Everyone wants a well decorated home, however decorating kitchen countertops can be quite tricky to make sure accessories don't get in the way of cooking.
Here are some kitchen countertop decorating ideas that look beautiful but function also.
photo courtesy of Brent Eckley flickr.com/photos/96831183@N08/23069304596Everyday Appliances
Typical kitchens have many small appliances - a coffee maker, blender, toaster, mixer, bread maker, rice cooker, slow cooker, tea kettle, etc.
When decorating your kitchen countertops, only keep out the small appliances that you use every day.
If you use your blender only on Saturday morning, then put it away until then.
Beautiful Appliances
Any small appliance that you use everyday and is left out on your countertop should be beautiful.
Decorate your kitchen countertops with state of the art, fancy small appliances that are nearly a work of art and made of nice materials.
Even if you use it everyday, if it is not beautiful then it must be hidden.
Jars of Cooking Utensils
Why do you have multiple jars of cooking utensils on your kitchen countertops?
And why do you have duplicates of each type of utensil?
Feel free to decorate your kitchen countertops with 1 jar of cooking utensils, but pack away the duplicates and hide the unsightly cooking utensils.
Make sure that the your cooking utensil jar is decorative and attractive. Feel free to use the jar as an opportunity to add color and texture to your kitchen.
Cook Book Stand
Do you use a cook book everyday?
If not, the cook book stand and decorative cook book that you have never made a recipe from has to get off your kitchen counter so you can regain prime kitchen real estate.
You do not need to add decor to every empty space on your countertops!
Decorative Oils, Rooster Sculptures, Inspirational Sayings, Decorative Platters on a Plate Stand, Fake Fruit, Decorative Candles, and Empty Vases
All of these items are taking up valuable real estate but not adding to the beauty of your kitchen.
They collect dust and are generic mass produced decorative items that everyone used to have in their kitchen.
If the item is not functional, then it does not belong in a kitchen.
Now is the time to give these items away and look to the future.
It makes no sense to have an extra large kitchen if you just fill it up with junk.
Try to make sure that all of your kitchen decor items are also functional.
Liquid Soap
Liquid soap containers are unsightly.
Having a decorative soap dispenser is a better option than using the soap's original container.
The best option for your liquid soap when decorating your kitchen is to keep the soap off of your kitchen countertops is to get as soap dispenser that is integrated into the sink near your faucet so it is barely seen at all.
If you have a built in soap dispenser but are tired of constantly having to refill it, consider getting a soap dispenser hose adapter kit #ad, which is an extra long hose that goes from your soap dispenser directly into an enormous bottle of dish soap under your sink that should last you for about 6 months or more.
Knife Block
If you use your knives in your knife block, and the knife block is attractive, then feel free to keep it on your kitchen countertops.
If your knife block contains knives that you never use, and is just on your kitchen countertop for decorative reasons, then put it away to make more functional space on your countertops.
Canisters
Yes, you can have decorative canisters on your kitchen countertops, as long as the contents are used on a regular basis (flour, sugar, rice, pasta, etc.).
Do not decorate your kitchen with empty canisters taking up valuable kitchen countertop real estate (or canisters filled with things that do not belong in a kitchen, like loose change, buttons, keys, etc).
For a more modern look, decorate your kitchen with clear glass canisters and have the texture of the contents add to the decor of your kitchen.
To maximize space, select canisters that are as tall and skinny as possible but still fit under your upper cabinets.
Know the space that a standard bag of rice or a standard bag of flour requires and purchase containers that will hold an entire bag so you don't have to store the excess elsewhere.
Fresh Fruit
To encourage yourself to eat more fresh fruit, and to make your kitchen beautiful, decorate your kitchen countertops with a bowl of fresh fruit (as long as it doesn't get in the way of your prep space).
Make sure that the fruit bowl is decorative and complements your kitchen color scheme.
Living Plant or Flowers
If you have a window over your sink, consider adding a living plant (maybe some cooking herbs) or fresh flowers to that area to decorate your kitchen countertops.
Don't go overboard and turn your kitchen countertops into a jungle.
Kitchens tend to be sterile environments, so adding living things make it feel more welcoming.
Recap:
Bad = appliances that are not used everyday, ugly appliances, multiple jars of ugly cooking utensils, cook book stands, non-functional accessories, and liquid soap in its original container.
Good = beautiful appliances you use everyday, knife block that is used everyday, canisters filled with food items, fresh fruit, living plants or flowers.
You might also like the article How to Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets.
