A Vintage Pie Safe to Display Family Quilts

When we first moved into our new house, I knew I had a space at the top of the stairs that would be perfect for a cabinet to display my family quilts. I’ve had to store them in totes for the past several years because I didn’t have the right place for them. I love rotating them out and using them on my bed, and the kids use them on their beds too, but they’re too special to keep stored away in totes.

We’ve been searching Facebook Marketplace, antique malls, peddlers malls, and pretty much everywhere else, but we hadn’t found the right one yet. This past weekend, we decided to go back to a local antique store and see what they had, and that’s when we found the perfect pie safe. It’s old enough to have character, but not rickety or falling apart.

When you’re looking for the right display furniture, there are several things to consider. Do you want something that’s pristine and perfect, or can it show a little love? I wanted glass doors on the top, with a drawer for the doilies and pillowcases that were made and stitched by my grandma, great-grandmother, and some from my husband’s family history.

The bottom shelf is perfect for storing some of the afghans that won’t fit on the top shelves, and I’ll be able to rotate them out and still easily access them for my bed.

Another thing to consider is whether you want to build something yourself. We chose to skip the building option since we’re not really woodsmiths, but there are some beautiful options out there if you love woodworking.

I’m also planning to add some cedar slices before summer so I can make sure the quilts and afghans stay fresh-smelling. Now, instead of three totes in the basement, I have quilts and afghans filled with special memories displayed where I can enjoy them every day.

How do you display the quilts you’ve inherited? I’d love to see your favorite display options.