Ways To Make Your Kitchen Functional And Stylish

If your home is like most people’s, your kitchen is the hub. It is where both things and people come together at all hours of the day. You do not want it to look and feel like a museum where you cannot be comfortable. Instead, you should style your space to be appealing and usable every day.

Install Open Shelving

Shelves are almost workhorses in a busy kitchen. They are open platforms on which you can place items for later, display beloved artifacts from your life, and store utilitarian wares for everyday use.

You might be wondering how to go about styling shelves within your kitchen to make them functional and aesthetically appealing. Here are a few tips to get you started.

• Begin with high-quality and sturdy shelving.

• Attach the shelves securely to your wall for safety and security.

• Look at where the shelves are placed. If they are above your coffee maker, the shelves will make a perfect place to store stylish coffee mugs and canisters filled with your favorite beans. And, thus, a coffee station is born. Add a piece of framed word art or a cherished family photo, and you have a practical and pretty focal point.

• Should the shelves be situated near a drop point, add some quality baskets and ceramic or leather trays to “catch” everything from keys to sunglasses. This can be a place where homework papers are left for you to sign and return. Creatively insert a small plant or two, and you have a pretty visual you are proud to display.

• Installing open shelves above and on either side of the kitchen sink allows you to store and display other items. You can be uniquely creative with how you incorporate your drinkware or stemware here. Or, these shelves can be a home for a collection of old-fashioned glass vases that will catch the light. 

Reconfigure the Island

Should you have an island in your kitchen, it is time to rethink its valuable property. There are probably closed cabinets running the length of the island that faces directly into the rest of the kitchen. This area serves as prime storage and is highly functional. On the opposite side of the island, you may have a flat wall with the island counter overhanging this area. This is your unchartered territory. 

Consider adding another row of cabinetry or open shelving on this side of the island. You will have appreciably greater space to store your kitchen wares or show off your dishware sets. Install lighting to highlight your objects, and they turn into functional art. The next step is to have a new, wider countertop cut to overhang the newly installed shelves or cabinets. This way, your family and guests can still sit at the island comfortably without their feet kicking into the shelves below.

Watch this video to learn how a double-sided kitchen island will look in a custom kitchen.

Kitchens are busy places where family and friends come together. Take a few strategic steps to create an even more inviting place where everyone will feel comfortable, welcome, and inspired by the appealing and utilitarian area surrounding them.