Kitchens have been a staple of the home throughout much of history, it's where a lot of the work happens after all. Kitchens are used for holidays, parties, and gatherings of all sorts where family and friends come together. Throughout 2020 and the pandemic, the functionality of kitchens has become multifaceted.
If you're wondering how trendy Pinterest kitchens or designer spaces have survived the pandemic bomb of many people being home, you're not alone! In fact, we'll let you in on a little secret, much of the aesthetic surrounds a single focus, the kitchen counter!
If the counter is cluttered, the rest of the room feels disorganized.
We're here to help provide fresh kitchen counter decor ideas while keeping up with both timeless design and kitchen trends in the new year. Whether it's an incorporation of texture, open floor plans, or smartly placed decor, we've got you covered!
The Kitchen as a Multi-layered Space
If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it's the importance of space functionality in the home. A kitchen is no longer a place where only cooking and occasional dining happens. The room now functions as a space where students finish their homework and adults work from home. Parents also gather to provide food, education, and support during a particularly stressful time.
A kitchen space now functions as an extension of the house, think of it as a second living room with benefits like snacks and cold drinks! With this new need, families are beginning to spruce up their kitchen spaces. Whether a complete renovation, a fresh coat of paint, or new decor elements, people are looking to make the space cozy and functional.
A good example of a multi-layered space would be incorporating elements like a large island with ample seating, or extending the open space to the dining room. These both create an illusion that the kitchen is one large space designed for people to gather.
Although these are relatively large elements, smaller ones are quite simple.
As families make kitchens an extension of their home, they're also extending similar decor ideas to this space as well.
Fresh Art and Kitchen Counter Decor Ideas
In kitchen spaces, you'll begin to see a large trend in design and decor elements such as the inclusion of paintings, sculptures, metal artwork, fresh florals, and more! These elements add personality to the kitchen space that perhaps wasn't there before.
Well organized, fashionable kitchens grace Southern Living and Pinterest boards to provide inspiration. But they all have one thing in common: attention to detail. These detailed elements often include well-placed florals, eye-catching artwork, and the overall organization of kitchen countertops. These elements create a space that is both functional and beautiful.
The personalization of spaces in the home is very important when attempting to create an extension of the house. A well-placed painting, print, or customized art can add warmth to space without the hassle of a full renovation. Not to mention, a fresh coat of paint can do wonders.
It's all in the Open
With the rise of popular shows like "Fixer Upper," open floor plans have been all the rage for quite some time. But an unexpected winner seems to be dominating the kitchen trend, open shelving.
People are retiring their old, tired dishware and investing in shiny, copper pots and pans, sleek bowls, plates, and matching coffee mugs. With the rise of modern dishware comes a need for modern design, and open shelving is a trend that's here to stay.
Open shelving can be somewhat tricky. It's easy to slap some shelves on a kitchen wall, place your curated bowls and plates on them, and call it a day. But, if this is your approach, you'll find yourself somewhat amiss in design. Open shelving displays gorgeous dishware, yes, but the shelves cannot simply remain floating in space. They need certain elements to tether them to the rest of the kitchen.
The incorporation of your particular style and decor ideas comes into play with open shelving as well. Like your kitchen countertops that hold playful, artistic details, your new shelving unit needs that same attention.
A well placed vintage clock or thermometer, even incorporation of metal design provides an organized look. If the shelving units are wood, vintage items could do wonders to create a natural space without seeming forced.
More Color Please
Pristine white kitchens will always remain a design staple in the field. But many are incorporating pops of color within their monochromatic spaces. Brightly painted islands or cabinets allow a visitor's eye to focus and take everything in. But painting large elements such as these isn't the only way to spruce up a kitchen space.
The decor detail comes back into play when considering color and pattern in a kitchen. Instead of painting your beautiful creme cabinets, what if you incorporated a bright print instead? Designers have always known the visual power of well-curated florals on the center island or counter-tops, and now you do too! Small pops of color can make a big statement.
Don't shy away from that bright painting or print when wanting to spruce up your space. That modern sculpture you keep seeing at that antique store? Put it on your counter-top and build your space around it! Add these elements of playfulness and personality to your kitchen and you'll notice how warm and inviting your home can become.
The Moody Kitchen, It's Happening
With the rise of color also comes another design element that is trending all over social media, the moody, dark kitchen. Instead of those bright white Carrera marble countertops, you're seeing an inclusion of black and grey stone begin to take hold.
If you've been waiting to incorporate darker elements in your kitchen, now's your chance! The secret to moody kitchen decor lies in an unexpected, but important element: texture.
In any monochromatic or tonal dominated space, incorporation of texture is necessary as it gives the eye a space to focus, rest, and take in the drama that surrounds darker color schemes. When looking to spruce up a moody design, the inclusion of various metals and wooden elements remain quite popular.
Maybe your dining table is copper or your shelving units are aged oak. Or you've mixed various metal decor such as iron and steel, these various textures will provide a playful release in a moody space.
Keep it Organized
Warmth in a kitchen is found in a variety of elements, but if we've learned anything, it's the organization of a space that remains king. You can evoke an idea of a busy atmosphere with diverse decor elements while still keeping the space clean and organized.
Open shelving allows a display of curated dishware. Counter-top decor creates a relatable and personable space for family and visitors. The secret, however, to these elements is smart organization, meaning some de-cluttering must take place.
There has been a rise in secondary spaces such as walk-in and butler pantries over the past couple of years. These spaces are meant for chaos, so to speak. Although they can be painted and organized by the size of canned goods or bottles, they are functional in their design. This means a cluttering of space is somewhat expected.
The main kitchen space, however, should remain crisp, clean, and free of unnecessary or even rarely used items. Like that coffee grinder you only use in the mornings, or the blender you've shoved in the corner. These tools are rarely aesthetically pleasing and will only serve to clutter your counter-top space.
You may not have a trendy butler pantry, but make use of the storage space you do have to make room for interior decoration. Decor elements bring life and warmth to your kitchen space.
Make it Warm, Make it Yours
The most important takeaway in kitchen ideas and trends is to make the space all yours, whether for you or your family. Through customized, sentimental pieces, artwork, thrift store finds, or more, warmth is found when a personality comes through.
Designers all around will tell you how wonderful it is to see people incorporating elements that make them happy, rather than copying what they see from social media or a magazine. Attention to detail and a fresh take on kitchen counter decor ideas can do wonders in curating a space that is entirely your own while serving your needs.
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