Kitchen decor ideas for a functional and beautiful space
Your Charles Church kitchen Select Options aren’t the end of the story when it comes to making your kitchen the heart of the home.
With kitchens and family rooms sharing the same family-friendly open-plan space, the art of creating character, not clutter, has come into its own. There are so many ideas and options out there, it can be hard to decide what works and what doesn’t, so it’s good to keep the words of wisdom ‘function over fashion’ in mind when you are adding your own style.
Your new kitchen is going to be your pride and joy. You’ve chosen your brand new units, your worktops and appliances, your flooring and your favourite wall colour. Now you’ve got to let the family in!
Whether your style is industrial and minimalist, bohemian and organic, retro or right on trend, you’ll need to decide what’s going to be on show and what needs to stay behind the scenes. The built-in storage options you have chosen for your new home will take care of easy access to all your kitchen equipment, leaving your worktops, breakfast bars, dining tables and walls to have all the fun.
Here are some tips for adding your own finishing touches to your gorgeous new kitchen.
Walls aren’t just for art
Mirrors and clocks are making a big appearance. They are as popular in kitchens as they are in their more traditional locations, in living rooms and hallways.
A super-size mirror with a statement wooden frame, whether repro or real, will be a great balance with your super-sleek kitchen units. A carved gilt frame will add a touch of antique glamour to your new home whilst the organic look of natural wood will add a hint of the great outdoors.
You don’t have to go Big Ben, but you can certainly have great fun choosing a clock face that will put a smile on yours. From a casual scatter of colourful wall-mounted numbers around a central dial to a big-scale take on a classic design from another time, these are pieces that can pull off having wall space all to themselves. They’ll catch your eye but not steal your space.
Storage style
There are so many ways to add personality to your kitchen using decorative storage. Embrace the trend for natural materials with a set of matching woven baskets in different sizes. They’re ideal for bottles of olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper pots, and anything else that you don’t want to keep fetching from a cupboard. These will soften the neat lines of your new kitchen; be easy to move out of the way for cleaning and they’re great if you want to have a friendly and informal look that’s actually well-organised at the same time.
Multi-coloured glass jars or colour co-ordinated pots of fresh green herbs will give inspiration to your worktops and your recipes. A row of traditional Kilner jars for pasta, rice and cereals will put purpose and pattern in line. Cornish ware is making a comeback with its distinctive blue and white stripes, so if you’ve gone with ocean blues or greens for your colour scheme, the range of storage jars in this design could be just the thing.
image: @thenottinghamshirehome
Feast for the eyes
Have you noticed how vibrant and mouth-watering the display of fresh produce is in the Masterchef library? Pick a few edible favourites to have on show. This is a kitchen after all! Just one large statement ceramic bowl, or shallow basket for a rustic look, with a mix and match of apples and oranges, tomatoes and nuts, will bring fresh colours to your table or breakfast bar, and put fresh snacks on hand for the family and guests in the most important room of the house.
Take a shelfie
Adding some open shelving is a great way to display your favourite items and make sure that your most-used utensils are close to hand. This could include your fail-safe recipe books, essential seasonings, or tipples you’ve collected on your travels. Mugs can also be a great design accessory. They can sit there looking artful, they can be ‘grab and go,’ and they can remind you to take a break. The same goes for crockery. Embrace tradition by displaying your favourite colourful bowls and plates for all to see – easy to reach for, and easy on the eye.
Showcase your style
We love seeing your interior ideas. Why not share your own kitchen decor photos on Instagram using #charleschurchlife for a chance to win a £100 John Lewis voucher. Visit our Facebook page for terms and conditions.