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A wise person once said, “The kitchen is the heart of the home.“ How very true it really is. Produced from the kitchen, are items that show love, give hope, help celebrate and make well. Yes, the kitchen really does play a vital role in our lives. Our kitchens become part of our personalities and as we set out to use our creative touches to decorate, we’ll find out a little more of who we really are.
One of the easiest ways to begin when decorating your kitchen is to choose a theme. Decide what inspires you. Do you like a contemporary look with lots of stainless steel or does a country kitchen with a butcher block make you feel more at home? Are you dazzled by a French bistro with specialty bottles of wine and grapes or does a colorful southwest theme with brightly colored chili peppers seem right? Do antiques appeal to you or do you find yourself liking things that are more of a modern design. You don’t necessarily need a bundle of cash to decorate your kitchen, but you’ll definitely need a big dose of creativity. By answering these simple questions, you are on your way to creating a beautiful masterpiece.
Long gone are the days when every room in your home must match in theme. The key thing to remember when deciding how to decorate your kitchen is simply to love what you choose and choose what you love. Don’t worry about pleasing the neighbors or your friends. Decorating should be an extension of who you are. Surrounding yourself with the things you love is sure to bring out a more creative you.
After deciding which style of kitchen you prefer, consider the different areas you’ll be decorating. The possibilities could include walls, floors, windows, counter space, cabinets, furniture, and seating upholstery to name just a few. Window shop on line to get ideas of what you like. Study fabric samples at your local upholstery shop and search through the paint color samples at your home improvement store to view how colors will work together. Visit the fabric section at your local department store to get a vision of fabric that could be turned into curtains, an apron, or matching napkins. With so much available, whatever theme you choose, you’ll have no problem finding the right pieces to accent your kitchen.
After you decide on a theme, consider what should be done to the walls in your kitchen. Maybe they are fine as they are, or perhaps you will want to paint or wall paper them. Will you go with a solid color, or would two colors create a better finished product. Many have found that using a satin semi gloss paint gives beautiful results. Also, be sure to put down a drop cloth to protect your flooring if you do decide to paint. Will you use a chair rail either between the two paint colors or between a paint color and wall paper? Be adventurous. Don’t settle for drab. Remember this is a reflection of who you are.
Will you keep your existing floor tile? Or maybe you have a wonderful wooden floor. Its usually better not to place carpeting around the sink and stove area in the event of spills. Consider using simple throw rugs instead. These rugs will add warmth, lend texture and color and most can either be laundered or spot cleaned. Sometimes all it takes to spruce up your kitchen is a few floor rugs with accommodating accent colors.
Depending on the theme you have chosen, your kitchen curtains can help pull the look you want to achieve together. You have many options available to use as window treatments like a valance and sheers, drapes, mini blinds, or café curtains. Depending on your need for privacy and the amount of light you want to have available, will help you determine which style to choose. The color should pick up accent colors throughout your room. When you have made a choice, give your windows a good cleaning. Nothing feels better than placing new curtains on a shiny clean window. And remember to let the paint on your walls dry before hanging your new window coverings.
Unless you are doing an actual remolding project in your kitchen, you’ll probably be keeping your existing counter tops. Give them a good cleaning and then set out a few special items such as a vase of fresh flowers and a scented candle. Add a few cookbooks and if your canister set is ancient or chipped, dispose of it and purchase a new and fresh set either in a coordinating color or an object of your theme. The really important thing about your counter is to use it to hold a few treasured items only. Home decorators always say in this case, “Less is best.“ You want to create a clean fresh look, not a cluttered mess. You don’t need to display every electrical small appliance you own. Store them in you cabinets. Allow space on your counter top for preparing meals and treats.
Once again, if you are just redecorating and not remodeling your kitchen, chances are you will keep your cabinets. A fresh coat of paint can work wonders as well as adding new cabinet knobs and drawer pulls. This is an inexpensive way to modernize. Before painting, scrub the front of your cabinets with a good cleaner that cuts thru grease. This will ensure that the paint goes on with a clean clear coat. If you have space available over the top of your cabinets, be sure to utilize the area by placing in that space, something such as beautifully woven baskets and silk plants. This will heighten your vision area and create an appealing look. The greenery will add life and its always nice to bring the outdoors inside. Another thought is to install a pot rack if you have the space. This frees up cabinet space and enables you to show off that new pot and pan set you’ve been wanting.
If you are keeping your table and chairs, they too may be painted to achieve a fresh new look. Many have said what a great benefit it is to have a rocking chair placed in your kitchen area. Since so much activity goes on in the kitchen, the rocker will be used for family and guests to sit and visit with you as you create wonderful meals and snacks and this makes a perfect place to quiet a fussy infant. The thing to remember about furniture is that the darker it is in color or wood type, the more space it seems to use. And the opposite is also true with lighter furniture. It appears to take up less space.
If the chairs or bench seating in your kitchen are upholstered, its usually very simple to change the fabric to match your new theme. Or if you would prefer, have a professional do it for you. You may even find fabric that matches your curtains or drapes. Try and choose a pattern and design that looks like it was just made to match the theme of your room.
As you began your decorating adventure, all your senses were used to make wise choices. Don’t forget to hang a pretty apron on a nearby hook and place a charming table runner or placemats on your table. If there is a spot for it, hang a mirror in the area. Nothing is worse than receiving unexpected guests with flour on your nose or you hair in shambles. Hang a few related items such as theme pictures in obvious spaces on your walls. Its been a fun project and you should be proud of your hard work as you sit and relax in the rocking chair and enjoy the beauty of your efforts.