Kitchens are the heart of the home! We spend over 90% of our time in these rooms alone, so making it the most comforting is key. I often say that this room should be well kept because we spend so much time in there. There’s not a day that goes by when we don’t walk into the kitchen. Styling counter tops are one of my favorite things to do when cleaning and decorating. You can bring so much life into this space with a simple, colorful vase of fresh flowers.
How To Style Kitchen Counter Tops
One misconception about this space of the home is that it’s used for storage. It’s not a place to store your smaller appliances that you barely ever use or food boxes, mail pile up, etc……it’s a place to prepare your food. Essentially the counter tops always need to be cleaned and disinfected. For stone, either use a granite cleaner or soap and water. You can squirt alcohol onto a cloth to disinfect after they’ve been dried. For any other surface, use an all purpose cleaner.
Before we style, we need to make sure it’s cleaned. Remove everything { and I mean everything } off the counters. This gives you a chance to visualize the space. Whether you’re working with a small area or a big area, doesn’t matter. These are my tips:
- Never leave a drying rack out. If you do not have a dishwasher to place dishes in right away, try using a basin to store the dirty dishes in until you can get to them. I don’t enjoy seeing a dish drainer on the counter even if it is a fancy one. This creates more bacteria build up. The kitchen sink is the dirtiest place in the house. Keep it clean at all times to prevent diseases such as salmonella, ecoli, and more. If you need to have a dish rack, store under the sink until you do the dishes. Put dishes away and do not use the rack as a storage unit.
- Have areas catered to it’s use. If the coffee station is necessary ( definitely is for this addict ), create one space on the counter just for the coffee bar. Toaster, if used daily can go on another counter or just put under the cabinet as soon as you’re done. Small appliances should be unplugged anyways.
- If you don’t use something every single day, it shouldn’t be left out.
- Wipe counter tops often.
Now that everything is clear, start styling. I’ve already kind of talked a lot about creating a coffee bar area in your homes if you are interested in more about that.
Kitchen Decorating Tips
When out thrifting I love looking for old milk glass cake stands because you can use them for just about anything. Wire baskets are another one. I feel like trays/bowls of fresh fruit liven up a space and really should be left out. We always put our fruit in the fridge because we live in warmer climates but I do find simple things like this to be attractive. Wood cutting boards are a trendy thing to have displayed in kitchens as well.
Clear glass jars and vases were outdated not too long ago but I think if we use them uniquely, they make for great styling pieces. The over sized glass containers you see in Joanna Gaines home for flour, coffee beans and more are eye catching. When displaying cookbooks on a counter make sure they are not falling over and set up nicely against a wall or fridge, bookends, etc.
When placing bowls of fruit to display, set them away from the back splash. Having a kitchen window is important if you want to have plants in there. Nothing large. A small plant is ideal. Adding greenery often opens a kitchen up to make it look and feel more homey. Unless you have matching or similar utensils, place them in the drawers. Only keep what looks appealing out in crocks or vases.
It honestly doesn’t take much to style a kitchen. Art is really outdated, hanging things on walls is not necessary. Simple touches like fresh flowers, plants, and fruit is all it takes.
Interior Styling Kitchen Edition
You’ll probably hear me saying this one too many times but it’s always the case when styling/cleaning a home; less is more. Don’t overthink a project when decorating. The 3 things I listed above is what makes us smile. Bring the nature in. I talk repeatedly about plants and decluttering in our ebooks. I also just learned more about bookshelf styling. Bunch together in 3’s. Don’t spread things out if they work together. The plant may look fancy next to that bowl of fruit or even beside those cookbooks as a book end. Play around until it looks aesthetically pleasing.
Things to keep in mind when styling:
- 3 or less – if there’s more than 3 items on a counter, it’s too much
- small appliances that are used daily can be left out and decorated around – keep coffee related items near the coffee station and cookbooks near the utensils, etc
- store seasonings in a drawer or cabinet to prevent a messy/cluttered look
- don’t jam every single spoon and spatula into the bucket – minimum 5-6
- if you can’t find any room to store stuff ( maybe you have too much stuff )
- use the cake stand to display soaps and scrubby brush on near the sink
- lemons always create warmth
- use the cutting board to display fresh plants and fruit on when not in use
There shouldn’t be a whole lot of stuff on your counters. Keep it simple and clean. Enjoy the space for afternoon baking and coffee dates. Don’t let this room become a storage unit for other unnecessary things. It’s a peaceful place to cook homemade meals in and deserves some TLC from time to time. If you need cleaning tips, join our group on FB. Tell us what your favorite place in the home to decorate is. I’d love to hear.