There's No Need For Shelf Liners — The Cute Thrift Store Find You Can Use As An Alternative
Shelf liners are typically all about functionality — not style. They can keep shelves, drawers, and cabinets in mint condition by catching spills, crumbs, or dust. But your typical plastic shelf liner doesn't add any pizzazz to your decor. Instead, check out these cute, thrifted, and easy DIY liners you can use that have that old-school charm: doilies.
TikTok creator mubugsvintage placed a large crocheted doily on the edge of a shelf in their kitchen. The result is a beautiful scalloped crochet detail along the shelf that adds a ton of visual interest to an otherwise boring cabinet. This hack is perfect for open shelves, whether they're floating or part of a unit. It's also a great match for cabinets with clear glass or mesh doors, where the crochet detail is visible. Closed cabinets defeat the purpose of this hack a bit, since the doilies won't be visible behind an opaque door. As for styling, this looks great with large glass jars, old-school appliances, and other cottagecore or rustic decor.
Doilies are crocheted mats that often have intricate floral and geometric patterns. Historically, they were used for tons of things, from napkins to table mats for hot dishes. Today, you'll often see them used ornamentally, placed on a table or credenza to add some rustic charm to a room. Old vintage doilies can be repurposed into all sorts of DIYs, from wall art to lamp shades, but this idea of using them as shelf liners is fairly untraditional. Still, they have what it takes: they can catch crumbs and spills, and when they get dirty, they can be washed. Honestly, it makes you wonder why we didn't think of it sooner.
How to turn a crocheted doily into a shelf liner
An easy way to use old or thrifted vintage doilies as shelf liners is to find rectangular or square ones. These exist in virtually any size, so you can find ones that match the dimensions of your shelves. For example, get two 15-inch doilies or a 20-inch one for a standard 30-inch kitchen cabinet. To find these, head to your local thrift stores, antique shops, or take a look through your grandmother's linen closet. On eBay, look up "square doily" to find options in various sizes and patterns for under $20.
@mudbugsvintage I found four of these large crocheted doilies at an estate sale. I took two of them and added a little flair to my pantry cabinet. #vintagehomedecor #pantry #thrifter #thriftedhome
Place the doily on your shelf, with 5 to 10 inches of fabric hanging over the edge. If there is extra fabric at the back of the shelf, you can either fold it over a few times so that it lies flat on the shelf, or cut it off with scissors (be aware of potential fraying, however). To prevent the doilies from moving around and falling off, add a small strip of double-sided tape at the back of the shelf. Another option is to sew some Velcro patches on the bottom of the doily and secure them in place with Velcro Command strips.
If you're concerned about spills leaking through the crochet, consider going double-duty: add a plastic shelf liner first, then cover it with a decorative doily. Because the plastic shelf liners typically have a grippy surface, they should hold the crocheted fabric in place and prevent it from falling. Or, if you can only find small circular doilies, use a stapler to attach them to the edge of a plastic liner.