Whether your goal is to be featured in Kitchen Style & Storage or to just enjoy a well-dressed food preparation area, decorating a kitchen can be overwhelming. It’s very easy to go overboard and end up with a cluttered mess of colors and patterns, or not do enough, resulting in a kitchen space that looks like you just moved in. It’s easier to add more later than it is to fix your kitchen decor when you’ve done too much, and the project will end up costing less that way, too.
So, when looking for color inspiration, one of the best tips for decorating is to look at the permanent fixtures in the kitchen and work from there. Is there a touch of color in the countertops or the backsplash that you love? Start there and build on it. Finding that perfect middle ground to tie together kitchen decor is an art form, but it’s something that even you can pull off by paying attention to a few smart tips.
The trick is to look at what is already there and add to it rather than ignore pre-existing colors and textures, which can increase the odds of a kitchen disaster. Be sure to keep clutter at bay and leave plenty of open space (for example, one of the easiest ways to free up precious counter space is to use a clever paper towel holder). There’s no need to load up the counters, which is one of the biggest kitchen decor mistakes you can make and will cause the whole room to look messy.
How to use colors from your kitchen’s permanent fixtures
Matching wood tones is one of the easiest ways to keep your kitchen decor looking fresh. For example, if you have wood cabinets and/or wood floors, make sure other wooden decor stays within that same general warm, cool, or neutral tone so that nothing clashes. This can go for butcher blocks, picture frames, or any other items in the kitchen that are made out of or trimmed with wood.
Sticking to all the same type of wood is unnecessary as long as the tones and textures match. Then, look for subtle colors in countertops or backsplashes and use those to inspire pops of color throughout the kitchen. If your marble countertops have blue specks, consider matching that to kitchen tools and gadgets or to the blue in displayed dinnerware, inviting colorful appliances, and other visible accessories.
Look at light fixtures and even the color of the faucet, stove knobs, or refrigerator and match the metals or at least mix with metals that complement what is already there when choosing things like candlesticks or vases. Then, choose flowers that have pops of color similar to kitchen accents, such as a color found in the backsplash or even in the curtains if there is a kitchen window. Being mindful of already existing colors and bringing them out will help create a more thoughtful and pulled-together kitchen style.
