19 Amazing Kitchen Decorating Ideas

Winnie Au

20 Kitchen Decorating Ideas That’ll Inspire Your Next Makeover

From patterned shades to a pegboard mug display, these easy ideas pack a big punch.

By Kelly Allen Published: Jan 11, 2023

The way you decorate your kitchen can heavily affect how you feel in it. Sure, it’s imperative that the design is functional. But once you create the perfect layout and obtain top-notch appliances, the decorative details give the space personality—making you want to spend even more time cooking and hanging out with loved ones in it. Whether you’re looking for a quick kitchen refresh (like new kitchen rugs!) or want to give your space a whole new atmosphere (think a European bistro feel), we’ve laid out plenty of kitchens decorating ideas to get you started. And after you’re done browsing, make sure to also consider implementing the kitchen trends that experts expect will be big in 2023.

Add Patterned Shades

Lauren Lothrop Caron

Window treatments can instantly elevate any space. In her own kitchen, designer Lauren Lothrop Caron added Roman shades in Darby Rose fabric by Jasper and brass accents to make the space more inviting. Dainty pendant lights and a small framed painting add extra coziness.

Show Off a Mug Collection

Chantell and Brett Quernemoen

Food Network star Molly Yeh’s farmhouse kitchen is chock-full of genius tricks and designs—including a walnut custom pegboard where she shows off her East Fork Pottery mugs. The functional art piece also holds other tools, like a cookie cutter and scissors, and decorative objects, like a tiny vase of flowers.

Dedicate a Wall Niche

Paul Costello

If you don’t have much decor space to work with directly in the kitchen, dedicate a wall niche in a nearby breakfast nook instead. In a North Carolina beach house by designer Barie Benson, open shelving in a wall niche hosts colorful decorative objects that give the corner character.

Opt for Blues and Whites

Shannon Roberts

A blue-and-white color palette never fails to bring a cheerful mood to a room. For the kitchen in a Savannah, Georgia, carriage house, designer Shannon Roberts incorporated floral wallpaper, light blue cabinetry, striped curtains, and a blue-bordered rug. A few paintings and brass accents complete the look.

Lay Out Multiple Rugs

Katie Charlotte

To amplify the maximalist aesthetic in Isabel Ladd’s kitchen in her Kentucky home, the designer incorporated not one but two patterned rugs. A wallpaper with an intricate pattern covers everything from the backsplash to the ceiling, while a neutral pendant light makes a statement and adds softness.

Create a Floor-to-Ceiling Gallery Wall

TREVOR PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY

To craft a unique, playful feel in his studio apartment, designer Rudy Saunders created a floor-to-ceiling gallery wall that extends from the dining area through part of the kitchen. The fridge is covered with contact paper in tennis green and white stripes to prevent it from sticking out.

Make Book Cubbies

Thijs de Leeuw/Space Content/Living Inside

Cubbies built into the kitchen island of this home by designer Nicole Dohmen put books on display while keeping them out of the way. A vibrant table lamp and purple planter near the range offer an unexpected, homey touch.

Try Ledge Shelving

David A. Land

Or if you’re the type of person who would benefit from seeing the covers of your cookbooks at all times so that you’ll actually use them, try simple ledge shelves. The ones here provide room for House Beautiful editorial director Joanna Saltz’s crazy cookbook collection in her New Jersey kitchen by designer Jean Stoffer.

Give It an Outdoor Bistro Vibe

DEVOL KITCHENS

Thanks to wrought iron window boxes in the skylight niches, patterned wallpaper, and an earthy palette, this deVOL kitchen feels like an outdoor bistro. The olive green Smeg refrigerator camouflages itself near the arched windows.

Cover Glass Cabinetry With Fabric

ROBERT PETERSON

To hide the contents of muted navy cabinetry in our 2022 Whole Home, designer Whittney Parkinson used Morris and Co. fabric. The textural detail paired with small sconces and a partially mirrored backsplash add elegance.

Select a Decorative Hood

Robert Peterson / Rustic White Interiors

As a fairly large appliance, a range hood can easily draw attention in a kitchen.“I wanted a hood unlike anything you’ve ever seen, one that’s artistic and also functions properly,” designer Alison Victoria says of the custom cover by Mark Wentz of Americo Fabrication and Design in her Atlanta loft.

Feature Flower Pots

Jonathan Bond

In Singapore-based interior designer Elizabeth Hay’s kitchen, an open shelf painted in a bright green hue hosts a row of potted flowers with mugs hanging underneath it. The walls are embellished with decorative plates, while more florals in vases sit on the window sill.

Hang Pans

Annie Schlechter

Hanging pans proves to be both a functional storage solution and a design statement. Just take it from this kitchen designed by Sheila Bridges that even features silver pig statues that sit atop the rod.

Choose Statement Lighting

STEPHAN JULLIARD

With a statement-making pendant light, you won’t even need other art to give your kitchen a wow factor. In this Parisian apartment by Studio Razavi, the dramatically large pendant takes center stage. Colored glassware, like the magenta carafe and striped cups, adds a pop of color to the industrial kitchen.

Wallpaper the Fridge

Winnie Au

Mask a drab fridge with peel-and-stick wallpaper panels, as designer Anothy Dunning did with L’Amour by Tempaper in his own New York apartment. “The key to making removable wallpaper work is to find one that doesn’t look too shiny,” says Dunning.

Paint the Floor

Read McKendree

To revive an outdated kitchen in a Nantucket cottage by designer Kevin Isbell, the floor was painted in a blue-and-white checkered pattern. Café curtails and fabric secure inside of glass cabinetry complement the fresh update.

Use Open Shelving

Eric Ray Davidson

If you have open shelving, treat the design element like it’s a gallery wall. Layer each level with beautiful ceramics, framed art, baskets, and vintage trinkets. In this kitchen by Kathryn M. Ireland, the designer also nixed cabinet doors in favor of playful fabric covers.

Try Faux Brick

HARIS KENJAR

To amplify the character in a San Francisco kitchen, designer Lynn Kloythanomsup chose a classic red brick look. “It’s like a thin brick tile,” she explains. You can barely tell the difference, and it looks more realistic than peel-and-stick wallpaper with a brick pattern on it.

Showcase Spices

Nate Sheets

Instead of sticking with a solid slab backsplash behind your range, consider creating columns of shelving on each end. In a home by Laura McCroskey, the designer stocked shelving with spices, oils, small bowls, and a favorite cookbook for a functional and decorative display.

Make a Mini Ceramics Display

Lauren Pressey

If you have a china cabinet filled with a collection of plates, teacups, and other trinkets, put a few of your favorites on display near your kitchen cabinetry for easy access. In this kitchen by French and French Interiors, patterned ceramic jars and plates are organized and within reach of the kitchen table.

19 Amazing Kitchen Decorating Ideas

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More than just a space for cooking and eating, the kitchen is where all of the action in the home takes place. We live in our kitchens. From entertaining guests to gathering together on Saturday mornings as a family, it’s the true heart of the home. Whether you’re renovating, redecorating, or simply updating this space, consider how you live before making any changes. Get inspired to transform this area with these practical and easy-to-steal decorative touches.

Black and White

You can stick to a monochromatic palette while still adding interest and personality to a room. A continuous pattern, like this modern black-and-white zigzag, running across a counter or backsplash is graphic and unexpected. If you’re short on cabinet space, consider hanging floating shelves to hold frequently used tools or display favorite accessories.

Something Blue

Ready for some color? For an instant update, give cabinets a fresh coat of paint. This pale shade of blue is a cheery alternative to the sleek white look.

Shelf Life

Use every inch of space for smart, space-saving storage. This 16-cube shelving unit steps up to the challenge of holding plates, linens, and serving pieces. For an unexpected decorative touch, line the backs with wallpaper so it coordinates with your style.

Neutral Zones

Warm up a neutral kitchen by inviting different shades (gray, ivory, cream) and textures into the picture. Storage is maximized with a wall of cabinets, floor to ceiling.

Great Room

A kitchen that opens up into the main living area can be an extremely exciting space to decorate. A generously sized table is ready to accommodate holiday dinners, game nights, or even intense science projects. Keep the vibe modern, casual, and cool by layering a black-and-white–striped rug and hanging an oversized drum shade.

Sunshine Day

Short on square inches? A tiny kitchen (and a tight budget) requires careful and creative planning. A gray-and-white palette gets a burst of charm from bright pops of lemon and turquoise. If you don’t have much cabinet space, bring in freestanding pieces to hold appliances, dishes, and other kitchen essentials.

Color Story

If you have a modern decorating style, embrace a bold color and high-gloss finish. Vanilla white and cherry red lacquer cabinets take this kitchen to daring heights. To avoid visual commotion, keep the rest of your accessories (kitchen textiles, servingware, plates) in this color palette.

White Wall

Decorating a large kitchen can be an intimidating task. If you choose to stick with a neutral palette for the larger items (white walls, black granite counters, and ivory cabinets), then you’ll have greater freedom and flexibility to update accents like textiles, runners, and even place settings.

High Design

Large vaulted ceilings and multiple windows can make a room feel larger than it actually is. If you’re decorating a primarily white-and-black space, bring in an unexpected piece of wood furniture to warm it up and give it personality.

Splash of Color

A really great stove can transform a kitchen. For a nice pop of color, consider a pretty splashback like a marine blue glass. To make a kitchen homey and high-functioning, hang storage racks from the ceiling for frequently used pots and pans.

Center Island

A sleek, modern kitchen needn’t feel cold. If you’re starting with a black-and-white foundation, infuse it with some color, like the muted aubergine on the overhead cabinets. Add texture by layering a striped rug over a seamless floor. Rather than recessed lighting, hang a pair of chandeliers from the ceilings for an unexpected twist.

Natural Selection

The quintessential white kitchen never goes out of style. This one is made especially inviting with natural touches like flagstone floors, oak island and ceiling beams, and a farmhouse-style table. The extra seating along the island make it a comfortable spot for casual breakfasts or mid-afternoon coffee.

Farmhouse Fab

There’s something just right about gathering around a kitchen island for a late-morning breakfast. The green-and-blue–tiled backsplash feels right at home in this space. Make your kitchen work hard by tucking in needed storage like corner shelves and built-in drawers and cabinets in the island.

Corner Care

Think beyond the primary functions of the kitchen and consider how it can seamlessly extend into the other areas of your home. When a few rooms spill into the kitchen, it’s time to create a balanced flow, which can be accomplished with a cohesive and simplified color palette. Boring? Not a chance. Here, the splashes of red weave into different nooks like the kitchen counter accents, cushioned bench, and living room side chair and window treatments.

Traditional Timing

Just as you’d decorate a living room around the mantel or a bedroom around the bed, plan your kitchen around the cooking zone. The blue range cooker is—and should be—this kitchen’s focal point. For a home that relies on plenty of storage, hang extra floating shelves to hold cookbooks and containers.

Touch of Class

There’s something remarkable about a kitchen with an eclectic side. Mixing styles can add both charm and comfort to a space. This kitchen starts with a more traditional foundation (pale blue walls and island, dark wood ceiling beams) and then welcomes more surprising touches like a chandelier, stainless steel refrigerator, and floating shelves.

True Blue

If you’re drawn to the color blue, then it’s a natural choice for the area in which you spend the most time. Welcome in different shades (robin’s egg blue for cabinets, cobalt for stools, and deep marine for accents) to keep the room from feeling flat. The panel-front painted island adds a hint of texture to the space.

Morning Glory

It can be challenging to find ample storage in a kitchen that flows into other areas of the home. Think creatively when carving out extra spots for concealing belongings. Need some ideas? Build hidden cabinets and compartments in an island, hang floating shelves on walls, or bring unexpected pieces of furniture (china cabinet, armoire, credenza) into the space.

Touch of Turquoise

Cheery details can give a spare, modern room a more lived-in feel. Choose strategic spots for working in bright bursts of color: overhead lighting, bar stools, countertop accessories.