Top Tips to Accessorize Your Kitchen Design
Are you planning on remodeling your kitchen? While the starting point for your kitchen remodeling plans might be the layout, cabinetry, and countertops, it’s also important to think about how you’re going to style your kitchen design at the planning stage.
As your kitchen is such a busy, multi-purpose area, it can be hard to figure out what to store and what to display. If there isn’t enough storage, then you can end up displaying more than you intend to, creating clutter that interferes both with the functionality and style of the room. Once you have space on your countertops, your kitchen design is more streamlined and performs efficiently.
With smart storage to keep everything organized, you can select some visually appealing items to get you started on the road to a stylishly accessorized kitchen design. Some things you feature can be practical, but all of it must be stylish. What can you leave out to enhance your kitchen remodel or invigorate tired kitchen cabinets? Here’s our guide on how to accessorize your kitchen design.
Where to Start?
Whether you’re accessorizing an existing kitchen design or starting fresh with a kitchen remodel, the first thing to do is to start from scratch. Remove everything from your kitchen cabinets and countertops so you can treat it as a blank slate. Be ruthless when deciding what to keep as there is no point storing or displaying old-fashioned or broken objects. Keep countertop appliances to a minimum as they can look cumbersome and too functional when trying to create an airy, stylish space.
What Next?
Once you’ve decided on what items to keep, find a display space for one, making sure it suits your aesthetic. It’s best to start with the largest item you want to display, or perhaps one item to which you feel connected. For example, if you are an avid baker and treasure your Crystal Blue KitchenAid stand mixer so much that you chose this as your kitchen’s accent color, make sure the mixer has a featured place to sit on your countertop. If not an appliance, then go with a huge vase, tray, bowl or a statement piece of art. Whatever you choose becomes a focal point and helps set the tone. Think colorful, interesting and eye-catching accessories for your kitchen remodel. Don’t be afraid to display your favorite things on an open shelf or by a window.
Transform the Everyday.
There are many functional items needed in a kitchen but make a conscious effort to ensure they are as stylish as possible. Choose attractive soap dishes or decant liquid soap into a unique dispenser. Store coffee, nuts and other food in canisters and jars that complement your kitchen remodel and work well on countertops and open storage. Invest in a unique bowl to hold fruit, or a rustic basket for recipe books. Why not go for bright cups and plates so they pop inside a glass cabinet? Don’t overlook your dish towels either. Relegate old ones to a drawer for cleaning and only display fresh, chic towels to really lift your kitchen design.
Deciding on a Place.
Once you’ve decided on what you want to display, sometimes their placement doesn’t look very stylish. Have you just lined everything up side-by-side? Or put things together in order of size like the Von Trapp children lining up in the Sound of Music? How do you accessorize with flair? A key solution is to group things together, no more than four at a time. You can place some kitchen essentials onto a tray or in a wide bowl. Why not use a pretty jug or vase to store cooking utensils? Cutting boards can look very effective when leaning against a wall, layered in order of size. Vary the heights of your display objects, bringing smaller items out in front, creating depth and interest. Group things according to color, function, texture, style and keep groups away from standalone, large items such as appliances. This maintains balance and symmetry to give an underlying feeling of order but also puts functionality first by ensuring decorative items don’t block access to small appliances.
Bring Nature In.
Plants are the most natural accessory of all, embellishing our kitchen designs and connecting us with the great outdoors. No matter how small, any greenery, fruit or flowers inject instant life into a kitchen remodel. A tiny cactus can be included into a grouping of items. A large vase of real or imitation flowers looks stunning on a table or island. A hanging basket or trailing plant coming down over your kitchen cabinets adds interest to your design. Air plants require minimum care for a dramatic impact and can hang or be placed in glass containers on your wall. Plants don't all have to be green either. Look at variegated, deep purple or velvety gray leaves for colors and textures to complement your color scheme.
Maximize Walls.
Bring as much interest and color to your walls as possible but think carefully about what to hang or it will undo your otherwise carefully curated look. Choose a favorite print or painting that can influence or complement your color scheme. The colors in the art can also help you decide what to place on nearby shelving or countertops.
Wallpaper is definitely having a moment in both kitchen and bath design. Why not include a stylish section of wallpaper on a feature wall, paired with open shelves to create an eye-catching space to display favorite items.
Backsplashes are more than a functional addition to a kitchen design, with tiles in the latest shapes, colors, and materials creating a stunning backdrop for your kitchen. Even better, extend the backsplash all the way to the ceiling. Pair this with an open shelf to store frequently used items or peg rails for storing cooking utensils or pots of herbs. These small additions are a classic way to bring some character to your cooking area.
A White Backdrop
Another classic design option is white. White kitchen cabinets always look clean and classic, and the advantage to a white kitchen design is that it’s easy to change up the look with accessories. Depending on the color scheme you opt for, you can change how your remodel looks.
Try layering with organic neutrals to focus more on texture and tone. Emphasize focal points with bright pops of color for a modern, fun design, or use accent colors to create distinct zones in your design like the dining or living areas.
Go with dark accessories like matte black cabinet hardware or light fixtures for a sleek, monochrome look that never dates. In fact, cabinet hardware is one of the best ways to accessorize your kitchen design, as the finish and style you choose can take your white kitchen cabinets from traditional to contemporary. As long as you decide on a color scheme and then coordinate your accessories, you can’t go wrong with a white design as a backdrop.
Open Your Storage.
This year sees the open storage trend set to continue. As long as you’re willing to commit to the dusting and cleaning, it’s a great way to have fun with the contents of your kitchen. By sticking to the rules we’ve mentioned, you can curate shelving displays to make a dramatic impact on your kitchen design.
The materials you use for the shelving also makes a difference when deciding how to accessorize your remodel. Go with natural wood if you’d like warmth or metal for an industrial feel. Glass blends into any design, reflecting light and letting the focus stay on the shelf’s contents. Why not use contrasting styles for your open storage? If your kitchen is sleek and minimalist, try reclaimed wood and iron brackets for a rustic vibe. Shelving can match or jar with your overall kitchen design, but don’t overload it with contents or it will look tacky and haphazard.
Add in Furniture
Stand-alone furniture is an ideal way to bring personality to a sleek kitchen remodel. Try adding an antique rocking chair or a corner display cabinet to bring life to a bland part of the room.
You might find a vintage hutch that can be integrated with your kitchen storage, or bookcases that can be topped with a countertop to make a unique second island where you can display recipe books. Peruse preloved furniture websites or browse local antique stores and be confident about introducing something old to your otherwise new kitchen design. Check that the piece is structurally sound before you buy though!
Layer Your Lighting.
A layered lighting scheme cleverly delineates an open kitchen plan into specific areas. It is important to install task and ambient lighting and various spotlights to illuminate accessories. Why not use lighting as an actual accessory though? Go big and bold to make lighting fixtures a focal point in your kitchen design. Uplight your island and create a dramatic floating effect. Set aside some of your budget specifically for large, dramatic pendant lights or a chandelier. Make the most of the vibrant display inside glass kitchen cabinets with carefully positioned lighting. Don’t be afraid of color, bold metallics, or striking fixture designs to make a style statement through your chosen lighting.
Dress Your Window.
Take time to think about what would work best on your windows. If you want to embrace this year’s organic feel, then try opting for curtains in a neutral raw cotton or linen fabric. If you want to go for voile, keep it simple, but consider updating the look with a punchy color. Don’t forget your soft furnishings should tie-in with the style of your window dressing. Whether a pattern, texture, or color, keep to the same theme for a harmonious result.
Blinds come in a huge range of colors and fabrics that suit any kitchen design and can dictate the color scheme for accessorizing. Shutters don’t have to be boring, either. Choose a subtle or vibrant colored shutter to make a feature of your window and offer sun protection when needed and insulation on winter evenings.
There is a myriad of ways to accessorize your kitchen design, but a full plan to accessorize is most effective when you start at the design stage. Here at Woodmaster, we can work with you from concept to completion to create the kitchen design of your dreams, so you can easily accessorize to your personal taste and style. Contact us today or schedule an appointment to start planning your kitchen remodel.