13 Things You Can Do In Your Kitchen To Get The High-end Look
Kitchens are the heart of the home, whether you like cooking or not, whether you like cleaning the dishes or not! I have a love-hate relationship with my kitchen. I absolutely adore it when it’s cleaned up with a lit candle on the island and I hate it when it looks like the aftermath of a hurricane at the end of the day!
Let’s talk about the decor aspect of this space. As hard as it is to maintain one, a kitchen is ironically one of the easiest spaces when it comes to styling. In this post I will be sharing 13 easy ways in which you can style your kitchen to get the high-end look. These ideas will bring you a LOT closer to the kitchen you keep dreaming about when scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram, I promise!
Since this post is about styling, I will not be talking about the big ticket items such as a appliances, layout, cabinetry designs and paint colors. We will stick to styling for the purpose of this post.
1. Place Runner Rugs Instead Of Anti-Fatigue Foam Mats
I totally see the point of having anti-fatigue mats in a kitchen near your stove and/or the sink. They’re comfortable, make it easy to stand for long hours and generally feel good to step on. Unfortunately, those mats do not add much value, design-wise. Swap it out for a nice runner rug (and invest in good house slippers!) and see the difference yourself. If you have an island make sure the runner rug is as long as the island and place it parallel to the island. This will give you the high-end look. If you don’t have one, get a rug that is 2/3rd the length of the longest section of your kitchen.
2. Shop For Simple Utensil Holder
Utensil holders are one of the first things you see on the countertops since they are tall and almost always near the focal point of the kitchen – the stove. Placing a nice clean and simple utensil holder on the countertop is the easiest way to style a kitchen. When shopping for a utensil holder, stick to simpler ones with a nice cylindrical shape. Stay away from the usual stainless steel holders or weirdly shaped ones. They look cheap and do not help in elevating the design of your kitchen.
3. Hang Pendant Lights Instead Of Just Recessed Lights
Recessed lights are the ceiling lights that are found in every builder-grade homes. If you have an island but have no pendant lights you are missing out on one of the biggest design elements of a kitchen. Yes, having enough recessed lights definitely helps when it comes to having a bright kitchen but nothing compares to the beauty of pendant lights in a kitchen. Add 2-3 pendant lights, depending on the length of your island and see the difference it makes!
4. Say NO To Cheesy Counter/Bar Stools
If you have an island in your kitchen or a peninsula where you can place counter stools, this pointer is for you! When shopping for counter stools stay away from literal bar stools that swivel, have steel base and legs, and leather seats. You are not styling a bar, you’re styling your home! To get the designer look it is important to stick to pieces that are classic and timeless in style. Go for beautiful wooden stools with backrest, no swivels, and upholstered seats if you want one.
5. Declutter Those Countertops
As much as styling is crucial to achieve the high-end look in your kitchen, decluttering the countertops easily supersedes all! No amount of styling and decor can help with the design of a kitchen if it has clutter galore. So if you have too many small appliances, utensils, cutlery and more lying around, start there. Put them away in the cabinets, get organizers for the drawers and declutter the countertop. The countertop should act like a blank canvas when you start styling your kitchen.
6. Opt For Wood Organizers Instead Of Plastic (unless it’s clear plastic or acrylic)
Which brings me to the next point. You might be tempted to undermine the importance of organizers when it comes to styling. They are out of the eyesight, hidden away behind the cabinet doors & drawers so why would they matter, right? Here’s why it does – the key objective of design is to make a space look cohesive. When the countertop and everything exterior is nicely styled, making sure the interiors such as the drawers and inside of the cabinets are well kept too takes your design on another level! You not only achieve a cohesive look but also feel luxe when cooking and using the kitchen space 🙂
Swap out the plastic organizers, unless they are clear plastic organizers, and go for bamboo or wooden material. They look classy, come in a variety of styles to suit your needs and are durable too.
7. Choose Wider Bowls To Store Fruit
When styling a kitchen, fruits and vegetables can be used as styling elements too! However if you have the typical dated fruit baskets it’s time to replace those with nice wide decorative bowls to store fruit. You can find a lot of options with different styles and materials, have your pick.
8. Neutral Kitchen Towels Are The Way To Go
When shopping for kitchen towels – your hand towels and dish towels – go for neutral tones with simple patterns and styles. Kitchen towels that have a lot of print and text look cheap and don’t make for good design elements. In addition, make sure that the quality of these towels is good too. Towels that are inexpensive are often cheap in quality and don’t last that long. Instead go for nice thick fabrics that might cost a bit more but are definitely worth the investment, both function and design wise. Remember, staying in a budget doesn’t mean skimping on the quality.
9. Factor In The Flow Of Your Kitchen
Credit: Amber Interiors
It’s easy to lose sight of function when working towards decor. While it may work itself out in other areas of the home, kitchens are the least forgiving. It messes up the entire flow and function making everyday activities challenging for the family. Factor in the flow by keeping in mind how your family functions in this space on a daily basis.
Keep the coffee mugs right above the coffee machine and keep tea bags in a drawer around, keep the guest/fancy serveware in the low traffic region, place all your daily cookware and serveware in the same section, and if your space permits dedicate a drawer or two for all your essential oils, notepads, charger station, mails. This may not qualify as a styling pointer but certainly an important aspect when putting together a kitchen.
10. Rejar The Dish Liquid & Hand Soaps
No matter how fancy the packaging of the dish liquid and hand soaps, nothing beats a glass dispenser – clear or amber. Rejarring these cleaning liquids is another easy way of styling your kitchen. Place the two bottles next to one another on a pedestal or a small plate or even by themselves on the sink and see how it elevates your kitchen instantly!
11. Go For Simpler And Elegant Paper Towel Holder
One of the most used items in a kitchen is a paper towel. From family members to guests, everyone uses a paper towel or two. So when you give your paper towels a home make sure you choose elegant holders and stay away from the steel holders, one with too many designs. They are not very aesthetically pleasing. Go for nice wooden, matte black or brass holders with little to no designs or embossing on it.
12. Vase On The Island Or Peninsula
Credit: Studio McGee
I like to think of vase as the potato of home decor. It goes with everything and makes everything (taste) look better! A vase looks good in any and every space of the home, including kitchens. If you have an island in your kitchen or have a peninsula kitchen place a vase with florals or stems – real or faux. It will instantly add the warmth to your space making it look welcoming and pretty.
13. Declutter The Fridge Magnets
Do you have the fridge magnet craze too? Totally understand! Especially if you’re an avid traveler! But if you are seeking to upgrade your kitchen style and aiming for a high-end look, you will have to say goodbye to those magnets and find them a new home! Cluttered fridge magnets make for a good collection but they do not add any design value to your kitchen. If you cannot part with them, stick those on the side of the fridge panel that faces the kitchen. That way, you still have them on the fridge and they are not coming in the way of your kitchen style when seen from afar 🙂
That’s all! I hope this post gave you a good sense of what needs to be done when styling kitchens. Remember these 13 pointers the next time you’re working on your kitchen and save this post for future reference!
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