Kitchen styling is the fun part of a renovation project. Let's face it, renovating a kitchen is a major job. There is a lot of planning, choices to be made, tradespeople to deal with and the upheaval of making do with a microwave in the living room for far too many weeks! Hopefully after all of that you are happy with the end result, but if you're not careful it can look like something from a display home or the kitchen showroom.
Learning the art of kitchen styling will ensure that you make this all-important family space your own. As with all decorating projects, the planning process is key so some of these items really need to be considered at the outset.
Let me show you my 5 top tips to consider to get the look that you want.
1. Feature pendant lighting
In terms of decorating an entire space, pendant lighting is probably one of the first items you should consider. The designer in this kitchen has introduced two statement pendant lights that could look out of place if they weren't incorporated into the overall kitchen design. The same metallic colour has been used on the cupboard door hardware and the taps and this ensures that the statement piece for the room belongs to the kitchen design.
It's a simple point, but just consider if the pendants were silver with a gold tap and hardware or the other way around and the final look wouldn't be anywhere as cohesive.
The kitchen above has some simple black accents that have been incorporated with the statement black pendants.
Often a relaxed style dining table and chairs is now part of the kitchen in an open plan room so you also need to consider how this can work and how you will plan the pendant lighting for this zone too.
Therefore consider the type and style of lighting first so that the other accents tie into the scheme.
2. Styling a kitchen with counter stools
The next big ticket item which will really make an impact on the design is the selection of appropriate counter stools. You must consider the height and style and also how they relate to the entire open plan space and not just the kitchen.
Consider the other colours and finishes that you plan to introduce into your kitchen styling. These black and timber counter stools above tie in really well with the choice of black pendant lights and the other timber accents that have been used to style the kitchen.
The designers at Studio McGee have made this kitchen look really great and it's their simple repetition of accent colour and finishes that has pulled it all together – it looks so effortless but in fact was there in the all-important planning process.
The counter stools above tie in beautifully with the timber shelving, pendant and wall hanging. These warm tones are the perfect foil to the white and soft grey kitchen. They also bring warmth to the grey floor.
Remember to buy stools that suit your kitchen colours & finishes as well as your style
3. Kitchen styling with practicality in mind
As the kitchen is the workhorse of the house the last thing you need is to clutter the surfaces up with too many ornaments so it is imperative that everything on show is also a practical item.
Canisters for holding tea and coffee, a jug for all your wooden spoons and glass jars for regularly used pantry items are all examples of items that need to be considered and styled properly if they are to be on display in the kitchen. I actually really like a kitchen with all of these items to hand and grouped in a way that is attractive.
Often when you view an open house the owners have put everything away so that the kitchen looks spacious and tidy and this is the best thing to do when you are staging a house for sale, but really it does lose its soul a bit and I really like a kitchen that has personality. One that is lived in and one where you can imagine beautiful meals are created.
So consider all of those items that you need to have to hand and display them thoughtfully in beautiful pieces. Line up glass jars on a shelf, buy a really beautiful handmade jug to hold your kitchen utensils and consider ways to incorporate canisters of tea and coffee etc. that tie in with the other styling elements in your kitchen.
Consider how and what you want to have on display and ensure the styling suits your look
Kitchen styling with practicality in mind also covers items like chopping and display boards. The addition of natural timber into any scheme brings warmth and character and this is very important in the success of a kitchen scheme. Group all your boards together and use some to group other essential kitchen items that you regularly use to keep the kitchen tidy but also to create a great focal point.
Remember to consider the style of your house and kitchen when you are grouping together a styling vignette. The above look is a relaxed country style and these items work well together.
Remember to consider the colour of your kitchen splashback when styling as some will give you a greater impact than others
Related: How to choose the right kitchen splashback
Colourful stoneware is popular for kitchens, but be careful that you select something in a colour that you love as these are often on display. These items are not cheap to replace so ensure that you consider these colours too when designing your kitchen and the styling to go with it.
Glass cabinets can look great in kitchens, but you do need to carefully consider what you display in there. Remember that anything in here must work with the other styling and colours in your kitchen.
4. Kitchen styling with a rug
I have a quiet obsession with using rugs. I get a bit twitchy when I see vast open plan areas that haven't been properly zoned with rugs and spaces that echo and are unwelcoming, so you can understand why I am a fan of a kitchen rug.
Long galley style kitchens are a great place to have a runner. If you are working for a long time in a kitchen it is far preferable to stand on a soft surface rather than a hard one – one reason I tend to avoid using tiles in a kitchen. Something that is not too expensive and is colourful, so that stains are not obvious is the best choice. I think that this splash of colour is the perfect way to stamp your personality on your kitchen.
Remember that an injection of colour can bring warmth and individuality to a simple neutral kitchen
Related: How to select the right rug
5. Style your kitchen with greenery
In many of the images here you will notice some greenery. Generally most rooms in the house benefit from a touch of natural greenery and the kitchen is no different. Keep practicality in mind here and introduce pots of herbs in a sunny spot that are easily to hand. For kitchens with limited space there are lots of great ideas around for displaying herbs on racks and shelving.
Natural greenery looks great, injects colour, can be practical and purifies the air
Finally if you really love greenery and have a large enough space that you can give over some room to something purely ornamental, then you really can't go past this look – gorgeous!
Related: How to incorporate the Greenery trend
Related: Why indoor plants are good for your health
I have lots of ideas and inspiration on my Pinterest account and I would love to hear how you have styled your kitchen and made it your own.
Are you undertaking a kitchen renovation? If so you might also be interested in all the related posts below to guide you through the process.
Related: My Guide to Contemporary Timber Kitchens
Related: Have you considered using blue for your kitchen cabinetry?
Related: How to create a classic white kitchen
Related: How to select a kitchen benchtop
To pull everything together designers will use a mood board. This way you can add ideas and take them away – it's good to mull over and helps you to get the final look right. I have a FREE ebook to give you here.
Remember my quiet obsession with rugs? I really do think this is one of the best styling tips to complete the look. Miss Amara has some fabulous runners Click Here
Some of the links in my posts are affiliate ones which means I may get a small commission if you click through and purchase something. This helps me to keep my blog up and running and in no way is an additional cost to you.
Glass splashback is a new trend today it sounds so great to consider. It is really classy and elegant in the kitchen to look at. Thanks for sharing by the way! Best of Luck.
I’d like to thank you for showing off a great example of how to design a kitchen to be able to use a rug to decorate it. My family is very fond of rugs and if ever given the chance, we will use them to decorate any room we can. The kitchen has always been tricky to do this in since there’s not a lot of room for one, but once I find a kitchen renovation service I can talk to, I’ll show them this example so we can have this be our new setup.
You made a good point that I should also consider the parts of my kitchen that will be affected by sunlight when looking for the right one to use for a remodeling. I’d like to go to a kitchen showroom soon because I’m planning to see a get new cabinets for my home. I think that wall-mounted ones would be the most convenient ones to use.
Making as much space in the kitchen to utilize big rugs sounds like a great idea for us. If we can do this, it can help carry the classical warmth that the rest of our house already has into the room that currently feels the most boring. I’ll use your idea for sure when I start working with a home kitchen remodeling expert in the area.