorative plates in the drawer fronts. They really looked cool. You might need to put museum putty on the backs or those small plastic sticky dots on the sides to help keep them from moving.
You can change them out for the seasons. Target and Pier One alway have nice plates. As do lots of the mail order catalogs.

Answer 3

You didnt say how many you have, but I am into seasonal decorations. I would change them for the different seasons. Maybe silk flowers or lifelike plastic fruits in the summer or even flipflops with beach stuff. In the spring maybe seed packets or gardening stuff. For the fall you can find leaves that have been preserved in the craft section. In the winter you could go crazy with Christmas stuff. Good luck!!!

Answer 4

1] teeny tiny diaramas - of family hobbies, family vacations, etc.
2] doll house kitchen furniture
3] 'pieces' of hobbies : sewing - buttons, thread; games - cards, game pieces; etc.
4] buy colored aquarium stones in colors you like; glue to a piece of cardboard that covers the display, and voila! Light and pretty!
5] store pretty or unusual kitchen accessories
6] tiny individual salt and peppers
7] antique or unusual napkins to cover the glass
8 buy poster board in appropriate color, and print contents in calligraphy

Answer 5

Cut yourself a piece of cardboard the size of the insert...Then take a hot glue gun and glue fabric of your choice to it...Then add flowers or butterfly's etc(something you like ).....or place your favorite recipes in them then they are protected from food splashes and ready and available

Answer 6

Sticks or

Long stems of wheat or faux green grass laying horizontally

Answer 7

photographs? Pressed flowers? Souvenirs? postcards?

Answer 8

candy

Answer 9

dried flowers...