Kitchens can be challenging to decorate or even find things you’ll want to use as decor. And yes, you’ll want to use everyday kitchen items as decor. Still, you can add some style that’s truly unique and interesting without entering into the realm of what not to do with kitchen decor.
Sometimes we can steer down a path, and think, “Oh, this is going to be so great!” But after a year, it becomes a burden. But I’ve made a list of things clients have mentioned over the years and while their thinking was in the right place, I pushed them further into their idea that matched what they wanted and kept its necessary functions.
Clutter the counters
The kitchen is for cooking meals, and you want to do that quickly and efficiently. You need counter space to do so. Ideally, you’ll want your counters to fit all your ingredients for dinner and give you room to work. And if you have a small kitchen, don’t add an appliance garage for your small appliances, use them as decoration and give yourself more counter space.
Sometimes, people fill their counters with decorations, but it looks disorganized and can hinder workflow. Make sure to keep your counters clear of excess and use quality kitchen items as your decor, such as a KitchenAid mixer, marble salt and pepper shakers, fresh flowers, artwork, or pottery.
Hang pots and pans as decor
This was a big thing in the 90s, and if you have limited space, it makes sense to hang your pots and pans, but ultimately, it’s not great decor, even if you have a really nice set of pots. It visually clutters the space; worst of all, you’ll have to clean the grease and dust off before cooking.
The only thing you should hang from the ceiling is pendant lights. There are thousands of styles, shapes and colors and this can be a subtle or bold ornamentation of your kitchen. So, pick some you love, are weird, or unique.
Too much open shelving
A bit of open shelving is a good idea. You can display some vintage tea cups, a piece of artwork, or ceramics you picked up at a local shop, but open shelving in the entire kitchen is not a good idea. Mainly because most of us have things we’d instead not display and hide behind cabinet doors.
A small section of the kitchen can be open shelving for things like spices you commonly use or items you’d like to display. The other thing is that getting rid of your upper cabinets is impractical for most of us who have small kitchens. We need that cabinet storage.
Eliminating charm
Sometimes, people must remember that we don’t have to eliminate every element of the previous kitchen and create a pretty but bland new kitchen. It’s nice to incorporate some funny corks from your old kitchen into the new one, like an old doorbell, brick oven surround, or uncovering old tiles; they are decor inherent in the kitchen.
Another thing people do during renovations is rip out the old high-quality molding or ceiling details, thinking it looks dated, and yeah, if you have a 60’s oven and cabinets with an 1800s home, it doesn’t look so good. But refinish or paint that molding for a charming new kitchen and incorporate those interesting details into a unique space everyone wants.
Kitsch
I know it can be hard to get a look together for a kitchen, how do you insert style in a bland white kitchen with shaker cabinets. But going too kitsch is a mistake. Filling the space with a carnival or whatever else is never a good idea. It might seem like you’re doing something unique.
Stick to classical ideals like pottery or oil paintings. That’s not to say that you can’t go into a unique area with those things. If you like Tim Burton-style-esque artwork, you can add some incredible interest to the kitchen; make sure it pairs well with the colors or style you’re doing your kitchen in.
The idea is to be authentic to a real style or ideal. If you like a log cabin getaway you can incorporate that idea with some rustic elements and decor that evoke a cabin but still fit with your suburban home. Take your time to plan the perfect kitchen decor for what you are trying to accomplish.
Going too hard in a design style
Cue modern farmhouse. Now, don’t hate me; I get the charm of a farmhouse; it’s kid-friendly, easy to clean, and does feel nice. But try to have an editor’s eye with it.
Going to a 100% modern farmhouse is not how real farmhouses look. Maybe try to add some real farmhouse style, wood cabinets and counters or maybe go a little European for some real old world charm.
But, If you love modern farmhouse and don’t want to listen to this internet interior designer, you do you; seriously, design is for all; do what makes you happy.
Loud colors
Now, a current reaction to the all-white kitchen is to paint the cabinets or walls in a deep and rich color. These spaces can look beautiful and sophisticated as long as you go rich enough. Doing an americana red will look off and not accomplish the look.
Go full on this, not halfway. Paint a dark like 5-15% LVR to get this sophisticated color palette, and it will never go out of style because it’s been done decades ago.
Prioritizing decor over function
Ultimately, your kitchen needs to function and look pretty, so you’ll want to be minimal with decor and use decor that works with a kitchen. Ensure you aren’t adding decor just for the sake of more.
Try not to cover the entire countertop with decor instead choose to group functional items together so the rest of the counter is clear. Also, pick quality pieces, vintage finds, or sentimental things, and edit as you go, making sure to balance decor with function.
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