Your Kitchen is the Heart of your Home. It is the lifeline of your family. You spend many of your waking hours in your kitchen.

It’s where you make magic happen.

Whether your kitchen is brand, spanking new or it’s stuck in previous design era, pulling your kitchen all together will improve the look & the way it makes you feel.

Your kitchen is the place where you feed your body & your soul. Let’s make sure it’s nourishing you in every way.

There are many moving parts to a kitchen & many of them are small. These are the things that are easy to ignore but surprisingly can have a bigger impact than what you would imagine.

When I first started my career as an Interior Designer I was going through divorce. I was now a single Mom of 2 children ages 5 & 7. I moved to the village of my dream. I was hired by a local design firm as an intern earning $6 an hour & commission. On the weekends, when the kids were with their father, I waited tables at local restaurant.

Regardless of my new circumstances, I wanted to raise my kids in a home they felt good in. We rented a Vintage Sears Roebuck Home in the quaint village of, Barrington, IL.

…Funny thing, my daughter & her husband recently purchased a home right down the street from where we started. My present husband & I live 6 blocks away in another vintage home we purchased in 1998. My son & daughter-in-law live across the street from us. I guess it worked ;)

My point in sharing all of this is, that even though we rented our first 3 homes in Barrington on a shoestring budget, often just making ends meet…our home always felt good. The kitchen was always the first room I would start with. I knew that when it felt good, so would we.

The biggest impact you will have on achieving this feeling is by starting with pulling your kitchen all together. It’s the room you all share. It’s the place that nourishes your body & soul.

Here are 7 small changes you can make to greatly enhance the look & feel of your kitchen.

So, let’s get started…

I promise to make this simple. No major cash outlay & no major mess. But it is best to start with a freshly cleaned kitchen. So if you haven’t already, be sure to read my earlier blogpost, Maintaining a Clean Home Environment.

1.Cabinet Hardware

Oddly, one of the first things I see when I walk into my client’s kitchens is the cabinet hardware. Call me crazy…you know how some people are shoe people? They check out other peoples shoes when they first meet them. My husband falls into this category. But for me, it’s cabinet hardware. My eyes are drawn to it.

Cabinet hardware says a lot about who you are. Sometimes it says you’re cheap.(ouch) Sometimes it says you’re creative. (that’s a good thing) Sometimes it says you’re sophisticated. (another good thing) Sometimes it’s non-existent which prompts me to look at my clients’ fingernails to see how chipped they are from using them as tools.

It’s a silly, simple place to make a big impact. Don’t skip this step ;)

My two favorite online vendors for cabinet hardware are Signature Hardware & Rejuvenation. Honestly though, I’ve had great luck with the big box stores too. If you have a large quantity to replace that might work better for your budget.

2. Paint Color

There’s not a lot of wall space in a kitchen, however, a fresh coat of paint with a subtle color can give your kitchen a polished & fresh look. I generally gravitate to color in most rooms, however, the kitchen is where I prefer to stay neutral.

Maybe because we bring in so many colors with fresh produce.

Consider a palette like this, from Sherwin Williams. Whites & Neutrals. Simple & Subtle and coordinate easily with the cabinets, countertops & tile. For more on selecting the perfect shade for your kitchen be sure to read my earlier post Painting With White where I delve into how to select the best shade for your application.

3. Lighting

Just switching out your pendants or chandelier can have a major impact on your kitchen design. There are so many great choices to choose from…however, I know this can be an overwhelming decision to make. For me, I know exactly which vendor will be the right one to search for the right look for a certain application. But for the average homeowner you need a vendor that offers a good selection but curates the look for you. One of my favorite Online Lighting vendors who does this, is Shades of Light .

Things to take into consideration are proportion & size. Lighting can be tricky & might appear smaller than it really is. Get the tape measure out & measure your existing fixture. Consider whether it is just right right or do you have the space to add a fixture that has a little more volume.

Be sure to check how much light output the fixture offers.

The kitchen needs to have excellent light.

For more on knowing what to look for be sure to check out my earlier post Healthy Home Lighting.

4. Faucet

Think of how many times you turn on & off your faucet in any given day. Add to that, Covid 19, yikes. It’s constantly being used. It should be an endearing friend. It should function for your many needs. It should make your life easier. It should be clean & polished. And last but not least, it should be sleek & sexy or charming & sophisticated. If your faucet doesn’t fit these criteria it’s time to switch it out.

It’s YOUR constant focal point whether you like it or not. Your eyes deserve something nice & your hands do too.

When we renovated our kitchen in 2002 we added a foot petal. You know the kind you occasionally see in a doctors office? Keep in mind this was the prehistoric version of the Touchless Faucet. I’m so used to my foot petal that I find myself stepping for it at family members homes. Someday I will probably switch it out to a touchless faucet however, the faucet we have fits very well in our 1893 Farmhouse.

Brizo & Delta are often my go to lines for a variety of touchless faucets. I believe Delta was the innovator of the touchless faucet. They also own Brizo. Whether you go with touchless or not, it’s a great place to start. Delta will be the more value driven line of the two. Both of them have great styles & excellent quality.

Finish wise you’re always safe with chrome. It will be the least expensive finish option. It’s bound to tie into your appliances since most of you probably have stainless appliances somewhere within the kitchen. Brushed nickel is another good option & will show less water spots. If you want more style, polished nickel, satin gold or bronze are all beautiful. Just be sure to check to see if the finish is a “living finish.” Living finishes will change over time. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just something you will want to know ahead of time. It’s the same concept of copper showing a patina look. In most cases, it’s the oils on your hands that will change the finish over time.

5. Counter Stools

You want a counter stool that invites people to gather. It shouldn’t be too bulky. It should be comfortable. You don’t want it to be too heavy. It should have style. Whether it’s 1,2,3,4 or a half dozen you can fit, look for something that makes you want to linger. The ideal spacing for counter stools is 24” per stool. In another words you would need 48” of counter width for two, 72” of counter width for 3 & so on.

I find a nice variety of counter stools on Grandin Road. They are a subsidiary of Frontgate, but tend to be more value driven. In most cases you will need what is referred to as a Counter Stool, which is 24” high & designed for a counter height surface which is around 36”-37” high.

If you have a raised area of counter, generally around 42” you will want a Bar Stool which is around 30” high. Be sure to check before finalizing your order. Don’t guess on this.

Finding the right counter stool is key to elevating your look.

6. Functional & Decorative Counter Accents

Have you every stood back & looked at your counters & thought, UGH :( How did that happen? The kitchen counters are an easy place to turn a blind eye to. But here, I’m asking you to take a close look. I delve into this in great detail in my earlier blogpost, What To Put On Kitchen Countertops for Decoration.

Here are some simple ideas to get you starting to pull your kitchen all together. You probably already have most of these, but consider switching them out for a fresh look.

Salt & Pepper Shaker

Salt Cellar for Coarse Salt

Utensil Holder

Cutting Board

Fresh Plants

Jar Candle

7. Fresh Linens & Placemats

The final key to pulling your kitchen all together are fresh linens. I like to switch mine out by season to add a new look. I find by doing this they last longer. It’s a fun way to change up the look. But you might prefer to keep it simple & update the look as towels wear out & placemats get soiled.

My go to line for all kitchen items is Crate & Barrel. I guess I’m a bit partial since they opened their first store in Chicago on December 7th, 1962. I turned 7 that day. Of course I don’t remember that ;) but I have always respected them for their quality, their customer service, their presentation & their commitment to their branded look, without falter.

Consider these items & have fun with the final touches to your kitchen.

Kitchen Towels

Placemats

Oven Mitts

Pot Holders

I look forward to your questions & comments below & hope you “like” this blogpost.

For anyone that becomes an insider you will receive my FREE pull it all together checklist. a checklist for 4 key rooms.

If you need more direction on getting started consider my Local or Online Design Services! My new Online Design Package Pull It All Together might be the perfect package for you. I’m here to guide you!