When Martha Stewart was decorating her Westport studio kitchen, she faced two dilemmas. The first: How to dress the bare wall that's exposed to the damaging heat of her stove. The second: Where she could store a collection of antique rolling pins, gifted to her from a friend that Christmas. In true Stewart style, she came up with a solution that answered both questions in style – and years later, I'd say it looks just as unique.
Stewart's rolling pin collection case is the most unconventional wall covering I've ever seen (and as a celebrity style editor, I've seen a lot). However, while this rustic wall decor idea is unorthodox and feels entirely personal to Stewart, it's just as reliable (even if on a smaller scale) in every kind of modern kitchen. We simply need rolling pins of our own, many of which can be found online (starting with these beautiful vintage pins on 1stDibs) or in our local antique shops.
Stewart's collection is organized and practical yet wonderfully aesthetic, and the look has already impressed through the decades, so of course, we can expect it to endure for many more ahead.
'While we were working on this kitchen, there was a dilemma – maybe several dilemmas. One was to figure out what to put on this wall above our Aga cooker. The Aga cooker is not in place right now, but it will be when you see what we’ve done with the wall above. It’s a hard wall because there is a hot stove underneath, [so] what could we put on the wall that wouldn’t get too dusty, would be appealing and attractive, and not be ruined from the heat? That’s one dilemma,' Stewart begins in the footage above.
'Another dilemma is that Pat and Richard, my friends at Consignment in Westport, one of my favorite confinement shops, gave me for Christmas a large collection of wooden rolling pins, but I didn’t know what to do with such a large collection, so I called up Terry Zeidel who specializes in kitchen collectibles, she gave me her expert opinion on each antique pin, and its use. Then we worked with Tom in our style department, and he actually constructed this wonderful framed box.'
Stewart explains how the shadow box is made from three-quarter-inch pine and has rounded pine sides that sit nicely into the bottom board, giving it a 'cabinet' look. Meanwhile, the backing is made out of beadboard, and the little notched dowels have rounded ends. The bottom right section is home to the only breakable rolling pin in the collection, so Stewart took extra precautions here.
'We inserted tiny support pieces so it won’t roll off these dowels. The whole thing was painted Twine, which is the color of the kitchen walls,' she says.
Next, Stewart addresses the rolling pins themselves. 'Each one is cataloged, and I have a card for each piece in the collection,' she says.
'We took a picture of all the different rolling pins, and we played with different configurations until we decided on this particular one, ranging from smallest to largest all the way down. Each pin was numbered according to its placement… This is very fun for everyone who likes to organize. I hope you agree that both my dilemmas have been nicely solved. The rolling pin collection has found a new home, and the wall above my Aga stove has been nicely dressed. I just love how it looks; I’m really pleased with my rolling pin collection display case.'
Part of the charm of Stewart's case is that she's filled it with antique rolling pins. However, we can recreate the look with contemporary pins, too. Plus, it's easy to get the look in small kitchens. In my compact apartment kitchen, I'm considering bringing three rolling pins to the wall near my sink. It will bring the Stewart-inspired charm my urban kitchen needs and create a timeless talking point like no other.
Stewart herself has a festive rolling pin (for German-style Christmas cookies) in her collection, so of course, we must follow suit. This rolling pin makes it easy to print a repeating pattern to create a stamped cookie dough – and with the holiday only a few weeks away, there's no better time to invest.
Sometimes, you can't improve on the classic, and this J.k. Adams Maple Wood Rolling Pin is exactly that. It doesn't feature any extra patterns or added details, but it's designed to look timeless and work reliably through the years.
There's nothing quite as chic as white marble, and this rolling pin is the most accessible way to tap into the look. It's 10" long and has nylon ball bearings for smooth rolling, wooden handles for easy grip, and a wooden base for rest. It's pefect as a stand-alone item or as the statement piece on any rolling pin wall.
