5 Ways To Make Your Kitchen A More Desirable Place To Cook

Before you realize it, that stack of mail towering on the kitchen counter and the art supplies perpetually strewn over the table can turn your peaceful haven into a den of chaos. Here are five ways to rejuvenate your kitchen and rediscover the joy of cooking.

5. Color Your World

A new coat of paint gives your kitchen a facelift for little expense. The next time you visit your favorite neighborhood restaurant pay attention to the color of the walls. Are they pastel, calming and peaceful? Is the hue rich and deep, like a warm hug? You can re-create the mood you admire in your favorite eateries in your own home’s kitchen.

4. Gather the Gadgets

Whether you have a miniscule galley kitchen with no claim to storage space, or are blessed with more cabinets than you can fill, all of your utensils may well be in one jumbled drawer. Store your tools logically and beautifully. Wooden spoons look lovely grouped in a ceramic pitcher. Keep all spatulas and tongs closest to the stove where you will need them. Store tools such as knives and graters in a “sharps” drawer high out of the reach of children.

3. Texture Talk

Options of window coverings for kitchens are limitless. Wooden and bamboo blinds, silk roman shades, or cotton café curtains that allow the light to softly filter in will warm up your space visually. Natural materials such as hemp and sea grass add style and texture when used in rugs and place mats.

2. Collect the Physical and Visual Clutter

While you may not have an option other than to use your kitchen as a home office and craft area, you can contain the clutter. Designate one kitchen drawer for craft supplies. Store extra office items in a large basket on top of the fridge and keep paper and mail in wooden file boxes on the wall. If your refrigerator door doubles as an out-of-control art gallery limit the kids to one masterpiece at a time and rotate the display.

1. Appeal to the Senses

Transform your kitchen into a sensory hub with potted flowers and herbs. Simmer a pot of cinnamon and orange rinds on the stove during the cooler months; keep natural sachets of lavender and citrus tucked inside linen drawers. Keep music on in your cooking space to match your mood and the cuisine.