The kitchen design mantra for decades has been: less is more extreme minimalism. There was a desire for clean and empty countertops like an operating room in a hospital. However, such areas are not very soulful either. The new kitchen trend is moving away from the “lab look” and into the “furnished space look.” It started recognizing the kitchen as more than just a utility zone and more as a continuation of living space.
By bringing cookbooks out of the kitchen cabinets and placing artwork on the countertops, you add some warmth and interest. It also indicates that the room has more than one use. Here are some tips on how to decorate your kitchen without cluttering it.
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The Architecture of the Stack
Cookbooks are lovely things, with bright color contrast on the covers and linen. It would be a shame to conceal these in a pantry. A straight line of cookbooks means cookbook storage can appear rigid.
The Horizontal Lift: Instead of stacking the books upright, place them flat in a pile of two or three. Thus a surface is created. Next, place a bowl of lemons, a crock, and even a mortar and pestle upon it. The horizontal lift brings elevation to the countertop area. The horizontal lines of the cabinetry are disrupted.
Color Palette Organization: You do not have to categorize in rainbow color order, which may seem childish. You can choose to categorize based on the tone. You can put all the neutral colors, cream colors, and linens in one group to give it a calm effect or all the strong colors like red and black in one group to create a high-contrast effect.
Art without Nails
A lot of people are reluctant to include artwork in the kitchen because they are afraid to drill holes in the tile backsplash. The answer to this problem is the lean.
The act of angling a piece of art against the backsplash is quite trendy. It gives the impression of art pieces that can change at any point in time. These art pieces should preferably include old oil paintings or sketches on frames. They will make great additions to the backsplash as the old look of the paint will complement the hardness of the materials in the kitchen.
Size Matters: Avoid tiny 4×6 frames that blend into the background behind the toaster. Instead, opt for an 8×10 or 11×14 picture frame with some heft to it that can hold its own against the designs of the cabinets.
The Safe Zones
The greatest concern in kitchen design is functionality. You simply can’t place a paper bookcase or an oil painting side by side with a spaghetti pot. Figure out where the Safe Zones are.
The Splash Radius: All porous objects, including books, unglazed ceramics, and wood, should be kept at least two feet away from the sink and the stove. These are the hot zones for water and grease splashes.
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Corners: Corners of your kitchen counter can be dead zones. They are too deep for vegetable chopping. Vignette space is where corner space shines. Move your bookshelf of cookbooks and leaning art to this corner area. It clears up active preparation zone space.
The Vignette Strategy
A stack of books by itself can be messy. Artwork by itself can be lonely. The clue to creating the curated aesthetic? It involves grouping.
Apply the Rule of Three. Mix the vertical component (the art), the horizontal component (the books), and the sculptural component (the bowl, plant, or candle). Grouping the three together causes the eye to perceive it as one thing, rather than a collection of random arrangements, keeping the counter organized, though it is now decorated.
Adding Softness to Hard Edges
Kitchens come with hard materials such as stone, steel, glass, and tiles. The books and paintings bring in paper, canvas, and fabric. This contrast makes this room look softer. Sound is absorbed here, and there is history that cannot be attained with modern materials. Your countertop collection makes your house a home.
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