5 In the kitchen, set aside an area purely for display.
These areas are as important as in any other room in your house. Consider mounting a shelf with decorative corbels or mouldings and arrange mugs, bowls, or even a framed picture on top. If you're blessed with recessed niches in the wall, or a section of wall where one can be built in, use it to display a single flower in a tall vase or a thin sculpture.
6 For that matter, artwork in the kitchen is underrated.
Mount your art away from wet or greasy areas such as the stove, that's all. As an alternative to prints or paintings, have children's artwork framed (a lovely alternative to the old refrigerator-art gallery routine) or hang a row of family photos.
7 The area above cabinets provides a great visual opportunity. Wicker baskets are a classic look-and a great place to store out-of-season or less-used items-but consider alternatives such as ceramic pottery bowls, or perhaps a collection of antique kitchen implements such as cast-iron scales. Be sure to keep the proportions of display items relatively large to avoid a "bitty" look.
8 If all else fails, choose a theme around colour.
Pick a cheery colour that complements the permanent elements in your kitchen, and gear all your accessorizing to that: placemats, casual tableware, oven mitts, tea towels, even a dish strainer and plastic cooking utensils. IKEA, Pier 1 and many specialty kitchen stores often have a large selection of colour-coordinated items, and they're a great way to perform an instant makeover on any kitchen, old or new.
Read more in Kitchen & Bath and Kitchen
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