Top Ten Decorating Tips To Spruce Up Your Kitchen

If there’s one room you really need to make an effort with when you’re decorating your house it’s got to be your kitchen. High-quality fittings, top-of-the-range appliances and a good décor can add thousands of pounds to the value of your property.

But there’s no denying redecorating this part of your home a daunting task. So, here are some top tips to ensure you get your kitchen decorating down to a tee.

1. Space, space, space

If you’ve got a small kitchen, you need to create the illusion of space. Use a mirrored backsplash to make it look as though the room extends beyond your cupboards.

2. Mix your cupboard doors

Who says all your cupboard doors have to be the same colour? To create a country chic kitchen, go for a flagstone floor and mix cream shaker-style cupboard doors with others made of traditional pine. Complete the look with a grey marble work surface and a white Belfast sink.

3. Create a focus wall

This is an interior design rule that works in all rooms of your house, not just the kitchen. To add a splash of colour or pattern, paint or wallpaper a single wall. I think a fake red brick wallpaper looks really good in a modern, urban kitchen with stainless steel accessories or cupboard doors. Light wood surfaces compliment this look really well.

4. Hang pots and pans

Are you cupboards getting full? Hang your pots and pans from a rack on the ceiling for a stylish and super-practical space-saving solution. You can hang large utensils like tongs and fish slices from there as well.

5. Install slim cupboards

If you’ve got a small kitchen it’s important to keep surfaces clear to maximise space. Install slim cupboards specially designed for wine or herbs and spices to keep your sides clutter-free.

6. Add colour with curtains

Yes, curtains are an easy way to add colour, but I don’t mean the kind you hang up at the window. Pick out an accent colour from your kitchen and curtain one or two of your kitchen wall cabinets. Be warned though – don’t do more than two or it’ll look boring and old-fashioned.

7. Get creative with tiles

Tiles aren’t just a practical way to stop water damaging your walls, you can also have some real fun with them and they can add another dimension to your kitchen. Experiment with patterned and different coloured tiles to make your own unique creation. If patterned tiles are too expensive, try transfers instead.

8. Add a breakfast bar

If you’ve not got room for a table in your kitchen, install a breakfast bar instead. Giving people somewhere to eat will make a real difference to the functionality of the room and helps to bring your family together in the morning. Plus, they’re very versatile. Go for a rustic wooden bar with chunky stools, or keep the look sleek and minimal with modern padded stools and stainless steel edging.

9. Get it right with white

If you’re going for a white kitchen, be careful not to go overboard – you don’t want to blind people. If you’re going for white surfaces and cupboards, mix it up a bit with a chrome fridge and shelving. Add plants for greenery and some colourful cookbooks as well.

10. Match up your oven

Getting the right oven is essential when you’re decorating your kitchen. Not only do you need to think about size, but style as well. A modern, chrome oven will look out of place in a country kitchen, while an AGA would be perfect – and vice versa.

This guest blog was contributed by Lauren Jones, an avid Kitchen fan with a love of AGA and rangemaster range cookers and kitchen supplies.