Whenever a design team decides to makeover a kitchen, there are always a few key items they focus on. When you take a step back and look at any HGTV show with the likes of Joanna Gaines or Christine Anstead, you will show them focusing on a list of things that are actually not so difficult to do yourself (no disrespect to them of course). We wish we could send you your own professional designer to remodel your kitchen, but breaking down their formula to its simplest components and then copying it is probably the next best thing. So, here it is, the 6 great tips that nearly every designer uses to make any kitchen more beautiful.
1. Bold Patterns
The minimalist all-white and chrome look never goes out of style, but it can feel a bit austere. Kitchens are one of the only places that all family members gravitate towards, and you want the room to feel inviting. Unfortunately, white and silver can feel a bit sterile, but aren't the most inviting combo. That's why it's important to add a splash of color through patterns. This can be an accent wall with stylishly patterned wallpaper or a lovely tiled backsplash. All you need to do is choose the pattern that best suits your home.
2. Accent Lighting
Gone are the days of hanging lightbulbs or chandeliers dripping with fine crystals. Kitchens and dining rooms require accent light fixtures that are just as luxe as the tiles and tap fixtures. Beautiful kitchens tend to have one type of metal for all of its fixtures, which includes the knobs and handles on cabinetry. Hang lighting fixtures that are bold and catch the eye, like pendant lights.
3. The Dining Nook
Traditionally, kitchens are where food is prepped and the dining room is where it is served. This is an antiquated notion, and most apartments don't have room for a full-on dining room. That's why the kitchen nook is now the go-to kitchen seating area. You can install benches, cover them in plush and colorful cushions, and create a very inviting space. Add some mismatched chairs, and your kitchen nook will have that eclectic bohemian feel people pay thousands for, but can easily be recreated through clever thrifting.
4. Going Two-Tone
White kitchens are no longer in vogue. They are very difficult to keep clean, and they feel very cold and clinical. That's why many people are adding a new hue to make their kitchens feel more comfortable. The trick to making the perfect two-toned kitchen is through the cabinetry. The cabinets that are above the countertops should be a lighter hue of the color selected, and the lower cabinets should be a darker hue. This creates a light and airy upper half of the kitchen, and a darker, more functional, lower half.
5. Copper Is In
In the 1980s, brass was the metal of choice for kitchens. It was everywhere, from the faucets to the drawer handles. While metal is still very much 'in', brass is not. Now, it is all about copper. Copper is definitely a brighter metal, as it has that lovely reddish hue to it. If you're not sold on the idea of copper everything, start small and add a copper faucet. As the copper faucet grows on you, you may want to get more adventurous and add a copper stove hood to really give your kitchen some 'oomph!'
6. Goodbye White, Hello Gray
Bright patterns and colors are not for everyone when it comes to their kitchens. However, an all-white kitchen isn't the way to go either. Architectural Digest has shown that there has been a move towards gray, as opposed to white. White countertops can be incorporated, but cabinetry and flooring look effortlessly classy when painted a nice shade of gray.