If your kitchen counters are cluttered with appliances, dishes, and other items, it can make your space feel small and disorganized. Decorating your kitchen counters properly not only enhances style but also maximizes storage and functionality. From editing down to essentials to displaying items creatively, a few simple upgrades can transform the look and usefulness of your counters.
Follow these clever decorating hacks to tackle kitchen counter clutter while boosting your space with storage solutions and beautiful styling.
Clear Off Clutter
The first step to decorating your kitchen counters is clearing off any non-essentials and clutter. Clean, clear counters immediately provide a sense of order and harmony. It also allows you to thoughtfully style and organize the items you do need access to daily.
Be ruthless in determining what should stay on your counters and what can be stored elsewhere. Appliances like your coffeemaker, toaster oven and stand mixer probably earn permanent placement. Dishware, utensils and spices racks likely also need some coveted counter real estate.
Designate Counter Zones
Once you’ve pared down to must-have items, group these essential appliances and accessories into designated zones along your counter space. For example, keep coffee station pieces together close to the cupboards with mugs and glassware. Have baking equipment and prep bowls ready in one baking area. Corral all landing spaces for keys, mail, masks and bags in one spot near your entry door.
This organized segmentation keeps similar items together while preventing other areas from getting overloaded and messy. It also helps family members and guests quickly find what they need.
Tidy Storage Solutions
For everything not left out on the counters, incorporate storage solutions to neatly tuck items out of sight. For dishware, pots and pans, utilize racks, organizers and lid holders inside cabinets. Mount spice racks inside cabinet doors to keep these daily essentials accessible but not cluttering up counters.
For small appliances, knives, cutting boards and other items, use lovely bins, canisters and trays to group together on the counters when not in use. This keeps everything handy but maintains clear counters for food prep and cooking.
Incorporate Natural Elements
One of the easiest ways to enhance your kitchen counters is by bringing in natural elements like plants, flowers and greenery. Not only does this soften hard counter edges, but it also adds beauty and fresh appeal.
Choosing Kitchen Plants
When selecting plants for kitchen counters, opt for hardy varieties that can tolerate heat, humidity and low light conditions. Herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano thrive indoors while emitting wonderful scents as you brush by or cook with them. Succulents and cacti also withstand kitchen settings with minimal care required.
Leafy plants with bright foliage, like crotons, ferns and pilea, inject liveliness and vibrancy. Don’t overlook flowering options either – orchids, peace lilies and bromeliads blossom beautifully on counters with indirect light.
Caring for Kitchen Plants
To help your plants flourish, situate them in bright windows and provide ample drainage by using cache pots without built-in saucers. Water when soil is slightly dry and mist regularly to counter dry heat from ovens and dishwashers. Rotate plants once a week so all sides get equal lighting.
Styling With Plants
When styling counters with greenery, vary heights by combining low trailing ivy in hanging baskets with tall slim orchids. Cluster smaller pots together for greater visual impact, and frame arrangements with decorative containers for added charm. Don’t forget to snip herbs and flowers to display in a vase too!
Boost Storage Space
Even though you’ve cleared excess clutter, kitchens often still benefit from extra storage solutions. Choosing vertical and multi-use options helps maximize roomy display space on cramped counters.
Wall Shelving
Installing wall-mounted rails or floating shelves above your counters instantly expands storage capacity. Use to neatly line up cooking oils, spices, condiments and other frequently used jarred goods. You can also display pretty ceramic pieces, mini chopping boards and other kitchenware that looks fantastic on open air shelving.
Hanging Storage
Make use of vertical real estate by hanging ceiling-mounted pot racks and magnetic knife bars. Under-cabinet hooks also come in handy for stashing utensil crocks, paper towel rolls and bulkier gear that won’t fit in drawers. Maintaining items off your counters but within arm’s reach helps keep prep zones open.
Under Cabinet Storage
For additional concealed storage directly under counters, install slide-out trays, racks or vertical organizers. These hideaways keep kitchen odds and ends tidy but easily accessible. Just be conscious of plumbing or electrical that may get in the way when mounting underside storage.
Embrace Layering
While too many scattered piles quickly look cluttered, the thoughtful layering of counters creates a styled sensibility. Follow basic principles to nail this decorator trick of clustered, curated collections.
Editing Collections
Gather up favored accessories like stacked ceramic bowls, pretty milk pitchers and woven baskets. Combine kitchen staples like cookbooks, utensils and fruit bowls too. Edit groupings with restraint, keeping quantities low for each item to prevent overwhelming counters.
Coordinating Colors
Choose one metallic or neutral tone, like copper, cream or wood, to unify groups. Accent with one or two bright additional shades via mugs, tea towels or appliance finishes. Establish cohesion through subtle color repetition.
Varying Heights
Create dimension by incorporating items of different statures, such as tall oil bottles next to stunted succulents. Using the background of your upper cabinetry as a styling shelf builds depth too.
Display Functional Wares
Accent essential gear and appliances with favorite items boasting charm and personality. Display pieces should feature practical purpose while upping kitchen decorative appeal.
Antique and Vintage Items
Inject old-world allure by styling counters with items like antique scales, ceramic egg crates or dainty vintage tea tins. Modern takes on traditional cookware, including enameled cast iron and hammered bowls, also add artsy flair.
Handcrafted Accessories
Support local artisans and showcase handmade style with stoneware mugs, woven placemats, engraved rolling pins and custom cutting boards. Even utilitarian pieces gain specialness when touched by the human hand.
Personalized Objects
Affix photos of loved ones, framed children’s artwork or colorful gallery walls above counters to infuse personality. Favorite cookbooks and floral arrangements in cherished vases also personalize prep areas.
Soft Touches for Warmth
Hard countertop materials like stone and stainless steel feel beautifully neutral and wipeable yet can seem cold or sterile. Inject softness and cozy appeal using decorative textiles throughout your kitchen.
Linens & Runners
Lay patterned linen dish towels near the sink or runner along the backsplash to introduce inviting textures and colors. Roll and display extra napkins in ceramic rings for quick grab-and-go functionality with flair.
Task Lighting
Strategic lighting sets the mood while aiding food prep duties. In addition to necessary under-cabinet strip lighting, install cute pendant fixtures or sconces. Keep sea salt lamps or votives on hand to instantly amp ambiance.
Scented Candles
Candles serve decorative and aromatic purposes, setting a warm glow while emitting sweet scents. Group pillar and votive candles in pretty holders along the back of counters or windowsills. Opt for cozy fragrances like cinnamon spice or fresh linen that complement cooking.
Maintaining Order
No matter how organized your kitchen counters start out, they easily become landing zones for mail, bags and errant items. Maintain their style and usefulness with these habits.
Daily Tidying
Quickly tidy counters each evening before bed or first thing when you wake. Move abandoned dishes to the sink, put away appliances and wipe down surfaces. This nightly ritual only takes moments but keeps chaos at bay.
Weekly Editing
Carve out five minutes per week for a mini editing session. Remove unused gear, compost expired fruit, consolidate stray pieces back into collections and remove topped off candle nubs. Evaluate if displayed items still align with your style and storage needs.
Avoid Clutter-Creep
When counters start filling up, refrain from cramming on additional pieces “just for now.” This clutter creep slowly acclimates your eye to accumulated things that breed perpetual disorder. Edit first, then thoughtfully reinforce your storage solutions and decor schemes.
Decorating your kitchen counters relies on both style and organizational principles to create a functional, beautiful space. Begin by editting down to essential items only. Then thoughtfully display these everyday pieces utilizing zones, trays and vertical storage wisely. Layer in greenery, antique personality pieces and pretty textiles for warmth and charm. Maintain tidiness with regular, quick habits so your counters stay uncluttered and Instagram-worthy!
