Clever Style Steals to Add Personality to Your Kitchen
Quirky little details, unexpected ingredients and smart styling can give a kitchen a unique sense of identity. Do try these at home...
Jo Simmons
27 September 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
One of our favourite spaces in the house, the kitchen can also be one of the most familiar. After all, it typically contains some worktop space, a few appliances and lots of storage. But a little imagination and some inventive styling can softly steer this room away from the predictable – boosting its personality and creating a unique look. These smart details – some of them integral to the space, some simply added subsequently – bring a fresh, original feel to this much-loved room.
Add a copper sink
Copper is a hugely on-trend material, with a long history of use in the kitchen. Usually, though, it is made into pots, but here, it has been fashioned into a sink. More humble than marble and nicely artisanal in feel, a copper sink is an unusual, stylish addition.
Copper is a hugely on-trend material, with a long history of use in the kitchen. Usually, though, it is made into pots, but here, it has been fashioned into a sink. More humble than marble and nicely artisanal in feel, a copper sink is an unusual, stylish addition.
Seek alternative handles
Metal, wood and ceramic are familiar materials for handles and knobs, but by sourcing something a little more unusual, you can give your kitchen its own original style. Here, leather strap handles tone in beautifully with the wooden worktop, but it’s the element of surprise that they carry that really captures the eye and the imagination.
Metal, wood and ceramic are familiar materials for handles and knobs, but by sourcing something a little more unusual, you can give your kitchen its own original style. Here, leather strap handles tone in beautifully with the wooden worktop, but it’s the element of surprise that they carry that really captures the eye and the imagination.
Light it up
Kitchens often feature integrated spotlights and task lighting, but adding a more decorative table lamp to a work surface or sideboard can instantly give a very different feel to the room.
Kitchens often feature integrated spotlights and task lighting, but adding a more decorative table lamp to a work surface or sideboard can instantly give a very different feel to the room.
Soften stainless steel
Stainless steel is a great material for a worktop, and much-used in professional kitchens. This kitchen shows how it can be made to look soft and neat, rather than seriously industrial, by being framed by the plywood trim of the cabinets.
See how to choose the perfect worktop
Stainless steel is a great material for a worktop, and much-used in professional kitchens. This kitchen shows how it can be made to look soft and neat, rather than seriously industrial, by being framed by the plywood trim of the cabinets.
See how to choose the perfect worktop
Hang some art
In the quest to make a kitchen practical, we sometimes forget to style it like any other room. Hanging art in a kitchen, close to units and equipment, extends the style found in other areas of the house into this very practical space. This framed painting beautifully matches the cabinets and splashback, too.
In the quest to make a kitchen practical, we sometimes forget to style it like any other room. Hanging art in a kitchen, close to units and equipment, extends the style found in other areas of the house into this very practical space. This framed painting beautifully matches the cabinets and splashback, too.
Make it mirrored
Antiqued mirrored glass brings a softly reflective element to a room and makes a wonderful material for a splashback. It’s practical and easy to wipe down, but it also boosts the feeling of space and creates depth.
Discover how to work antique mirror into your décor
Antiqued mirrored glass brings a softly reflective element to a room and makes a wonderful material for a splashback. It’s practical and easy to wipe down, but it also boosts the feeling of space and creates depth.
Discover how to work antique mirror into your décor
Work with paint
A painted kitchen with panelled walls is the perfect canvas for a creative paint job. Use paint to create the illusion of a splashback or deep upstand, running around the whole room. You can even continue this line to include the bottom section of any cabinets that are hung across it, as shown here.
A painted kitchen with panelled walls is the perfect canvas for a creative paint job. Use paint to create the illusion of a splashback or deep upstand, running around the whole room. You can even continue this line to include the bottom section of any cabinets that are hung across it, as shown here.
Create a cool kickboard
Kickboards can be something of an afterthought and generally match the cabinets above, but they don’t have to. Here, a stainless-steel kickboard creates a reflective, almost glowing strip at the base of these wooden units. It’s a nice, but very subtle contrast of materials.
Kickboards can be something of an afterthought and generally match the cabinets above, but they don’t have to. Here, a stainless-steel kickboard creates a reflective, almost glowing strip at the base of these wooden units. It’s a nice, but very subtle contrast of materials.
Add a vintage piece
Teaming contemporary and vintage pieces is a mix-and-match approach that works brilliantly in other rooms, but is not often used in a kitchen. But hanging a vintage display case in a kitchen to supplement built-in contemporary storage brings masses of personality and lovely visual variety, too.
Give your kitchen space a dash of vintage flair
Teaming contemporary and vintage pieces is a mix-and-match approach that works brilliantly in other rooms, but is not often used in a kitchen. But hanging a vintage display case in a kitchen to supplement built-in contemporary storage brings masses of personality and lovely visual variety, too.
Give your kitchen space a dash of vintage flair
Integrate herb storage
Pots of fresh herbs cluttering up your windowsill? Who says they must always be stored there? A clever alternative is to integrate a trough into a worktop where fresh herbs can sit neatly. A simple open rack, hung on the wall, would make another good alternative.
TELL US…
Share your clever kitchen design tips in the Comments below.
Pots of fresh herbs cluttering up your windowsill? Who says they must always be stored there? A clever alternative is to integrate a trough into a worktop where fresh herbs can sit neatly. A simple open rack, hung on the wall, would make another good alternative.
TELL US…
Share your clever kitchen design tips in the Comments below.
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the toe kick one is original....mosaic would be good too
Add a unique touch to your kitchen pantry by removing shelves and installing stainless steel baskets from Tansel - you will never have to try and access goods at the back of your shelves again. Request a catalogue.
I've got pullouts behind cupboard doors in the hous I'm currently living in. Personally, they don't work for me at all. They make sharing kitchen space with another cook uncomfortable.
Every time I want something, both doors have to be opened before pulling out - think I'd prefer to just have drawers.
At least these ones can be opened one door at a time - but drawers are still more straightforward.